Powers of Arrest

For information about Powers of Arrest have a look here or for more detail here.

The five powers you need to know for the exam are

• Section 24 of PACE (as amended by SOCPA 2005);


• S24A PACE (Citizen's arrest);


• Arrest for Breach of the Peace;


• Arrest under s46A of PACE (1984) for breach of bail conditions; and


• Arrest under warrant - s1 of the Magistrates' Courts Act (1980)

The various Codes of Practice under PACE are here. Have a look at Code G on arrest.

Thinking point: Have a read of the Daily Mirror article here. Do the police's powers of arrest under PACE now go too far?

For wider commentary on the increase in the power of the state over the individual, read this article by Henry Porter. Is he right?