Police to detect, seize and destroy weapons, ban people

Amendments to the Police Administration Act will authorise police to use handheld scanners to detect, seize and destroy weapons being carried by individuals – also known as wanding, according to a statement from Chief Minister Natasha Fyles this afternoon.

She also announced additional high risk areas where police have the power to use new wanding powers and issue banning notices.

"These locations correlate with high risk alcohol areas which we know fuel alcohol related crime," she says.

All CBD districts across the Territory are already high risk areas and the Alice Springs precinct has been updated.

"Persons who are caught engaging in crime, anti-social behaviour, alcohol-fuelled violence or those who refuse to leave a premises can be banned from entering high-risk areas for up to 14 days.

"Along with high risk areas, public transport facilities, public transport vehicles and a suspected offence area, will be areas where wanding can take place.

“Carrying a knife in our community will not be tolerated – and there is no excuse.

“Identifying high risk areas where we know alcohol fuelled crime occurs will allow police to use their wanding powers and take any weapons off the street.

“People caught engaging in crime, alcohol-fuelled violence or anti-social behaviour will also be banned from entering these high risk areas.

“High risk areas are decided upon through monitoring and data, and is something that we will constantly review,” says the Chief Minister.

UPDATE July 26 Letter to the Editor: Will it be illegal for me to carry my Swiss army knife in my pocket" Dave Oakes, Alice Springs