Project No. 85

Commenced: 1986
Completed: 1992

The Police Act 1892 (WA) deals with the appointment, duties, discipline and dismissal of police officers and also with police powers (such as arrest, entry, search and seizure) and summary offences. The Act was derived from similar legislation existing in New South Wales, South Australia and England at the time of its enactment. Though it has often been amended, the drafting style of the Act remains old-fashioned and unchanged. Further, many of the offences contained within the Act are either out of date or duplicated in other legislation. A question was also raised as to whether rules regulating the police force and summary offences should properly be contained in the same statute.