Section 317A — Crimes Act 1961: Power to stop vehicles for purpose of arrest

317A Power to stop vehicles for purpose of arrest (1) Any member of the Police who— (a) Has reasonable grounds to suspect that there is in or on any vehicle any person who either— (i) Is unlawfully at large; or (ii) Has committed an offence punishable by imprisonment; and (b) Either— (i) Is wearing a uniform or a distinctive cap, hat, or helmet with a badge of authority affixed thereto; or (ii) Is following immediately behind the vehicle in a motor vehicle displaying flashing blue lights, or flashing blue and red lights, and sounding a siren— may stop the vehicle for the purpose of arresting that person. (2) A person driving a vehicle must stop the vehicle as soon as is practicable on being required to do so by a member of the Police exercising the power conferred by subsection (1) . (3) Every member of the Police exercising any power conferred by subsection (1) must, immediately after the vehicle has stopped,— (a) Identify himself or herself to the driver of the vehicle; and (b) Tell the driver that the power is being exercised under this section; and (c) If not in uniform and if so required, produce evidence that he or she is a member of the Police. (4) Where a vehicle fails to stop at a road block established under section 317B , subsection (1) applies and any member of the Police may, in relation to that vehicle and any person in or on it, exercise all or any of the powers conferred by this section and sections 317AA and 317AB . (5) For the purposes of this section, the term unlawfully at large , in relation to any person, includes (but is not limited to) any case where a warrant for the arrest of that person is for the time being in force. Compare: 1961 No 43 s 202B ; 1981 No 113 s 48(1) ; Road Traffic Act 1988 (UK) s 163 Sections 317A and 317B were inserted, as from 1 September 1993, by section 3 Crimes Amendment Act (No 2) 1993 (1993 No 46). Section 317A was substituted, and sections 317AA and 317AB were inserted, as from 1 January 1998, by section 22 Crimes Amendment Act (No 2) 1997 (1997 No 93).