NEW legislation is being proposed to give police greater powers to tackle serious organised crime.
It is a response to the threat posed to the island by international drugs and financial crime networks.
The public are being invited to submit their views about the draft Criminal Justice, Police Powers and Other Amendments Bill 2012 during a 10-week public consultation which started on Monday.
Proposals include measures to expand police powers for searches and seizures – which are seen as important because modern-day criminals and criminal networks often conceal their activities by operating in more than one country.
Any impediment to helping jurisdictions to investigate and gather evidence involving serious cross-border crime represents an ‘unacceptable risk to the peace and security of the island and its international reputation’, says the consultation document.
Home Affairs Minister Juan Watterson MHK said: ‘The Isle of Man Constabulary has been very successful in driving down crime figures in recent years.
‘My department is focused on maintaining the security of local communities and ensuring the island is a safe place to live, work and visit. This draft legislation is aimed at ensuring the police have the more modern powers necessary to deal with evolving demands in an increasingly global context. I would welcome feedback from the public about the proposals.’
Other proposals in the bill deal with police powers of arrest, police bail, persons arrested on suspicion of drugs offences, the recording of police interviews and the return of missing children. There are also provisions designed to update police regulations and codes of practice governing the conduct and effectiveness of local officers.
These proposals had originally featured in the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2010 that was shelved amid concerns about the size and variety of criminal justice subjects covered.
The consultation, which closes on Tuesday, July 24, can be accessed on the Government website at www.gov.im/dha/consultations.gov