One in four searches finds knife, but new laws won’t change this, say opponents

Results from a four-month police metal detection wand trial are in, with one in four searches turning up a weapon. Is this enough to win over critics and a vote in the Upper House?

The results of a four-month trial into searches with handheld metal detection wands have revealed that one in four searches resulted in a weapon being seized – but it’s not enough to win over some of the trial’s critics.

Handheld wands were rolled out late last year in response to growing crimes involving weapons.

As the trial period for the non-invasive searches finished on April 2, Police Minister Felix Ellis said the results highlight the need for increased search powers in a permanent rollout.

“More than 200 searches resulted in 54 knives and other weapons seized – each one of those is potentially a life saved,” he said.

Member for Clark Simon Behrakis, Police Minister Felix Ellis and Acting Inspector Danny Jackson with some of the seized weapons from the wand trial. Picture: Genevieve Holding

“It’s encouraging, but it’s also deeply concerning that there is a culture here in Tasmania, as we’re seeing in other places, that people are carrying knives and other weapons in our public places and doing the wrong thing.”

Despite just a quarter of the searches during the trial resulting in a weapon seized, Minister Ellis said the results from other states showed the knife laws worked.

“Queensland has seized over a thousand knives, each one of those could have taken a life in Queensland,” he said.

“You cannot argue with the results, with more than a thousand knives seized by people carrying them without a legitimate purpose in a public place, just as we seized these 54 knives across the trial.

“There is strong evidence that this works, and it is also a clear demonstration about why we not only need to increase police powers, but we need to increase penalties on people doing the wrong thing and that’s what Reid’s Law does here in Tasmania.”

Under new amendments to Reid’s Law which will be debated in the Legislative Council this week, police officers can search people with wands in prescribed places such as educational facilities and public transport hubs without any need for reasonable suspicion.

Some of the 54 weapons seized during the Tasmania Police's handheld metal detection wands trial. Picture: Genevieve Holding

Police officers are also able to stop and detain a person for so long as reasonably necessary to conduct the search.

If a person does not agree to a wand search, it can constitute “reasonable grounds for suspicion” the person is carrying a weapon.

Similarly, if a person in the above prescribed places for wand searches declines a search, it would also be considered suspicion of carrying a weapon.

Tasmania Police Inspector Danny Jackson said searches for these knives often result in arrests and the discovery of drugs or stolen property, and are having an impact on people carrying weapons in public.

“We’ve already found that just by carrying the wands and approaching people in public spaces, that on occasion they will produce the weapon in advance because they understand that they’re going to be searched,” he said.

Tasmania Police Acting Inspector Danny Jackson speaks to media. Picture: Genevieve Holding

Yet, Greg Barns SC from the Australian Lawyers Alliance said seizing knives does not impact the numbers in the community or the people carrying them.

“These figures tell us nothing other than 54 knives were seized as a result of the wanding trial,” he said.

“All it means is that 54 knives will be replaced – knives are like drugs, the demand is constant and is easily met.

“Further, this exercise does not justify the Rockliff government, Labor-supported knife laws which are the greatest extension of police powers in recent times.

“These laws will mean increased harassment of young people from low-income earners, searches of homeless people, and do little to reduce knife crime.

“The overpolicing of low-income areas in combination with these new laws will only create further tensions with these communities who are already distrustful in police.”

Mr Barns said the new laws fail to incorporate intervention programs, which would work to prevent people from carrying weapons.

Originally published as One in four searches finds knife, but new laws won’t change this, say opponents