Court security officer
Encyclopedia
A court security officer is, in England and Wales
, a person employed by either the Lord Chancellor
or a private company as a "court officer" and designated by the Lord Chancellor under section 51 (1) of the Courts Act 2003
.
and remove them if they refuse to be searched. They can also remove people in order to enable court business to be carried on without interference or delay, maintain order and secure the safety of any person in the court building. Reasonable force may be used in exercise of these powers.
Officers may ask a person to surrender (and failing that seize) property if they believe it may jeopardise the maintenance of order in the court, put the safety of any person in the court building at risk, or may be evidence of, or in relation to, an offence. Property that was taken for one of the first two reasons must be returned as the person leaves the court; property seized because it may be evidence of, or in relation to, an offence may be kept for up to 24 hours to enable a police constable to deal with it. Court security officers may only exercise their powers when they are "readily identifiable", and assaulting or obstructing a court security officer in execution of his duties is an offence.
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
, a person employed by either the Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
or a private company as a "court officer" and designated by the Lord Chancellor under section 51 (1) of the Courts Act 2003
Courts Act 2003
The Courts Act 2003 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom implementing many of the recommendations in Sir Robin Auld's in England and Wales...
.
Powers
Court security officers may search people as they enter the courtCourthouse
A courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply...
and remove them if they refuse to be searched. They can also remove people in order to enable court business to be carried on without interference or delay, maintain order and secure the safety of any person in the court building. Reasonable force may be used in exercise of these powers.
Officers may ask a person to surrender (and failing that seize) property if they believe it may jeopardise the maintenance of order in the court, put the safety of any person in the court building at risk, or may be evidence of, or in relation to, an offence. Property that was taken for one of the first two reasons must be returned as the person leaves the court; property seized because it may be evidence of, or in relation to, an offence may be kept for up to 24 hours to enable a police constable to deal with it. Court security officers may only exercise their powers when they are "readily identifiable", and assaulting or obstructing a court security officer in execution of his duties is an offence.