The powers to stop and search contained in section 1 of the act added to some existing powers of this kind. Searches for drugs are still permitted by the Misuse Of Drugs Act 1971 and those for firearms under the Firearms Act 1968, but these laws do vary such as under the Prevention Of Terrorism Act 1989, Section 15; various poaching and wildlife conversation legislation.
The criminal justice and public order act 1994 introduced new powers to stop and search vehicles and person. Section 81 enables stops and searches of vehicles and occupants to be made to prevent acts of terrorism. Section 60 enables stop and searches to be made in anticipation of violence. The new powers to stop and search in anticipation of violence on 10 April 1995. In addition, the prevention of terrorism act was further amended by the Prevention of terrorism act 1996 on 3rd April 1996. This added a new section 13B, which introduced stops and searches of pedestrians in order to prevent acts of terrorism.
The detention in police custody under PACE implies police custody before charge on the authority of a police officer is limited to 24 hours except where the alleged offence is a serious arrestable one, where the maximum is 36 hours. Where the police need to detain beyond 36 hours in the case of a serious arrestable offence, a warrant of further detention must be applied for at the magistrates’ court. The court can issue a warrant of further detention for a period of up to 36 hours; an extension to the warrant can be applied for, but any extension granted cannot exceed 96 hours, different rules apply in respect of arrests made under the prevention of terrorism act.
Intimate searches are those, which involve a physical search of the body and therefore exclude strip searches. They may only be carried out if there are reasonable ground for be believing that a person who has been arrested, and is in police detention, may have concealed on him anything which he could use to cause physical injury; or, in the case of suspected couriers or dealers only, a class A drug (as defined in the misuse of drugs act 1971). In the case of searches for drugs, only a suitably qualified person (i.e. a registered doctor or nurse) can carry out the search. Searches for harmful articles are also by suitably qualified persons, except where this is not capable when a constable will carry out the search.
*I gathered the statistics from the following website: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/index.html
