Section 22 – Power to enter and inspect club premises
86.This section empowers the Chief Constable – or a delegated officer not below the rank of inspector – to authorise a police constable or member of police staff to enter and inspect any approved air weapon club premises, other than a private dwelling, to ensure that the requirements in this Part are being complied with. Subsection (3) provides that the inspection should, where possible, take place at a reasonable time, which may be any time that the club is operating including in the evenings or at weekends. Subsections (1)(b) and (2) set out that the police constable or member of police staff can inspect anything on the club premises, including requiring electronic information to be reproduced in a visible and legible form. However inspection should only be of those things for the purpose of ascertaining whether the provisions of the Part or any conditions attached to a club’s approval are being complied with.
87.Subsection (4) requires that the police constable or member of police staff must produce their authorisation if asked before entering a club premises to inspect it in accordance with this section.
88.Subsections (6) and (7) set out the offence of intentionally obstructing a police constable or member of police staff from carrying out their duties when authorised under this section – for example, by refusing them access to the club premises, or by concealing evidence from them.
