Powers of stop, search and seizure in Northern Ireland
Section 96 Power to Stop and Search in Anticipation of Violence
242.Section 96 provides for the Public Order (Northern Ireland) Order 1987 to be amended by the insertion of a new Article, which makes similar provision for Northern Ireland to that made for Great Britain by virtue of Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 which does not extend to Northern Ireland. Where a senior police officer reasonably believes that incidents involving serious violence may take place in a locality, he may issue an authorisation which enables the police to stop and search pedestrians and vehicles for offensive weapons or dangerous instruments and to seize any such instruments.
Section 97 Seized Articles
243.Section 97 provides for the Public Order (Northern Ireland) Order 1987 to be amended by the insertion of a new Article 23C, which will enable the Secretary of State to make regulations to govern the retention and disposal of things seized under new Articles 23A and 23B.