# Sentencing Act 2020, Section 342E: Serious violence reduction orders: powers of constables

Extent: E+W

(1) This section applies where a serious violence reduction order is in effect.
(2) A constable may search the offender for the purpose of ascertaining whether the offender has a bladed article or an offensive weapon with them.
(3) A constable may detain the offender for the purpose of carrying out the search.
(4) A constable may seize anything that the constable finds in the course of the search if the constable reasonably suspects it to be a bladed article or an offensive weapon.
(5) The powers in this section may be exercised only while the offender is in a public place.
(6) A constable may use reasonable force, if necessary, for the purpose of exercising a power conferred by this section.
(7) The powers conferred on a constable by this section are additional to powers which the constable has at common law or by virtue of any other enactment and does not affect those powers.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2020/17/section/342E (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/sentencing-act-2020/section-342E
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.