BRITAIN: Radical proposals to make every offence arrestable were published yesterday by the UK Home Secretary David Blunkett.
The measure would mark a major departure from the traditional patchwork of arrestable and non-arrestable offences in England and Wales.
Mr Blunkett also proposed giving more powers to community support officers (CSOs) - the controversial civilian wardens which are opposed by some sections of the rank-and-file police - as well as other civilian police staff. In another major proposal, police officers would be given new powers to fingerprint and photograph suspects at any time rather than only at police stations, to aid identification.
At present, officers can generally arrest a member of the public if they suspect them of committing an offence which carries at least five years' imprisonment.
However, the situation is made more complicated by a number of exemptions which have been introduced in recent years.
Current non-arrestable offences include impersonating a police officer, failing to stop a vehicle when ordered to do so, manufacturing or selling an offensive weapon, failing to hand over a passport to a court and unauthorised access or modification of computer material, which deals with some more minor hacking offences.
A Home Office spokesman said the proposal would not mean police could make arrests "willy-nilly" and that safeguards would be set out in guidance to officers.
Today's consultation paper also proposed significant reform of search warrants, which are currently linked to specific addresses and expire after a certain period.
The paper suggested warrants should apply to an individual so officers could search any premises "occupied or accessible" by that person, and perhaps courts could also allow a longer timeframe for some warrants.
It also proposed testing people suspected of certain property crimes for Class A drugs at arrest rather than at the charging stage.
In a further crackdown on drug dealers, it suggested allowing police to X-ray suspects without their consent to spot packets of drugs swallowed or concealed in body cavities.
The courts should also be able to remand in police custody anyone suspected of swallowing parcels of drugs - possibly for as long as 12 days - to allow the drugs to be passed and seized as evidence, it said. - (PA)