Labor Pledges Expanded Police Search Powers to Combat Knife Crime

Victorian Premier Ben Carroll has pledged to grant police expanded powers to stop and search individuals in public if Labor is re-elected, in a bid to crack down on knife crime. The commitment, which mirrors a policy previously introduced by the opposition, would see Victoria Police receive 1,200 extra handheld metal-detecting wands to use on anyone in a public place from early next year.

Expanded Search Powers

Police Minister Paul Edbrooke said the expanded search powers would help to get knives off the streets. "Stop-and-search powers for deadly blades, anywhere, any time, to get these knives off our streets," he said.

The legislation, known as "Jack's Law", is named after teenager Jack Beasley who was fatally stabbed while out with friends on the Gold Coast in 2019. His parents, Brett and Belinda, have advocated for change and several states have modelled legislation based on Queensland's response.

"I stand with parents like Brett and Belinda, just like I stand with all Victorians who have had their lives destroyed by violence," Mr Carroll said.

Concerns Over Effectiveness

However, Swinburne University criminologist Joel McGregor expressed doubts about the effectiveness of the policy, saying there was little evidence to suggest that wanding laws in Queensland had led to a reduction in violent crimes. "Potentially, wanding will take some knives out of the community," he said. "But it's really not addressing these underlying drivers of violence within our community."

Dr McGregor also raised concerns that the legislation could lead to "particular groups of people being targeted", citing data that showed more than one in 10 people searched for weapons in Queensland identified as First Nations.

Current Search Powers in Victoria

In Victoria, officers can currently stop and search people at random only when police declare a "designated area". This can include a shopping centre, sports precinct or entire suburbs for up to six months at a time. Police do not need a warrant and there is no legal need to have any suspicion the person has a weapon or is engaging in any wrongdoing when a declaration is in place.

The Victorian government has already announced a blanket ban on machetes and long knives.