Legal Powers and Arrest Course (Australia) 2026
This course is for security officers and crowd controllers in Australia who want to understand their legal powers. It covers where your powers come from, asking people to leave, trespass, citizen's arrest in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and WA, and what to do after an arrest. To work in security you need a licence from your state or territory and training from a registered training organisation; this course is background knowledge only.
Kort svar
Den här gratiskursen har lektioner på cirka 20 minuter och ett prov med 25 frågor. Med minst 80 % kan du ladda ner ett kursintyg (privat, inte ackrediterat). Kontrollerad mot officiella källor den 13 oktober 2026.
Det här lär du dig
- Explain why a security licence does not give police powers
- Describe how trespass laws let an occupier or their agent ask someone to leave
- Compare the citizen's arrest rules in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and WA
- State what you must do with a person after an arrest
- Use only the force the law allows when making an arrest
- Choose safer options, such as observing and calling police
Få minst 80 % för att ladda ner ditt certifikat.
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Fråga 1 av 25
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Svar: D. The same state laws that let any person make an arrest
Arrest laws such as WA's Criminal Investigation Act 2006 s 25 speak of "any person". A security licence lets you work in security but does not give police powers.
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Fråga 2 av 25
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Svar: A. Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002
Section 100 of the Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 sets out arrest without a warrant by people other than police officers.
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Fråga 3 av 25
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Svar: A. The person has just committed an offence
NSW s 100 allows an arrest if the person is in the act of committing an offence, has just committed one, or has committed a serious indictable offence not yet tried.
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Fråga 4 av 25
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Svar: B. Take them before an authorised officer, such as a magistrate, as soon as reasonably practicable
NSW s 100 requires the arrested person, and any property found on them, to be taken before an authorised officer as soon as reasonably practicable. Section 3 defines an authorised officer as a magistrate, a Local Court registrar or an authorised court employee.
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Fråga 5 av 25
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Svar: D. That arrest is necessary, for example to keep public order
Victoria s 458(1)(a) requires a reasonable belief that arrest is necessary, such as to ensure court attendance, keep public order, stop the offence continuing, or for safety or welfare.
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Fråga 6 av 25
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Svar: D. A regulation or a council by-law
Section 458(2) says "offence" covers common law offences and breaches of Acts, but not breaches of regulations, by-laws or similar instruments unless an Act says otherwise.
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Fråga 7 av 25
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Svar: D. Taken before a bail justice or the Magistrates' Court, or handed to police
Section 458(1) says the arrested person is to be taken before a bail justice or the Magistrates' Court, or given to a police officer for that purpose.
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Fråga 8 av 25
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Svar: B. Release the person, or make sure they are released
Section 458(3) says a person arrested for a summary offence may only be held while the reason for the arrest continues, and must then be released.
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Fråga 9 av 25
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Svar: B. When a police officer with the power to arrest tells them to
Section 458(1)(b) allows any person to arrest someone when instructed to by a police officer who has power to arrest that person.
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Fråga 10 av 25
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Svar: A. An offence whose penalty is or includes imprisonment
Section 25(1) of WA's Criminal Investigation Act 2006 defines an arrestable offence as one whose statutory penalty is or includes imprisonment.
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Fråga 11 av 25
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Svar: C. A reasonable suspicion that they committed or are committing an arrestable offence
WA s 25(2) lets any person arrest someone they reasonably suspect has committed, or is committing, an arrestable offence.
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Fråga 12 av 25
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Svar: A. Get a police officer to attend, or take the person to a police officer
WA s 25(5) requires the arrester to arrange for a police officer to attend, or to take the suspect and anything relevant to a police officer, as soon as practicable.
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Fråga 13 av 25
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Svar: A. No, it does not give a right to enter a place or vehicle
WA s 25(4) says a person is not entitled, only because of the arrest power, to enter a place or vehicle where they suspect the suspect is.
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Fråga 14 av 25
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Svar: D. The person stops being under arrest
WA s 25(7) says that if the police officer does not arrest the suspect, the suspect ceases to be under arrest.
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Fråga 15 av 25
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Svar: D. Criminal Code, section 546
Section 546 of Queensland's Criminal Code makes it lawful for any person who finds another committing certain offences to arrest them without a warrant.
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Fråga 16 av 25
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Svar: C. The owner, the occupier or the person apparently in charge
Section 4 makes it an offence to remain after being asked to leave by the owner, occupier or person apparently in charge of the lands.
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Fråga 17 av 25
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Svar: C. A hospital
Prescribed premises include land used with schools, child care services, hospitals and nursing homes. Offences there carry a higher maximum penalty.
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Fråga 18 av 25
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Svar: D. It is a separate offence, with a higher penalty
Section 4A of the Inclosed Lands Protection Act 1901 creates an offence of offensive conduct after being asked to leave, with a higher maximum penalty than s 4.
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Fråga 19 av 25
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Svar: B. A dwelling or its yard, or a place used for a business purpose
Section 11 covers unlawfully entering or remaining in a dwelling or its yard, and a place, or its yard, used for a business purpose.
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Fråga 20 av 25
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Svar: D. The refusal must not be unfair or discriminatory
NSW guidance on removing and banning customers says venues may refuse entry without a reason, but refusals must not be unfair or discriminatory.
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Fråga 21 av 25
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Svar: D. Refuse them entry and record what happened
NSW guidance says venues can refuse entry without giving a reason, as long as the refusal is not unfair or discriminatory. The arrest laws give no general power to search, so if a person refuses a bag check, you can refuse entry.
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Fråga 22 av 25
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Svar: B. Only force reasonably necessary to make the arrest or stop an escape
Section 231 of the Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 allows force that is reasonably necessary to make the arrest or prevent escape after arrest.
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Fråga 23 av 25
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Svar: A. Note a good description and report it to police
Arrest laws say a person "may" arrest; they do not require it. An arrest is a last resort, and observing and reporting is often safer.
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Fråga 24 av 25
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Svar: B. As acting against the public interest, which can put the licence at risk
SLED says refusing to assist police with their enquiries is contrary to the public interest and can lead to a show cause notice and possible licence revocation.
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Fråga 25 av 25
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Svar: B. Write detailed notes and give police a statement if asked
Licensees are expected to share information about offences they witness with police. Notes made at the time support your statement.
Tangentbord: 1–4 för att svara, Enter för nästa fråga.
Bra att veta före provet
- In NSW, section 100 of the Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 sets out when a person other than a police officer may arrest without a warrant.
- In Victoria, a person found committing an offence may be arrested by anyone only if the arrest is reasonably believed to be necessary, for example to keep public order.
- In WA, a citizen's arrest is for an "arrestable offence", which means an offence that can be punished with imprisonment.
- In WA, after a citizen's arrest you must, as soon as practicable, get police to attend or take the person to a police officer.
- In NSW, a person who stays on inclosed lands after the owner, occupier or person apparently in charge asks them to leave commits an offence.
Vanliga frågor
Does a security licence give me police powers?
No. Your licence lets you do security work for pay. Your powers to arrest come from the same state laws that apply to any person, plus the authority the owner or occupier gives you.
Can a security officer make a citizen's arrest in Australia?
Yes, but only in the situations your state's law allows, such as finding someone committing an offence. You must then hand the person to police as soon as you reasonably can.
Can I search someone's bag?
The arrest laws in this course do not give a private person a general power to search. Searches are usually done with consent as a condition of entry; if a person refuses, you can refuse entry or ask them to leave.
Does this course qualify me to work as a security officer?
No. Every state and territory requires a security licence. You must complete the training your regulator requires, usually through a registered training organisation, and apply to the regulator, such as SLED in NSW or Victoria Police in Victoria.
Är intyget ackrediterat eller officiellt erkänt?
Nej. Det är ett privat kursintyg, bara för dina kunskaper. Det är inte erkänt, ackrediterat eller godkänt av någon myndighet, tillståndsmyndighet, tillsynsmyndighet eller utbildningsinstitution, och det ersätter inte någon licens, certifiering eller utbildning som krävs enligt lag.
Källor
- Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW)
- Inclosed Lands Protection Act 1901 (NSW)
- Crimes Act 1958 (Vic) s 458 (AustLII)
- Criminal Code 1899 (Qld) s 546 (AustLII)
- Summary Offences Act 2005 (Qld)
- Criminal Investigation Act 2006 (WA)
- Removing and banning customers from licensed venues (NSW Government)
- Security licence FAQs (SLED, NSW Police Force)