Warwickshire Police

Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 gives Police powers to examine any flight arriving or departing any airfield irrespective of its destination – this includes internal flights within the UK. Unlike any other Police powers Schedule 7 provides Examining Officers (which includes Police Officers) the ability to stop, question, search and if necessary, detain persons without the need for any suspicions or prior authority, however these powers are exercised in a manner that does not discriminate unlawfully against anyone. Some people may find being stopped under these circumstances inconvenient and embarrassing but we have a duty to protect our communities from terrorism and your patience and understanding helps us to do this.

Terrorists need to travel in order to plan, prepare and commit their crimes. This legislation is used by Police Officers to determine whether a person appears to be (or has been) concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism

Any person stopped / questioned under this power must:

• Give the Officer any information in his or her possession which the Officer requests.
• Give the Officer on request either a valid passport, which includes a photograph or another document, which satisfactorily establishes his or her identity.
• Declare whether he or she has with them any documents of the kind specified by the officer.
• Give the officer on request, any document, which he or she has with him and which is a kind specified by the officer.

It is an offence if the person deliberately fails to comply with any of these requirements.

Information requested by an officer may include passwords or Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) to electronic data devices that the person being examined has with them.

This Act also states that an Officer may also search:

• Any person
• Anything they have with them or belongs to them and which is on a ship or aircraft or which has been or is about to be on a ship or aircraft.
• Any vehicle, including anything that is, has or is about to be in that vehicle

An Officer may detain a person for up to a maximum of nine hours, if necessary, for the purposes of the examination.

There is a code of practice that Police adhere to, which is contained on the Home Office website and there is also practice advice on the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) website www.npia.police.uk/en/14749.htm

How can you help?

• As a pilot/owner - by being aware of your responsibilities and complying with them.
• By being vigilant and notifying us of anything suspicious.
• By using the flight notification forms to assist us in monitoring General Aviation flights to and from the relevant areas.

• Evidence of unauthorised activity at your airstrip or flying club – for example, fresh tyre marks and tampering with equipment.
• Packages being transferred from an aircraft to a vehicle in unusual locations such as a remote part of an airfield or by strangers.
• Activity or sightings of aircraft at night or on unused airstrips.
• Strangers trying to hire your aircraft - or those belonging to other club members.
• Strangers using, or seeking permission to use, your airstrip.
• Evidence of adaptation of aircraft for concealment purposes.
• Aircraft landing at unusual locations, i.e. unused airstrips

• Do not get involved.
• Do not touch any suspicious packages.
• Make a note of any registration number, markings or descriptions.
• Call the Ports Unit/Police immediately.

In an emergency, call the Police on 999 immediately

Otherwise contact the Ports Unit – as always your information can be treated in confidence.

If you have any information or concerns regarding the above, about your home or visiting airport, if you need advice, further information, or have any suggestions how we can improve our service to you, then please do not hesitate to contact us on the following number:

Ports Unit: Tel: 01926 415279 Fax: 02476 639231 Email: SBPorts@warwickshire.pnn.police.uk

Out of hours: Warwickshire Police Switchboard 01926 415000