Commonwealth Consolidated Acts Commonwealth Consolidated Acts(1) If a person who has been arrested under this Act or pursuant to a warrant issued under this Act is brought to a police station, a police officer may:
(a) if an ordinary search of the person has not been conducted--conduct an ordinary search of the person; or
(b) subject to this section, conduct a strip search of the person.
(2) A strip search may be conducted if:
(a) a police officer suspects on reasonable grounds that:
(i) the person has in his or her possession evidential material relating to the crime to which the person's custody relates; or
(ii) the person has in his or her possession a seizable item; or
(iii) a visual inspection of the person's body will provide evidence of the person's involvement in that crime; and
(b) the police officer suspects on reasonable grounds that it is necessary to conduct a strip search of the person in order to recover that thing or to discover that evidence; and
(c) a police officer of the rank of superintendent or higher has approved the conduct of the search.
(3) Subject to section 136, a strip search may also be conducted if the person consents in writing.
(4) Subject to section 136, a strip search may be conducted in the presence of a medical practitioner, who may assist in the search.
(5) The approval may be obtained by telephone, telex, fax or other electronic means.
(6) A police officer who gives or refuses to give an approval for the purposes of paragraph ( 2)(c) must make a record of the decision and of the reasons for the decision.
(7) Such force as is necessary and reasonable in the circumstances may be used to conduct a strip search under subsection ( 2).
(8) Any item of a kind referred to in subparagraph ( 2)(a)(i) or (ii) that is found during a strip search may be seized.