Revised Laws of Saint Lucia (2023)

8.   Power to block road and set up cordon

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   (1)   A police officer may, within an escalated crime area —

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      (a)     divert a user of the road or stop up any road, pathway or cause a cordon to be set up to surround an area, place or premises to prohibit or regulate access to or egress from the area, place or premises;

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      (b)     for a period, not exceeding 3 days —

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         (i)     prohibit or regulate the use of any road or pathway by persons or vehicles in general, or

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         (ii)     cause a cordon to be set up to surround any area, place or premises so as to prohibit or regulate access to or egress from the area, place or premises.

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   (2)   Where a police officer takes action under subsection (1), he or she shall —

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      (a)     inform the public, in the best manner possible, of the action taken;

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      (b)     immediately take steps, by the posting up of a notice or by the stationing of guards at appropriate points, to notify members of the public of the effect of the action taken and of the time when any prohibition or regulation implicit in such action expire;

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      (c)     if a road or pathway is stopped up by means of a physical obstruction, cause lights, sufficient for warning the users of the road, to be set up every night while the road or pathway is so stopped up.

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   (3)   Where the use of any road or pathway is prohibited to any particular person or vehicle under subsection (1)(b)(i), the police officer by whom the prohibition is issued, shall take such steps as may be necessary to inform the persons or the driver of the vehicle of the prohibition.

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   (4)   Where the use of a road or pathway is prohibited or a cordon is set up around an area, place or premises under this section, a person who, without the permission, whether oral or written, of a police officer, after being challenged commits an offence if he or she —

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      (a)     enters or departs from that area, place or premises or attempts to enter or depart from that area, place or premises;

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      (b)     removes any sign, instrument light or other object designed to inform another person of the prohibition or cordoned area.