When a police officer enters your home, property, or land without lawful consent and your permission, they are committing trespass.
Police must have a warrant to gain entry into an occupancy.
If the police have entered your property without a warrant, you may be entitled to pursue a civil claim against them.
There are exceptions where the police are lawfully allowed to enter and search premises without a warrant. These include:
To deal with a breach of the peace or attempt to prevent it;
To enforce an arrest warrant.
To arrest a person in connection with an offence.
To recapture someone who has escaped from custody.
To save a life.
To prevent serious property damage.
However, scenarios such as a minor welfare concern do not lawfully permit a police officer to enter your premises, even if it is only for a short amount of time.
