Police officers may ask a person to stop loitering in a public place (in other words, to leave the place) where they believe on reasonable grounds:

A person who does not obey a police request to stop loitering commits an offence.

Maximum penalty: $1250 or 3 months imprisonment.

[Summary Offences Act 1953 (SA) s 18]

If a police officer has reasonable grounds to suspect someone loitering in a public place is of a prescribed class, the officer can request that the person state the reason that they are there. In doing so the officer has to tell the person that a request is being made under section 18 of the Summary Offences Act (SA) and what prescribed class the person belongs to.

Prescribed class includes: people who have been found guilty of a serious and organised crime offence; are a proscribed drug offender; have a firearms or weapons prohibition order; are subject to a control order, non-association order, place restriction order, paedophile restraining order or consorting prohibition notice; or otherwise prescribed under regulations.

Failure to provide a satisfactory reason for being in that place is an offence.

Maximum penalty : $5000 or 3 months imprisonment.

[Summary Offences Act 1953 (SA) s 18(3)-(7)]

See also consorting offences in the Law Handbook under - Serious and Organised Crime - Consorting