​KembaraXtra – Legal Terms – Obstructing a Police Officer


Obstructing a police officer is the offence of intentionally interfering with a police officer who is carrying out lawful duties.


Obstruction may occur through physical interference, threats, providing false information, refusing to cooperate, or warning offenders so that they escape detection.


However, merely refusing to answer police questions that one is not legally required to answer is not obstruction.


The police officer must be acting in the course of duty, such as preventing crime, maintaining public order, or carrying out lawful instructions.


Where the obstruction involves assault, more serious penalties including imprisonment may apply