Northern Territory Consolidated Acts Northern Territory Consolidated Acts(1) The person or clothing of a youth must only be searched by a person of the same gender as the youth and the search must be carried out in a place and a manner that allows the youth privacy from persons of the other gender.
(2) If a police officer of the same gender as the youth is not available within a reasonable time, a person of the appropriate gender who is not a police officer may carry out the search under the direction of a police officer who must take the necessary measures to preserve the youth's privacy and dignity.
(3) A person who carries out a search of a youth in accordance with subsection (2) has, for the purposes of that search, the same powers and the same protection as a police officer.