50.Unless the owner or occupier of a place that an enforcement officer requires to enter consents to the enforcement officer entering the place, some measure of force will generally be required.
51.This section empowers a police constable to use reasonable force, or to authorise an enforcement officer or a person assisting an officer to use reasonable force, when taking enforcement action under section 18 (general enforcement powers) or section 22 (entry and search).
52.Reasonable force may be used or authorised in this way only where the police constable accompanies the enforcement officer and if either—
	the use of force has been previously authorised by warrant issued by a sheriff (who may grant a warrant only if satisfied that the use of reasonable force is necessary), or
	the police constable reasonably believes that there is a real risk that the delay caused by seeking such a warrant would defeat or prejudice the purpose of taking action.
53.This power could, for example, be used to authorise a locksmith to use reasonable force to gain entry to a place.
54.This power does not allow a police constable to authorise an enforcement officer or a third party assister to use reasonable force against an individual.
The Act Enforcement powers Section 24: Use of reasonable force