Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998

Part II Policing objectives, performance targets and plans

14 Setting of policing objectives by Secretary of State

(1) The Secretary of State may determine, and from time to time revise, objectives for the policing of Northern Ireland.

(2) Before determining or revising any objectives under this section, the Secretary of State shall consult—

(a) the Police Authority;

(b) the Chief Constable; and

(c) such other persons as he thinks appropriate.

(3) Objectives shall be determined under this section by reference to a period (not being less than 3 years nor more than 5 years) specified therein.

(4) The Secretary of State shall lay before both Houses of Parliament a copy of any objectives determined or revised by him under this section.

(5) References in other provisions of this Act to objectives determined under this section shall, where objectives so determined have been revised, be read as references to such objectives as revised .

15 Setting of policing objectives and performance targets by Police Authority

(1) The Police Authority shall, before the beginning of each financial year, determine objectives for the policing of Northern Ireland during that year.

(2) Objectives determined under this section may relate to matters to which objectives determined under section 14 also relate, or to other matters, but in any event shall be so framed as to be consistent with the objectives determined under that section.

(3) Before determining objectives under this section, the Police Authority shall—

(a) consult the Chief Constable; and

(b) consider any views obtained by the Authority in accordance with arrangements made under section 7.

(4) The Police Authority shall establish levels of performance (“performance targets”) to be aimed at in seeking to achieve—

(a) any objectives established by the Secretary of State under section 14; and

(b) the objectives determined by the Authority for a financial year under this section.

(5) Performance targets under paragraph (a) of subsection (4) shall be established before the beginning of the period specified in the objectives in question by virtue of section 14(3); and performance targets under paragraph (b) of that subsection shall be established before the beginning of the financial year in question.

16 The Chief Constable’s strategic policing plan

(1) The Chief Constable shall, after consultation with the Secretary of State and the Police Authority, issue a plan (“the strategic policing plan”) setting out the proposed arrangements for the policing of Northern Ireland during such period (not being less than 3 years nor more than 5 years) as is specified in the plan.

(2) The strategic policing plan shall include a statement of the Chief Constable’s priorities for the period covered by the plan, of the financial resources expected to be available to him and of the proposed allocation of those resources by him, and shall give particulars of—

(a) any objectives determined by the Secretary of State under section 14;

(b) any objectives determined by the Police Authority under section 15; and

(c) any performance targets established by the Police Authority under that section.

(3) Where the Secretary of State revises any objectives determined by him under section 14, the Chief Constable shall, after consultation with the Secretary of State and the Police Authority, amend the strategic policing plan in such manner as appears to him to be appropriate.

(4) The Chief Constable shall—

(a) arrange for every strategic policing plan issued or revised by him under this section to be published in such manner as appears to him to be appropriate; and

(b) send a copy of every plan so issued or revised to the Secretary of State and the Police Authority.

17 The Police Authority’s annual policing plan

(1) The Police Authority shall, before the beginning of each financial year, issue a plan (“the annual policing plan”) setting out the proposed arrangements for the policing of Northern Ireland during that year.

(2) The annual policing plan shall include a statement of the Police Authority’s priorities for the year, of the financial resources expected to be available to the Authority and of the proposed allocation of those resources by the Authority, and shall give particulars of—

(a) any objectives determined by the Secretary of State under section 14;

(b) any objectives determined by the Police Authority under section 15; and

(c) any performance targets established by the Police Authority under that section.

(3) A draft of the annual policing plan shall be submitted by the Chief Constable to the Police Authority for it to consider.

(4) The Police Authority may adopt an annual policing plan either—

(a) in the form of the draft submitted under subsection (3); or

(b) with such amendments as the Authority may, after consultation with the Chief Constable, determine.

(5) Before issuing an annual policing plan adopted by it under subsection (4), the Police Authority shall consult the Secretary of State.

(6) The Police Authority shall arrange for every annual policing plan issued by it under this section to be published in such manner as appears to it to be appropriate.