Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998

7 Arrangements for obtaining the views of the public on policing

(1) The Police Authority shall make arrangements for obtaining—

(a) the views of the public about matters concerning policing; and

(b) the co-operation of the public with the police in preventing crime.

(2) Before making any arrangements under this section the Police Authority shall—

(a) consult the Chief Constable as to the arrangements that would be appropriate; and

(b) consult each district council in Northern Ireland as to the arrangements that would be appropriate for its district.

(3) The Police Authority shall from time to time review the arrangements made under this section.

(4) If it appears to the Secretary of State that arrangements made under this section are not adequate for the purposes set out in subsection (1), he may require the Police Authority to review the arrangements and submit a report to him concerning the arrangements.

(5) When reviewing arrangements under subsection (3) or (4) the Police Authority shall be under the same duty to consult as when making the arrangements.

(6) A district council may make arrangements for enabling questions on the discharge of the functions of the Police Authority to be put by members of the council at a meeting of the council for answer by a person nominated by the Police Authority for that purpose.

(7) On being given reasonable notice by a district council of a meeting of that council at which questions on the discharge of the Authority’s functions are to be put, the Police Authority shall nominate one or more of its members to attend the meeting to answer those questions.