Police Act 1964

General provisions E+W

12 Reports by chief constables to police authorities. E+W

(1) Every chief constable shall, as soon as possible after the end of each calendar year, submit to the police authority a general report in writing on the policing during that year of the area for which his force is maintained.

(2) The chief constable of a police force shall, whenever so required by the police authority, submit to that authority a report in writing on such matters as may be specified in the requirement, being matters connected with the policing of the area for which the force is maintained.

(3) If it appears to the chief constable that a report in compliance with any such requirement of the police authority would contain information which in the public interest ought not to be disclosed, or is not needed for the discharge of the functions of the police authority, he may request that authority to refer the requirement to the Secretary of State; and in any such case the requirement shall be of no effect unless it is confirmed by the Secretary of State.

(4) This section applies to the City of London police force as if for references to the chief constable there were substituted references to the Commissioner.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C2 S. 12 modified by Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (c. 60, SIF 95), ss. 5, 50(2), 55(14)

13 Collaboration agreements. E+W

(1) If it appears to the chief officers of police of two or more police forces that any police functions can more efficiently be discharged by members of those forces acting jointly, they may, with the approval of the police authorities for the areas for which those forces are maintained, make an agreement for that purpose.

(2) If it appears to any two or more police authorities that any premises, equipment or other material or facilities can with advantage be provided jointly for the police forces maintained by those authorities, they may make an agreement for that purpose.

(3) Any expenditure incurred under an agreement made under this section shall be borne by the police authorities in such proportions as they may agree or as may, in default of agreement, be determined by the Secretary of State.

(4) An agreement under s ubsection (1) or subsection (2) of this section may be varied or determined by a subsequent agreement.

(5) If it appears to the Secretary of State that an agreement should be made under subsection (1), subsection (2) or subsection (4) of this section, he may, after considering any representations made by the parties concerned, direct those parties to enter into such an agreement under those provisions as may be specified in the direction.

(6) The reference in subsection (1) of this section to members of a police force includes a reference to special constables for the area for which that force is maintained.

14 Aid of one police force by another. E+W

(1) The chief officer of police of any police force may, on the application of the chief officer of police of any other police force, provide constables or other assistance for the purpose of enabling the other force to meet any special demand on its resources.

(2) If it appears to the Secretary of State to be expedient in the interests of public safety or order that any police force should be reinforced or should receive other assistance for the purpose of enabling it to meet any special demand on its resources, and that satisfactory arrangements under subsection (1) above cannot be made, or cannot be made in time, he may direct the chief officer of police of any police force to provide such constables or other assistance for that purpose as may be specified in the direction.

(3) While a constable is provided under this section for the assistance of another police force he shall, notwithstanding section 5(1) of this Act, be under the direction and control of the chief officer of police of that other force.

(4) The police authority maintaining a police force for which assistance is provided under this section shall pay to the police authority maintaining the force from which that assistance is provided such contribution as may be agreed upon between those authorities or, in default of any such agreement, as may be provided by any agreement subsisting at the time between all police authorities generally, or, in default of such general agreement, as may be determined by the Secretary of State.

15 Provision of special services. E+W

(1) The chief officer of police of any police force may provide, at the request of any person, special police services at any premises or in any locality in the police area for which the force is maintained, subject to the payment to the police authority of charges on such scales as may be determined by that authority.

(2) In the application of this section to the metropolitan police, for the reference in subsection (1) to the police authority there shall be substituted a reference to the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District.

[F1 F1 15A Provision of advice and assistance to international organisations etc. E+W

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, a police authority may provide advice and assistance—

(a) to an international organisation or institution, or

(b) to any other person or body which is engaged outside the United Kingdom in the carrying on of activities similar to any carried on by the authority or the chief officer of police for its area.

(2) The power conferred on a police authority by subsection (1) of this section includes a power to make arrangements under which a member of the police force maintained by the authority is engaged for a period of temporary service with a person or body within paragraph (a) or (b) of that subsection.

(3) The power conferred by subsection (1) of this section shall not be exercised except with the consent of the Secretary of State or in accordance with a general authorisation given by him.

(4) A consent or authorisation under subsection (3) of this section may be given subject to such conditions as the Secretary of State thinks fit.

(5) Nothing in this section authorises a police authority to provide any financial assistance by—

(a) making a grant or loan,

(b) giving a guarantee or indemnity, or

(c) investing by acquiring share or loan capital.

(6) A police authority may make charges for advice or assistance provided by it under this section.

(7) In its application in relation to the metropolitan police this section shall apply—

(a) as if the power conferred by subsection (1) were conferred on the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (and accordingly as if the references in subsections (1)(b) and (2) to a police authority were omitted), and

(b) as if in subsection (6) the reference to a police authority were a reference to the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District.

(8) The provisions of this section are without prejudice to the M1 Police (Overseas Service) Act 1945 and section 10 of the M2 Overseas Development and Co-operation Act 1980.]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 15A inserted (21.7.1994) by 1994 c. 29, ss. 13, 94(1)(3)(b)

Marginal Citations

M1 1945 c. 17.

M2 1980 c. 63.

16 Special constables. E+W

(1) The chief officer of police of the police force maintained for any police area may, in accordance with regulations under Part II of this Act, appoint special constables for that area.

(2) Subject to such regulations as aforesaid, all special constables for a police area (including persons appointed as such before the commencement of this Act) shall be under the direction and control of, and subject to dismissal by, the chief officer of police.

17 Police cadets. E+W

(1) The chief officer of police of any police force may, in accordance with regulations under Part II of this Act and F2 . . ., appoint persons as police cadets to undergo training with a view to becoming members of that police force.

(2) Subject to such regulations as aforesaid, all police cadets (including persons appointed as such before the commencement of this Act) shall be under the control of, and subject to dismissal by, the chief officer of police.

(3) Without prejudice to subsection (2) above, the police authority by whom a police force is maintained shall, for the purposes of any enactment relating to the functions of employers and of any rule of law with respect to the vicarious liability of employers, be treated as the employer of any police cadets undergoing training with that force.

(4) In the application of this section to the metropolitan police, for the reference in subsection (3) to the police authority there shall be substituted a reference to the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District.

Textual Amendments

F2 Words in s. 17(1) repealed (1.4.1995) by 1994 c. 29, ss. 44, 93, Sch. 5 Pt. I para. 3, Sch. 9 Pt. I; S.I. 1994/3262, art. 4, Sch.

17 Police cadets. E+W

(1) The chief officer of police of any police force may, in accordance with regulations under Part II of this Act and subject to the approval of the police authority as to numbers, appoint persons as police cadets to undergo training with a view to becoming members of that police force.

(2) Subject to such regulations as aforesaid, all police cadets (including persons appointed as such before the commencement of this Act) shall be under the control of, and subject to dismissal by, the chief officer of police.

(3) Without prejudice to subsection (2) above, the police authority by whom a police force is maintained shall, for the purposes of any enactment relating to the functions of employers and of any rule of law with respect to the vicarious liability of employers, be treated as the employer of any police cadets undergoing training with that force.

(4) In the application of this section to the metropolitan police, for the reference in subsection (3) to the police authority there shall be substituted a reference to the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District.

18 Attestation of constables. E+W

Every member of a police force maintained for a police area and every special constable appointed for a police area shall, on appointment, be attested as a constable by making a declaration in the form set out in Schedule 2 to this Act—

(a) in the case of the metropolitan police district, before the Commissioner or an Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis;

(b) in any other case, before a justice of the peace having jurisdiction within the police area.

19 Jurisdiction of constables. E+W

(1) A member of a police force shall have all the powers and privileges of a constable throughout England and Wales.

(2) A special constable shall have all the powers and privileges of a constable in the police area for which he is appointed.

[F3 (3) Without prejudice to subsection (2) above, a special constable appointed for any police area shall have all the powers and privileges of a constable—

(a) in the case of a police area other than the City of London, in any other police area which is contiguous to his own police area;

(b) in the case of the City of London, in the metropolitan police district and in any area which is contiguous to that district.]

(4) A special constable who is for the time being required by virtue of section 13 or section 14 of this Act to serve with another police force shall have all the powers and privileges of a constable in any area in which special constables appointed for the area for which that force is maintained have those powers and privileges under this section.

(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F4

(6) This section is without prejudice to [F5 section 18 of the M3 Police (Scotland) Act 1967] (execution of warrants in border counties of England and Scotland) and to any other enactment conferring powers on constables for particular purposes.

Textual Amendments

F3 Words substituted by Police (Scotland) Act 1967 (c. 77), Sch. 4

F4 Ss. 19(5), 21(4), 25(1)–(4) repealed by Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70), Sch. 30

F5 S. 19(3) substituted by Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70), s. 196(5)

Marginal Citations

M3 1967 c. 77.

20 Rewards for diligence. E+W

A police authority may, on the recommendation of the chief officer of police, grant out of the police fund to members of the police force maintained by that authority rewards for exceptional diligence or other specially meritorious conduct.