Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994

15 Functions of Secretary of State

After section 28 of the 1964 Act there shall be inserted—

“28A Setting of objectives for police authorities

(1) The Secretary of State may by order determine objectives for the policing of the areas of all police authorities established under section 3 of this Act.

(2) Before making an order under this section the Secretary of State shall consult—

(a) persons whom he considers to represent the interests of police authorities established under section 3 of this Act, and

(b) persons whom he considers to represent the interests of chief constables of forces maintained by those authorities.

(3) A statutory instrument containing an order under this section shall be laid before Parliament after being made.

28B Setting of performance targets

(1) Where an objective has been determined under section 28A of this Act, the Secretary of State may direct police authorities to establish levels of performance (“performance targets”) to be aimed at in seeking to achieve the objective.

(2) A direction under this section may be given to all police authorities established under section 3 of this Act or to one or more particular authorities.

(3) A direction given under this section may impose conditions with which the performance targets must conform, and different conditions may be imposed for different authorities.

(4) The Secretary of State shall arrange for any direction given under this section to be published in such manner as he thinks fit.

28C Codes of practice

(1) The Secretary of State may issue codes of practice relating to the discharge by police authorities established under section 3 of this Act of any of their functions.

(2) The Secretary of State may from time to time revise the whole or part of any code of practice issued under this section.

(3) The Secretary of State shall lay before Parliament a copy of any code of practice, and of any revision of a code of practice, issued by him under this section.

28D Power to give directions to police authorities after adverse reports

(1) The Secretary of State may at any time require the inspectors of constabulary to carry out, for the purposes of this section, an inspection under section 38 of this Act of any police force maintained under section 2 of this Act.

(2) Where a report made to the Secretary of State under section 38 of this Act on an inspection carried out for the purposes of this section states—

(a) that, in the opinion of the person making the report, the force inspected is not efficient or not effective, or

(b) that in his opinion, unless remedial measures are taken, the force will cease to be efficient or will cease to be effective,

the Secretary of State may direct the police authority responsible for maintaining the force to take such measures as may be specified in the direction.”