Police Act 1996

Inspectors of constabulary E+W

54 Appointment and functions of inspectors of constabulary. E+W

(1) Her Majesty may appoint such number of inspectors (to be known as “Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Constabulary”) as the Secretary of State may with the consent of the Treasury determine, and of the persons so appointed one may be appointed as chief inspector of constabulary.”

(2) The inspectors of constabulary shall inspect, and report to the Secretary of State on the efficiency and effectiveness of, every police force maintained for a police area F1 [F2 . . . the National Criminal Intelligence Service and the National Crime Squad][F3 and the Central Training and Development Authority].

[F4 (2A) The inspectors of constabulary may inspect, and report to the Secretary of State on, a police authority’s compliance with the requirements of Part I of the Local Government Act 1999 (best value).]

[F5 (2B) The Secretary of State may at any time require the inspectors of constabulary to carry out an inspection under this section of—

(a) a police force maintained for any police area;

(b) the National Criminal Intelligence Service; or

(c) the National Crime Squad;

and a requirement under this subsection may include a requirement for the inspection to be confined to a particular part of the force, Service or Squad in question, to particular matters or to particular activities of that force, Service or Squad.

(2C) Where the inspectors carry out an inspection under subsection (2B), they shall send a report on that inspection to the Secretary of State.]

[F6 (2D) It shall be the duty of the chief inspector of constabulary—

(a) to enter into arrangements with the Independent Police Complaints Commission for the purpose of securing cooperation, in the carrying out of their respective functions, between the inspectors of constabulary and that Commission; and

(b) to ensure that inspectors of constabulary provide that Commission with all such assistance and co-operation as may be required by those arrangements or as otherwise appears to the chief inspector to be appropriate for facilitating the carrying out by that Commission of its functions.]

(3) The inspectors of constabulary shall carry out such other duties for the purpose of furthering police efficiency and effectiveness as the Secretary of State may from time to time direct.

[F7 (3A) The Secretary of State may delegate to the chief inspector of constabulary any or all of the following functions—

(a) his functions by virtue of sections 9F(2), 9FA(2) and 9G(2) with respect to the approval required for the appointment of an Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, of a Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis or of a Commander in the metropolitan police force;

(b) his functions by virtue of sections 11(1), 11A(2) and 12(2) with respect to the approval required for the appointment of the chief constable of a police force, of the deputy chief constable of a police force or of an assistant chief constable of a police force;

(c) his functions by virtue of section 12A(4) with respect to the consent required for a deputy chief constable to exercise or perform any powers or duties of a chief constable for a continuous period exceeding three months.]

(4) The chief inspector of constabulary shall in each year submit to the Secretary of State a report in such form as the Secretary of State may direct, and the Secretary of State shall lay a copy of that report before Parliament.

(5) The inspectors of constabulary shall be paid such salary and allowances as the Secretary of State may with the consent of the Treasury determine.

Textual Amendments

F1 Word in s. 54(2) repealed (1.4.2002) by 2001 c. 16, ss. 137, 138(2), Sch. 7 Pt. 3; S.I. 2002/533, art. 2(e)

F2 Words in s. 54(2) inserted (1.4.1998) by 1997 c. 50, s. 134(1), Sch. 9 para. 76; S.I. 1998/354, art. 2(2)(ay)

F3 Words in s. 54(2) inserted (1.4.2002) by 2001 c. 16, ss. 102, 138(2), Sch. 4 para. 7(1); S.I. 2002/533, art. 2(d)

F4 S. 54(2A) inserted (1.4.2000) by 1999 c. 27, s. 24(2); S.I. 1999/2169, art. 4(1)

F5 S. 54(2B)-(2C) inserted (1.10.2002) by Police Reform Act 2002 (c. 30), ss. 3(1), 108(2)-(5); S.I. 2002/2306, art. 2(a)

F6 S. 54(2D) inserted (1.4.2004) by Police Reform Act 2002 (c. 30), s. 108(2), Sch. 7 para. 15; S.I. 2004/913, art. 2(e)

F7 S. 54(3A) inserted (1.11.2002) by Police Reform Act 2002 (c. 30), ss. 84, 108(2)-(5); S.I. 2002/2306, art. 5(a)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 54 applied (1.4.2002) by 2001 c. 16, ss. 93(1), 138(2); S.I. 2002/533, art. 2(a)

C2 Ss. 54-56: power to apply conferred (7.4.2005) by Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 (c. 11), ss. 27(2)(a)(i), 53(1); S.I. 2005/1126, art. 2(1)

55 Publication of reports. E+W

(1) Subject to subsection (2), the Secretary of State shall arrange for any report received by him under section 54(2) [F8 or (2A)] to be published in such manner as appears to him to be appropriate.

(2) The Secretary of State may exclude from publication under subsection (1) any part of a report if, in his opinion, the publication of that part—

(a) would be against the interests of national security, or

(b) might jeopardise the safety of any person.

(3) The Secretary of State shall send a copy of the published report—

(a) F9 . . . to the police authority maintaining the police force to which the report relates, and

(b) to the chief officer of police of that police force.

(4) The police authority shall invite the chief officer of police to submit comments on the published report to the authority before such date as it may specify.

(5) The police authority shall prepare comments on the published report and shall arrange for—

(a) its comments,

(b) any comments submitted by the chief officer of police in accordance with subsection (4), and

(c) any response which the authority has to the comments submitted by the chief officer of police,

to be published in such manner as appears to the authority to be appropriate.

(6) The police authority F10 . . .shall send a copy of any document published under subsection (5) to the Secretary of State.

[F11 (7) Subsections (3) to (6) above shall apply in relation to a report relating to the National Criminal Intelligence Service or the National Crime Squad as if—

(a) the body to which the report relates were a police force,

(b) the Service Authority which maintains that body were the police authority which maintains that force, and

(c) the Director General of that body were the chief officer of police of that force.]

[F12 (8) Subsections (3) to (6) above apply in relation to a report relating to the Central Police Training and Development Authority as if—

(a) the reference to the police authority maintaining the police force to which the report relates were a reference to the Central Police Training and Development Authority; and

(b) subsections (3)(b), (4) and (5)(b) and (c) were omitted.]

Textual Amendments

F8 Words in s. 55(1) inserted (1.4.2000) by 1999 c. 27, s. 24(3); S.I. 1999/2169, art. 4

F9 S. 55(3)(a) repealed (3.7.2000) by 1999 c. 29, ss. 325, 423, Sch. 27 para. 96, Sch. 34 Pt. VII (with Sch 12 para. 9(1)); S.I. 2000/1648, art. 2, Sch.

F10 Words in s. 55(6) repealed (3.7.2000) by virtue of 1999 c. 29, ss. 325, 423, Sch. 27 para. 96, Sch. 34 Pt. VII (with Sch. 12 para. 9(1)) which provides that the words “(except where he is himself the police authority)" shall be repealed; S.I. 2000/1648, art. 2, Sch.

F11 S. 55(7) inserted (1.4.1998) by 1997 c. 50, s. 134(1), Sch. 9 para. 76; S.I. 1998/354, art. 2(2)(ay)

F12 S. 55(8) inserted (1.4.2002) by 2001 c. 16, ss. 102, 138(2), Sch. 4 para. 7(2); S.I. 2002/533, art. 2(d)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C2 Ss. 54-56: power to apply conferred (7.4.2005) by Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 (c. 11), ss. 27(2)(a)(i), 53(1); S.I. 2005/1126, art. 2(1)

C3 S. 55 applied (with modifications) (1.7.2004) by Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 (c. 20), s. 63(6); S.I. 2004/1572, art. 3(tt)

56 Assistant inspectors and staff officers. E+W

(1) The Secretary of State may appoint assistant inspectors of constabulary.

(2) Members of a police force may be appointed by the Secretary of State to be assistant inspectors of constabulary or to be staff officers to the inspectors of constabulary.

(3) Persons appointed under this section shall be paid such salary and allowances as the Secretary of State may with the consent of the Treasury determine.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C2 Ss. 54-56: power to apply conferred (7.4.2005) by Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 (c. 11), ss. 27(2)(a)(i), 53(1); S.I. 2005/1126, art. 2(1)