Police Act 1997

94 Authorisations given in absence of authorising officer. U.K.

(1) Subsection (2) applies where it is not reasonably practicable for an authorising officer to consider an application for an authorisation under section 93 and—

(a) if the authorising officer is within paragraph (b) [F1 , (e) or (f)] of section 93(5), it is also not reasonably practicable for the application to be considered by any of the other persons within the paragraph concerned; F2 . . . [F3 or]

(b) if the authorising officer is within paragraph (a) [F4 or (c)] of section 93(5), it is also not reasonably practicable for the application to be considered by his designated deputy F5 ...

F5 (c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(2) Where this subsection applies, the powers conferred on the authorising officer by section 93 may, in an urgent case, be exercised—

(a) where the authorising officer is within paragraph (a) [F6 or (d)] of subsection (5) of that section, by a person holding the rank of assistant chief constable in his force;

(b) where the authorising officer is within paragraph (b) of that subsection, by a person holding the rank of commander in the metropolitan police force;

(c) where the authorising officer is within paragraph (c) of that subsection, by a person holding the rank of commander in the City of London police force;

(d) where the authorising officer is within paragraph (e) of that subsection, by a person holding the rank of assistant chief constable in the [F7 Police Service of Northern Ireland];

[F8 (da) where the authorising officer is within paragraph (ea) of that subsection, by a person holding the rank of deputy or assistant chief constable in the Ministry of Defence Police;

(db) where the authorising officer is within paragraph (eb) of that subsection, by a person holding the position of assistant Provost Marshal in the [F9 Royal Navy Police];

(dc) where the authorising officer is within paragraph (ec) or (ed) of that subsection, by a person holding the position of deputy Provost Marshal in the Royal Military Police or, as the case may be, in the Royal Air Force Police;

(dd) where the authorising officer is within paragraph (ee) of that subsection, by a person holding the rank of deputy or assistant chief constable in the F10 British Transport Police;]

[F11 (e) where the authorising officer is within paragraph (f) of that subsection, by a person designated for the purposes of this section by the [F12 Director General of the National Crime Agency];]

(f) where the authorising officer is within paragraph (h) of that subsection, [F13 by an officer of Revenue and Customs who is a senior official within the meaning of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 and who is designated by the Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs] for the purposes of this section.

[F14 (fa) where the authorising officer is within paragraph (ha) of that subsection, by a senior official (within the meaning of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000) in the department of the Secretary of State by whom functions relating to immigration are exercisable who is designated by the Secretary of State for the purposes of this section;]

[F15 (g) where the authorising officer is within paragraph (i) of that subsection, by an officer of the [F16 Competition and Markets Authority] designated by it for the purposes of this section.]

[F17 (ga) where the authorising officer is within paragraph (ia) of that subsection, by a staff officer of the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner who is designated by the Commissioner for the purposes of this section.]

F18 (h) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F19 (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4) In subsection (1), “designated deputy”—

[F20 (a) in the case of an authorising officer within paragraph (a) of section 93(5), means—

(i) the person who is the appropriate deputy chief constable for the purposes of section 12A(1) of the Police Act 1996, or

(ii) the person holding the rank of assistant chief constable designated to act under section 12A(2) of that Act;]

F21 (aa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(b) in the case of an authorising officer within paragraph (c) of section 93(5), means the person authorised to act F22 . . . under section 25 of the M1 City of London Police Act 1839; F23 . . .

F24 (c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(d) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F25 (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F25 (6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F25 (7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 94(1)(a) substituted (1.4.2006) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), s. 178(8), Sch. 4 para. 98(2)(a); S.I. 2006/378, art. 4(1), Sch. para. 10

F2 Word at the end of s. 94(1)(a) repealed (25.9.2000) by 2000 c. 23, s. 82(2), Sch. 5 (with s. 82(3)); S.I. 2000/2543, art. 2

F3 Word in s. 94(1)(a) inserted (1.4.2006) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), s. 178(8), Sch. 4 para. 98(2)(b); S.I. 2006/378, art. 4(1), Sch. para. 10

F4 Words in s. 94(1)(b) substituted (E.W.N.I.) (1.4.2013) by The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/602), art. 1(2), Sch. 1 para. 6(3)(a); and (S.) (1.4.2013) by Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (asp 8), s. 129(2), sch. 7 para. 14(3)(a); S.S.I. 2013/51, art. 2 (with transitional provisions and savings in S.S.I. 2013/121)

F5 S. 94(1)(c) and word repealed (1.4.2006) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), s. 178(8), Sch. 4 para. 98(2)(d), Sch. 17 Pt. 2; S.I. 2006/378, art. 4(1), Sch. paras. 10, 13(dd)

F6 Words in s. 94(2)(a) repealed (S.) (1.4.2013) by Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (asp 8), s. 129(2), sch. 8 Pt. 1; S.S.I. 2013/51, art. 2 (with transitional provisions and savings in S.S.I. 2013/121)

F7 Words in s. 94(2)(d) substituted (4.11.2001) by 2000 c. 32, s. 78(1), Sch. 6 para. 20(2)(b); S.R. 2001/396, art. 2, Sch.

F8 S. 94(2)(da)-(dd) inserted (25.9.2000) by 2000 c. 23, s. 82(1), Sch. 4 para. 8(4)(a) (with s. 82(3)); S.I. 2000/2543, art. 2

F9 Words in s. 94(2)(db) substituted (4.6.2007) by Armed Forces Act 2006 (c. 52), s. 383(2), Sch. 16 para. 147; S.I. 2007/1442, art. 2(1)

F10 S. 94 amended (1.7.2004) by Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 (c. 20), Sch. 5 para. 4; S.I. 2004/1572, art. 3(jjj)

F11 S. 94(2)(e) substituted for s. 94(2)(e)(ea) (1.4.2006) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), s. 178(8), Sch. 4 para. 98(3); S.I. 2006/378, art. 4(1), Sch. para. 10

F12 Words in s. 94(2)(e) substituted (7.10.2013) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(2), Sch. 8 para. 57; S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(v)

F13 Words in s. 94(2)(f) substituted (15.2.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), s. 94(1), Sch. 12 para. 2; S.I. 2008/219, art. 2(b)

F14 S. 94(2)(fa) inserted (25.6.2013) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(2), Sch. 21 para. 3 (with Sch. 20 para. 29); S.I. 2013/1042, art. 4(i)

F15 S. 94(2)(g) inserted (20.6.2003) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), ss. 200(3), 279; S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch.

F16 Words in s. 94(2)(g) substituted (1.4.2014) by The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (Competition) (Consequential, Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/892), art. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 117 (with art. 3)

F17 S. 94(2)(ga) inserted (E.W.N.I.) (1.4.2013) by The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/602), art. 1(2), Sch. 1 para. 6(3)(b); and (S.) (1.4.2013) by Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (asp 8), s. 129(2), sch. 7 para. 14(3)(b); S.S.I. 2013/51, art. 2 (with transitional provisions and savings in S.S.I. 2013/121)

F18 S. 94(2)(h) repealed (S.) (1.4.2013) by Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (asp 8), s. 129(2), sch. 8 Pt. 1; S.S.I. 2013/51, art. 2 (with transitional provisions and savings in S.S.I. 2013/121)

F19 S. 94(3) repealed (1.4.2006) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), s. 178(8), Sch. 4 para. 98(4), Sch. 17 Pt. 2; S.I. 2006/378, art. 4(1), Sch. paras. 10, 13(dd)

F20 S. 94(4)(a) substituted (8.11.2006) by Police and Justice Act 2006 (c. 48), s. 53(2), Sch. 14 para. 34

F21 S. 94(4)(aa) repealed (S.) (1.4.2013) by Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (asp 8), s. 129(2), sch. 8 Pt. 1; S.S.I. 2013/51, art. 2 (with transitional provisions and savings in S.S.I. 2013/121)

F22 Words in s. 94(4) repealed (25.9.2000) by 2000 c. 23, s. 82(2), Sch. 5 (with s. 82(3)); S.I. 2000/2543, art. 2

F23 Word in s. 94(4) repealed (30.9.1998) by 1998 c. 37, s. 113(3), s. 120(2), Sch. 10; S.I. 1998/2327, art. 2

F24 S. 94(4)(c) repealed (1.4.2006) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), s. 178(8), Sch. 4 para. 98(4), Sch. 17 Pt. 2; S.I. 2006/378, art. 4(1), Sch. paras. 10, 13(dd)

F25 S. 94(5)-(7) repealed (S.) (1.4.2013) by Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (asp 8), s. 129(2), sch. 8 Pt. 1; S.S.I. 2013/51, art. 2 (with transitional provisions and savings in S.S.I. 2013/121)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 94 applied (prosp.) by 2000 c. 23, ss. 49, 83(2), Sch. 2 para. 2(7) (with s. 82(3))

C2 S. 94 applied (1.10.2007) by Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (c. 23), s. 83(2), Sch. 2 para. 2(7) (with s. 82(3)); S.I. 2007/2196, art. 2(a)

Marginal Citations

M1 1839 c. xciv.