Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2003 Explanatory Notes

1. Introduction

2. Summary

3. Overview

4. Commentary

   1. Part 1: Policing

      Consultation by Secretary of State

      1. Section 1: Long-term policing objectives

      2. Section 2: Codes of practice

5. The Northern Ireland Policing Board

   1. Section 3: Board’s policing objectives

   2. Section 4: Public meetings of the Board

   3. Section 5: Contracts relating to detention and escort services

   4. Section 6: Funding for pension purposes

   5. Section 7: Accounts and audit

   6. Section 8: Performance summaries

   7. Section 9: Performance summaries: supplementary

6. Reports and Inquiries

   1. Section 10: Reports of Chief Constable

   2. Section 11: Inquiries by Board

   3. Section 12: Approval of proposals relating to inquiries by the Board

7. The Police Ombudsman

   1. Section 13: Investigations into current police practices and policies

8. District Policing Partnerships

   1. Section 14: Independent members: appointment

   2. Section 15: Independent members: declaration against terrorism

   3. Section 16: Independent members: disqualification

   4. Section 17: Disqualification following removal from office

   5. Section 18: Council’s powers

   6. Section 19 and Schedule 1: Belfast

9. Police Functions and Service

   1. Section 20: Core policing principles

   2. Section 21: Chief Constable’s functions

   3. Section 22: Provision of information to Board

   4. Section 23: Appointment of constables with special policing skills

   5. Section 24: Fixed-term appointments

   6. Section 25: Members of PSNI engaged on other police service

   7. Section 26: Protected disclosures by police officers

10. Information and Inquiries

    1. Section 27: Restriction on disclosure of information

    2. Section 28: Special committee of the Board

    3. Section 29: Disclosure of information and holding of inquiries

    4. Part 2: Police Powers

       Designation of Civilians

       1. Section 30: Police powers for designated police support staff

       2. Section 31: Police powers for designated contracted-out staff

       3. Schedule 2: Powers exercisable by designated persons

    5. Part 1: Investigating Officers

    6. Part 2: Detention officers

    7. Part 3:  Escort Officers

    8. Part 4: Interpretation

       1. Section 32 and Schedule 3: Police powers: amendments

       2. Section 33: Designations: supplementary

       3. Section 34: Complaints and misconduct

       4. Section 35: Liability for unlawful conduct

       5. Section 36: Notifiable memberships

       6. Section 37: Code of ethics

       7. Section 38: Assaults on, and obstruction of, designated persons

       8. Section 39: Impersonation etc. of designated persons

       9. Section 40: Designated persons: interpretation

11. Searches and Samples

    1. Section 41: Intimate searches

    2. Section 42: Intimate samples

12. Codes of Practice

    1. Section 43: Codes of practice

    2. Part 3: General

       1. Section 44: Orders and regulations

       2. Section 45 and Schedule 4: Repeals and revocations

       3. Section 46: Extent

       4. Section 47: Short title

13. Commencement

15. Hansard References