England and Wales shall be divided into police areas.

References in Schedule 1A to any local government area are to that area as it is for the time being, but excluding any part of it within the metropolitan police district.

There shall be a police authority for every police area for the time being listed in Schedule 1A to this Act.

A police authority established under this section for any area shall be a body corporate to be known by the name of the area with the addition of the words “Police Authority”.

Subject to subsection (2) of this section, each police authority established under section 3 of this Act shall consist of seventeen members.

The Secretary of State may by order provide in relation to a police authority specified in the order that the number of its members shall be a specified odd number greater than seventeen.

A statutory instrument containing an order made under subsection (2) of this section shall be laid before Parliament after being made.

Schedules 1B and 1C to this Act shall have effect in relation to police authorities established under section 3 and the appointment of their members.

This section applies to any order under subsection (2) of section 3A of this Act which varies or revokes an earlier order so as to reduce the number of a police authority’s members.

An order to which this section applies may include provision as to the termination of the appointment of the existing members of the authority and the making of new appointments or re-appointments.

It shall be the duty of every police authority established under section 3 of this Act to secure the maintenance of an efficient and effective police force for its area.

In discharging any function to which a code of practice issued under section 28C of this Act relates, a police authority established under section 3 of this Act shall have regard to the code.

A police authority shall comply with any direction given to it by the Secretary of State under section 28B or 28D of this Act.

Every police authority established under section 3 of this Act shall, before the beginning of each financial year, determine objectives for the policing of the authority’s area during that year.

Objectives determined under this section may relate to matters to which objectives determined under section 28A of this Act also relate, or to other matters, but in any event shall be so framed as to be consistent with the objectives determined under that section.

Every police authority established under section 3 of this Act shall, before the beginning of each financial year, issue a plan setting out the proposed arrangements for the policing of the authority’s area during the year (“the local policing plan”).

A draft of the local policing plan shall be prepared by the chief constable for the area and submitted by him to the authority for it to consider.

Before issuing a local policing plan which differs from the draft submitted by the chief constable under subsection (3) of this section, a police authority shall consult the chief constable.

A police authority shall arrange for the local policing plan to be published in such manner as appears to it to be appropriate, and shall send a copy of the plan to the Secretary of State.

As soon as possible after the end of each financial year every police authority established under section 3 shall issue a report relating to the policing of the authority’s area for the year.

A report issued under this section for any year by a police authority shall include an assessment of the extent to which the local policing plan for that year has been carried out.

A police authority shall arrange for every report issued by it under this section to be published in such manner as appears to it to be appropriate, and shall send a copy of the report to the Secretary of State.

The police force maintained for a police area under section 1 of this Act shall be under the direction and control of the chief constable appointed under section 4(2) of this Act.

The same person may, with the consent of the police authorities concerned, be appointed chief constable of more than one police force.

The Secretary of State shall not approve the appointment as first chief constable of a combined force of any person other than the chief constable of a police force which ceases to exist in consequence of the formation of the combined force unless the Secretary of State is satisfied, having regard to the size and character of the combined force and any exceptional circumstances, that some other person should be appointed.

Without prejudice to any regulations under Part II of this Act or under the F12M4Police Pensions Act 1976, the police authority, acting with the approval of the Secretary of State, may call upon the chief constable to retire in the interests of efficiency.

Before seeking the approval of the Secretary of State under subsection (4) of this section the police authority shall give the chief constable an opportunity to make representations and shall consider any representations so made.

A chief constable who is called upon to retire as aforesaid shall retire on such date as the police authority may specify or on such earlier date as may be agreed upon between him and the police authority.

The chief constable of a police force maintained under section 2 of this Act shall be appointed by the police authority responsible for maintaining the force, but subject to the approval of the Secretary of State and to regulations under Part II of this Act.

Without prejudice to any regulations under Part II of this Act or under the M5Police Pensions Act 1976, the police authority, acting with the approval of the Secretary of State, may call upon the chief constable to retire in the interests of efficiency or effectiveness.

Before seeking the approval of the Secretary of State under subsection (2) of this section, the police authority shall give the chief constable an opportunity to make representations and shall consider any representations that he makes.

A chief constable who is called upon to retire under subsection (2) of this section shall retire on such date as the police authority may specify or on such earlier date as may be agreed upon between him and the authority.

The provisions of subsection (1) above shall be in addition to, and not in substitution for, any other enactment which makes provision for the exercise by any other person of the powers conferred by that enactment on a chief constable.

The establishment of any such police force as aforesaid may include one or more persons holding the rank of assistant chief constable.

F15Appointments or promotions to the rank of deputy chief constable or assistant chief constable, shall be made, in accordance with regulations under Part II of this Act, by the police authority after consultation with the chief constable and subject to the approval of the Secretary of State.

Subsections (2), (4), (5) and (6) of section 5 of this Act shall apply to a deputy chief constable, and subsections (4), (5) and (6) of that section shall apply to an assistant chief constable, as they apply to a chief constable.

If there is more than one person who holds the rank of deputy chief constable in a police force maintained under section 1 of this Act, one of the persons who hold it shall be designated as the officer having the powers and duties conferred on a deputy chief constable by section 6(1) of this Act.

A person shall be designated under subsection (2) of this section by the police authority after consultation with the chief constable and subject to the approval of the Secretary of State.

The ranks which may be held in a police force maintained under section 1 of this Act shall be such as may be prescribed by regulations under Part II of this Act and the ranks so prescribed shall include, in addition to chief constable F17, deputy chief constableand assistant chief constable, the ranks of superintendent, inspector, sergeant and constable.

Appointments and promotions to any rank below that of assistant chief constable in any such police force shall be made, in accordance with regulations under Part II of this Act, by the chief constable.

Each police authority established under section 3 of this Act shall keep a fund to be known as the police fund.

Subject to any regulations under the M8Police Pensions Act 1976, all receipts of the police authority shall be paid into the police fund and all expenditure of the authority shall be paid out of that fund.

Accounts shall be kept by each police authority of payments made into or out of the police fund.

The council of any county . . . F20 constituting a police area may by agreement acquire, whether by way of purchase, lease or exchange, any land which is required for the purpose of any of the functions of the police authority for the area; and F21subsections (3) and (4) of section 120 of the M10Local Government Act 1972 shall apply to the acquisition of land under this subsection as they apply to the acquisition of land under that section;

The council of any such county . . . F20 may be authorised by the Secretary of State to purchase compulsorily any land which is required for the purpose of any of the functions of the police authority for the county . . . F20; and the M11Acquisition of Land F22Act 1981 shall apply to a compulsory purchase under this section, F23and subsection (3) of section 121 of the M12Local Government Act 1972 shall apply in relation to a proposal to acquire any land in exercise of the power conferred by this subsection as it applies in relation to a proposal to acquire land in exercise of the power conferred by subsection (1) of that section.

A combined police authority shall have the same powers with respect to the acquisition of land for police purposes, and the appropriation and disposal of land, as the council of a county . . . F20 ; and the provisions of this section, the F24M13Local Government Act 1972 . . . F25 with respect to the acquisition, appropriation and disposal of land by such councils shall have effect accordingly as if references to the council of a county . . . F20 included references to a combined police authority.

References in this Act to expenditure of a police authority or to expenses incurred for police purposes by any police authority include references to expenditure under this section by the council of a county . . . F20 on behalf of a police authority.

A police authority established under section 3 of this Act may employ persons to assist the police force maintained by it or otherwise to enable the authority to discharge its functions.

A police authority shall exercise its powers under section 101 (and section 107) of the M14Local Government Act 1972 so as to secure that, subject to subsection (3) of this section, any person employed by the authority under this section is under the direction and control of the chief constable of the police force maintained by the authority.

Subsection (2) of this section shall not apply to such of the persons employed by the authority as may be agreed between the chief constable and the authority or, in the absence of agreement, as may be determined by the Secretary of State.

The powers of direction and control referred to in subsection (2) of this section include the powers of engagement and dismissal.

Every relevant council shall make arrangements (whether by standing orders or otherwise) for enabling questions on the discharge of the functions of a police authority to be put by members of the council at a meeting of the council for answer by a person nominated by the authority for that purpose.

On being given reasonable notice by a relevant council of a meeting of that council at which questions on the discharge of the police authority’s functions are to be put, the police authority shall nominate one or more of its members to attend the meeting to answer those questions.

In this section “relevant council” has the same meaning as in Schedule 1B to this Act.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

The provisions of this section are without prejudice to the M15Police (Overseas Service) Act 1945 and section 10 of the M16Overseas Development and Co-operation Act 1980.

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.

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.

The chief officer of police of any police force may, in accordance with regulations under Part II of this Act and F31. . ., appoint persons as police cadets to undergo training with a view to becoming members of that police force.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F33

This section is without prejudice to F34section 18 of the M17Police (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.

The Secretary of State may by order make alterations in police areas in England and Wales other than the City of London police area.

The alterations that may be made by an order under subsection (1) of this section include alterations that result in a reduction or an increase in the number of police areas, but not alterations that result in the abolition of the metropolitan police district.

Subsection (4) shall not have effect so as to prevent the maintenance of any part of the boundary of the metropolitan police district as it exists at the commencement of section 1 of the Police and Magistrates’ Courts Act 1994.

The Secretary of State shall by order made before 1st April 1996 make such alterations to police areas in Wales as he considers necessary or expedient in connection with the reorganisation of local government in Wales taking place on that date.

The alterations that may be made by an order under subsection (1) of this section include alterations that result in a reduction or an increase in the number of police areas, but not alterations that result in the division of any county or county borough between two or more police areas.

The date specified under subsection (2)(c) of this section shall fall after the end of the period of four months beginning with the date of the notice.

Where the Secretary of State has given a notice under subsection (1) of this section specifying proposed alterations, the provisions of an order making the alterations may be inconsistent with the notice so far as it describes the general nature of the provisions, and may contain provisions not referred to in the notice.

No order shall be made under section 21 of this Act by virtue of paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of that section unless a draft of the order has been laid before and approved by resolution of each House of Parliament.

An order to which subsection (3) of this section applies, and which would apart from this subsection be treated for the purposes of the standing orders of either House of Parliament as a hybrid instrument, shall proceed in that House as if it were not such an instrument.

A statutory instrument containing an order under section 21 or 21A of this Act, other than an order to which subsection (3) of this section applies, shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

An amalgamation scheme may be amended or revoked by a subsequent scheme approved or made by the Secretary of State; and section 21 of this Act, and Schedules 3 and 4 to this Act, shall, so far as applicable, have effect in relation to any such subsequent scheme subject to any necessary modifications and to the following provisions of this section.

The authority by whom a scheme for the amendment or revocation of an amalgamation scheme may be submitted under subsection (1) of section 21 of this Act shall be the combined police authority constituted by the original scheme, or if more than one scheme is to be amended or revoked, the combined police authorities constituted by those schemes, together with the police authority for any other police area which is to be included in a combined area under the scheme.

The authorities to whom, under paragraph 1 of Schedule 3 to this Act, notice must be given by the Secretary of State of a scheme proposed to be made by him for the amendment or revocation of an amalgamation scheme shall be the authority or authorities by whom a scheme for that purpose could be submitted by virtue of subsection (3) of this section.

An amalgamation scheme may be approved or made under this Act F41with respect to any two or more prospective police areas and subject to subsection (1A) below may be so approved or made before the relevant date.

A scheme under this section shall not come into force before the relevant date, except so far as it relates to the constitution of the combined police authority and to the performance by that authority of functions necessary for bringing the scheme into full operation on that date.

An amalgamation scheme may be amended or revoked under this Act notwithstanding that it has been modified by an order under Part VI of the said Act of 1933 or Part II of the said Act of 1958.

Where, by any local Act in force with respect to an area which ceases to be a separate police area by virtue of an amalgamation scheme, provision is made for conferring or imposing special powers or duties on the police, the Secretary of State may by order adapt the local Act so far as appears to him to be necessary or expedient for the purpose of the exercise or performance of those powers or duties by the police of the combined area.

Nothing in this section or in any order made thereunder shall be construed as extending the area within which or the matters in relation to which any such powers or duties as aforesaid are authorised or required by a local Act to be exercised or performed.

Any statutory instrument made under this section shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F47

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

The Secretary of State may require a police authority to exercise their power under Part I of this Act to call upon the chief constable to retire in the interests of efficiency.

Before requiring the exercise of that power or approving the exercise of that or the similar power exercisable with respect to F54a deputy or assistant chief constable, the Secretary of State shall give the chief constable or deputy or assistant chief constable an opportunity to make representations to him and shall consider any representations so made.

Where representations are made under this section the Secretary of State may, and in a case where he proposes to require the exercise of the power mentioned in subsection (1) of this section shall, appoint one or more persons (one at least of whom shall be a person who is not an officer of police or of a Government department) to hold an inquiry and report to him and shall consider any report made under this subsection.

The costs incurred by a chief constable or deputy or assistant chief constable in respect of an inquiry under this section, taxed in such manner as the Secretary of State may direct, shall be defrayed out of the police fund.

A police authority shall, whenever so required by the Secretary of State, submit to the Secretary of State a report on such matters connected with the discharge of the authority’s functions, or otherwise with the policing of its area, as may be specified in the requirement.

A requirement under subsection (1) of this section may specify the form in which a report is to be given.

The Secretary of State may arrange, or require the police authority to arrange, for a report under this section to be published in such manner as he thinks fit.

The Secretary of State may require any chief constable to submit to him a report on such matters as may be specified in the requirement, being matters connected with the policing of his area.

Every chief constable shall, as soon as possible after the end of each calendar year, submit to the Secretary of State the like report as is required by subsection (1) of section 12 of this Act to be submitted to the police authority.

This section shall apply to the City of London police force as if for references to a chief constable there were substituted references to the Commissioner.

The Secretary of State shall prepare a report setting out any determination under subsection (2) of this section, and stating the considerations which he took into account in making the determination.

In determining the allocation among police authorities of the whole or any part of the aggregate amount of grants, the Secretary of State may exercise his discretion by applying such formulae or other rules as he considers appropriate.

The considerations which the Secretary of State takes into account in making a determination under subsection (2) of this section, and the formulae and other rules referred to in subsection (4), may be different for different authorities or different classes of authority.

A copy of every report prepared under subsection (3) of this section shall be laid before the House of Commons, and no payment of grant shall be made unless the report setting out the determination of its amount has been approved by resolution of that House.

A grant to a police authority under this section shall be paid at such time, or in instalments of such amounts and at such times, as the Secretary of State may with the approval of the Treasury determine; and any such time may fall within or after the financial year concerned.

Where in consequence of a further determination under subsection (2) of this section the amount of an authority’s grant is less than the amount already paid to it for the year concerned, a sum equal to the difference shall be paid by the authority to the Secretary of State on such day as he may specify; but no sum shall be payable by an authority under this subsection unless the report setting out the further determination has been approved by resolution of the House of Commons.

Grants under this section may be made either unconditionally or subject to conditions.

The Secretary of State shall exercise his powers under this section only with the approval of the Treasury.

Grants under this section may be made either unconditionally or subject to conditions.

The Secretary of State shall exercise his powers under this section only with the approval of the Treasury.

The Secretary of State may cause a local inquiry to be held by a person appointed by him into any matter connected with the policing of any area.

Any inquiry under this section shall be held in public or in private as the Secretary of State may direct.

F59Subsections (2) and (3) of section 250 of the M22Local Government Act 1972 (power to summon and examine witnesses) shall apply to any inquiry held under this section as they apply to an inquiry held under that section.

Where the report of the person holding an inquiry under this section is not published, a summary of his findings and conclusions shall be made known by the Secretary of State so far as appears to him consistent with the public interest.

The Secretary of State may direct that the whole or part of the costs incurred by any person for the purposes of any inquiry held under this section shall be defrayed out of the police fund or, if the inquiry relates to more than one police area, out of the police funds concerned in such proportions as may be specified in the direction; and any costs payable under this section shall be subject to taxation in such manner as the Secretary of State may direct.

Subject to the provisions of this section, the Secretary of State may make regulations as to the government, administration and conditions of service of police forces.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F61F62 (3A) Any reference in this Act to efficiency or to being efficient shall be construed, except where the context otherwise requires, as including, respectively, a reference to effectiveness or to being effective.

Regulations under this section for regulating pay and allowances may be made with retrospective effect to any date specified therein, but nothing in this subsection shall be construed as authorising pay or allowances payable to any person to be reduced retrospectively.

Regulations under this section as to conditions of service shall secure that appointments for fixed terms are not made except where the person appointed holds the rank of superintendent or a higher rank.

Regulations under this section may make different provision for different cases and circumstances, F64. . .

Any statutory instrument made under this section shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

The Secretary of State may make regulations as to the government, administration and conditions of service of special constables.

If regulations under this section provide for the calculation of any pension payable to or in respect of special constables by reference to a scale of notional remuneration specified in the regulations, regulations under this section increasing any such notional remuneration may be made with retrospective effect to any date specified in the regulations.

Subsections (5) and (6) of section 33 of this Act shall apply to regulations under this section.

The Secretary of State may make regulations as to the government, administration and conditions of service of police cadets.

Subsections (4), (5) and (6) of section 33 of this Act shall apply to regulations under this section.

On an appeal the Secretary of State may make an order allowing or dismissing the appeal.

Subject to subsection (4) below, in any case where it appears to him that it is appropriate to do so, he may substitute some other punishment.

The Secretary of State may direct an appellant to pay the whole or any part of his own costs; but, subject to any such direction, all the costs and expenses of an appeal under this section, including the costs of the parties, shall be defrayed out of the police fund.

Schedule 5 to this Act shall have effect in relation to any appeal under this section.

The chief officer of police for any police area shall be liable in respect of torts committed by constables under his direction and control in the performance or purported performance of their functions in like manner as a master is liable in respect of torts committed by his servants in the course of their employment, and accordingly shall in respect of any such tort be treated for all purposes as a joint tortfeasor.

Any proceedings in respect of a claim made by virtue of this section shall be brought against the chief officer of police for the time being or, in the case of a vacancy in that office, against the person for the time being performing the functions of the chief officer of police; and references in the foregoing provisions of this section to the chief officer of police shall be construed accordingly.

A police authority may, in such cases and to such extent as they think fit, pay any damages or costs awarded against a member of the police force maintained by them, or any constable for the time being required to serve with that force by virtue of section 14 of this Act, or any special constable appointed for their area, in proceedings for a tort committed by him, any costs incurred and not recovered by him in any such proceedings, and any sum required in connection with the settlement of any claim that has or might have given rise to such proceedings; and any sum required for making a payment under this subsection shall be paid out of the police fund.

Any person who assaults a constable in the execution of his duty, or a person assisting a constable in the execution of his duty, shall be guilty of an offence and liable—

F76on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding F77level 5 on the standard scale or to both.

Subsection (2) of F78section 17 of the M26Firearms Act 1968 (additional penalty for possession of firearms when committing certain offences) shall apply to offences under subsection (1) of this section.

Any person who resists or wilfully obstructs a constable in the execution of his duty, or a person assisting a constable in the execution of his duty, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month or to a fine not exceeding F79level 3 on the standard scale, or to both.

Any person who with intent to deceive impersonates a member of a police force or special constable, or makes any statement or does any act calculated falsely to suggest that he is such a member or constable, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding F80level 5 on the standard scale, or to both.

Any person who, not being a constable, wears any article of police uniform in circumstances where it gives him an appearance so nearly resembling that of a member of a police force as to be calculated to deceive shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding F81level 3 on the standard scale.

Any person who, not being a member of a police force or special constable, has in his possession any article of police uniform shall, unless he proves that he obtained possession of that article lawfully and has possession of it for a lawful purpose, be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding F82level 1 on the standard scale.

In this section “article of police uniform” means any article of uniform or any distinctive badge or mark or document of identification usually issued to members of police forces or special constables, or anything having the appearance of such an article, badge, mark or document; and “special constable” means a special constable appointed for a police area.

This section applies to special constables appointed for a police area as it applies to members of a police force.

The council of a county, district, county borough or London borough may make grants to any police authority established under section 3 of this Act whose police area falls wholly or partly within the county, district, county borough or borough.

The council of a London borough, county, or district which falls wholly or partly within the metropolitan police district may make grants for police purposes to the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District.

Grants under this section may be made unconditionally or, with the agreement of the chief officer of police for the police area concerned, subject to conditions.

This section applies to the Council of the Isles of Scilly as it applies to a county council.

A police authority may, in connection with the discharge of any of its functions, accept gifts of money, and gifts or loans of other property, on such terms as the authority thinks fit.

The terms on which gifts or loans are accepted under subsection (1) of this section may include terms providing for the commercial sponsorship of any activity of the police authority or of the police force maintained by it.

In the application of this section to the metropolitan police, for the references to the police authority there shall be substituted references to the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District.

In subsection (1) of this section “appropriate authority” has the same meaning as in section 43 of this Act.

In the case of relevant service to which subsection (1)(c) of this section refers, the reference in subsection (3) to regulations made under the M30Police Pensions Act 1976 shall be read as including a reference to regulations made under section 1 of M31the Police (Overseas Service) Act 1945.

The chief officer of police of every police force shall, at such times and in such form as the Secretary of State may direct, transmit to the Secretary of State such particulars with respect to offences, offenders, criminal proceedings and the state of crime in the area for which the force is maintained as the Secretary of State may require.

The Secretary of State shall cause a consolidated and classified abstract of the information transmitted to him under this section to be prepared and laid before Parliament.

Any police expenses payable out of the county fund of any county falling partly within the metropolitan police district shall be chargeable only on so much of the county as does not fall within that district, without prejudice, however, to section 67 of the M34London Government Act 1963 (power of rating authority to aggregate like expenses chargeable on different parts of rating area.)

In this section “police expenses” means expenses for police purposes (including contributions to the police fund of a combined police authority) or expenses which are for any purpose treated as incurred for police purposes or are under any enactment payable out of the police fund.

If the chief constable of a police force which ceases to exist in consequence of an order under Part I of this Act or F87Part IV of the M35Local Government Act 1972 is not appointed chief constable or other member of the successor force as from the date of transfer, he shall on that date become a member of that force (or, if there is more than one successor force, of such of them as may be provided by or under the order) by virtue of this section.

While a person is a member of a police force by virtue only of this section he shall hold the rank of F88deputychief constable but shall be treated for the purposes of his pay, pension and other conditions of service as if he had continued to be chief constable of the force which ceased to exist, subject however to section 5(1) of this Act.

A chief constable who becomes a member of a police force by virtue of this section shall, subject to regulations under Part II of this Act, cease to be a member thereof at the expiration of three months unless he has then accepted and taken up an appointment in that force.

The provision to be made by regulations under section 60(2) of the Local Government Act 1958 (as extended by Schedule 9 to this Act) with respect to the chief constable of a police force who, after becoming a member of another police force by virtue of this section, ceases to be a member of that force without having accepted and taken up an appointment therein shall, if he was the chief constable of a police force at the commencement of this Act, be not less favourable than any provision by way of a pension that would have been payable to or in respect of him by virtue of the F89M36Police Pensions Act 1976 had the first-mentioned police force been combined with another force by an amalgamation scheme under the M37Police Act 1946 and he had neither been transferred to the combined force nor joined it within three months.

For the purposes of section 4(2) of this Act no account shall be taken of subsection (2) of this section.

In this section “successor force”, in relation to a police force which ceases to exist in consequence of any order, means a force to which members of that police force are transferred by virtue of the order; and “date of transfer” means the date as from which those members are so transferred.

Any power of the Secretary of State to make orders, rules or regulations under this Act (other than orders on appeals under section 37) shall be exercisable by statutory instrument.

Any power of the Secretary of State to make orders under this Act (other than such orders as aforesaid) includes power to amend or revoke an order by a subsequent order.

In this Act the expression “police purposes”, in relation to a police area, includes the purposes of special constables appointed for that area, of police cadets undergoing training with a view to becoming members of the police force maintained for that area and of civilians employed for the purpose of that force or of any such special constables or cadets.

References in this Act to any enactment shall be construed as references to that enactment as amended, and as including references thereto as extended or applied, by any subsequent enactment.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F92

The Secretary of State may by order repeal or amend any provision in any local Act, including an Act confirming a provisional order, or in any instrument in the nature of a local enactment under any Act, where it appears to him that that provision is inconsistent with, or has become unnecessary or requires modification in consequence of, any provision of this Act F93(including any provision of the M40Police (Scotland) Act 1967 which re-enacts any provision of this Act repealed by that Act) or corresponds to any provision repealed by this Act; and any statutory instrument made under this subsection shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

The transitional provisions contained in Schedule 11 to this Act shall have effect for the purposes of this Act.

Without prejudice to subsection (5) above, where any provision is made by this Act corresponding to any enactment repealed by this section, any regulation, order, rule or appointment made, and any other thing done, under that enactment shall have effect as if it were made or done under that provision.

This Act may be cited as the Police Act 1964.

This Act shall come into force on such date as the Secretary of State may by order appoint.

Different dates may be appointed by order under this section for different purposes of this Act; and any reference in any provision of this Act to the commencement of this Act shall, unless otherwise provided by any such order, be construed as a reference to the date on which that provision comes into operation.

An order under subsection (2) of this section may make such transitional provision as appears to the Secretary of State to be necessary or expedient in connection with the provisions thereby brought into force, including such adaptations of those provisions or of any provisions of this Act then in force as appear to the Secretary of State necessary or expedient for the purpose or in consequence of the operation of any provision of this Act before the coming into force of any other provision of this Act or of the M41London Government Act 1963.

The following provisions of this Act extend to Scotland, namely, Part III; . . . F94; section 63 and Schedule 9, so far as they relate to enactments extending to Scotland; section 64 and Part II of Schedule 10; and this section.

This Act does not extend to Northern Ireland.