Search Legislation

Police Act 1996

 Help about what version

What Version

 Help about advanced features

Advanced Features

Status:

Point in time view as at 28/04/2022.

Changes to legislation:

Police Act 1996, Cross Heading: Supplemental is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 16 November 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Changes and effects yet to be applied by the editorial team are only applicable when viewing the latest version or prospective version of legislation. They are therefore not accessible when viewing legislation as at a specific point in time. To view the ‘Changes to Legislation’ information for this provision return to the latest version view using the options provided in the ‘What Version’ box above.

SupplementalU.K.

101 Interpretation.E+W+S

(1)Except where the context otherwise requires, in this Act—

  • F1...

  • [F2[F3British Transport Police Force” means the constables appointed under section 53 of the British Transport Commission Act 1949 (c. xxix);]]

  • chief officer of police” means—

    (a)

    in relation to a police force maintained under section 2, the chief constable,

    (b)

    in relation to the metropolitan police force, the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, and

    (c)

    in relation to the City of London police force, the Commissioner of Police for the City of London ;

  • City of London police area” means the City of London as defined for the purposes of the Acts relating to the City of London police force;

  • [F4Common Council” means the Common Council of the City of London in its capacity as police authority for the City of London police area;

  • elected local policing body” means—

    (a)

    a police and crime commissioner;

    (b)

    the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime;

  • local policing body” means—

    (a)

    a police and crime commissioner (in relation to a police area listed in Schedule 1);

    (b)

    the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (in relation to the metropolitan police district);

    (c)

    the Common Council (in relation to the City of London police area);

  • Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime” means the body established under section 3 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011;]

  • metropolitan police district” means that district as defined in section 76 of the M1London Government Act 1963;

  • [F5national or international functions” means functions relating to—

    (a)

    the protection of prominent persons or their residences,

    (b)

    national security,

    (c)

    counter-terrorism, or

    (d)

    the provision of services for any other national or international purpose;

  • [F6“the National Police Chiefs' Council” means the body called the National Police Chiefs' Council which was established in accordance with a collaboration agreement under section 22A above entered into on 1 April 2015;]

  • police and crime commissioner” means a body established under section 1 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011;]

  • police area” means a police area provided for by section 1;

  • F7...

  • police force” means a force maintained by a [F8local policing body];

  • police fund” means—

    (a)

    [F9in relation to a police area for which there is an elected local policing body, the fund kept by that body under section 21 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011;]

    (b)

    F10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    (c)

    in relation to the City of London police force, the fund out of which the expenses of that force are paid.

(2)In this Act “police purposes”, in relation to a police area, includes the purposes of—

(a)special constables appointed for that area,

(b)police cadets undergoing training with a view to becoming members of the police force maintained for that area, and

(c)civilians employed for the purposes of that force or of any such special constables or cadets.

[F11(3)References in this Act to the staff of a police and crime commissioner, or to the staff of the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime, have the same meaning as in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.]

Extent Information

E1S. 101 extends E.W. except s. 101(2) which extends G.B.

Textual Amendments

F1Words in s. 101(1) omitted (31.1.2017 for specified purposes, 3.4.2017 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Policing and Crime Act 2017 (c. 3), s. 183(1)(5)(e), Sch. 14 para. 1(2); S.I. 2017/399, reg. 2, Sch. para. 41

F2Definition in s. 101 ceases to have effect (1.7.2004) by virtue of Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 (c. 20), Sch. 5 para. 4; S.I. 2004/1572, art. 3(jjj)

F3S. 101(1): definition of “British Transport Police Force" inserted (14.12.2001) by 2001 c. 24, ss. 101, 127(2)(f), Sch. 7 para. 27

F4Words in s. 101(1) inserted (16.1.2012 for specified purposes, 22.11.2012 in so far as not already in force) by Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), ss. 96(2)(a), 157(1); S.I. 2011/3019, art. 3, Sch. 1 (with art. 10(1)(2)); S.I. 2012/2892, art. 2(a)

F5Words in s. 101(1) inserted (16.1.2012 for specified purposes, 22.11.2012 in so far as not already in force) by Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), ss. 96(2)(b), 157(1); S.I. 2011/3019, art. 3, Sch. 1 (with art. 10(1)(2)); S.I. 2012/2892, art. 2(a)

F6Words in s. 101(1) inserted (31.1.2017 for specified purposes, 3.4.2017 in so far as not already in force) by Policing and Crime Act 2017 (c. 3), s. 183(1)(5)(e), Sch. 14 para. 1(3); S.I. 2017/399, reg. 2, Sch. para. 41

F7Words in s. 101(1) omitted (16.1.2012 for specified purposes, 22.11.2012 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), ss. 96(2)(c), 157(1); S.I. 2011/3019, art. 3, Sch. 1 (with art. 10(1)(2)); S.I. 2012/2892, art. 2(a)

F8Words in s. 101(1) substituted (16.1.2012 for specified purposes, 22.11.2012 in so far as not already in force) by Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), ss. 96(2)(d), 157(1); S.I. 2011/3019, art. 3, Sch. 1 (with art. 10(1)(2)); S.I. 2012/2892, art. 2(a)

F9Words in s. 101(1) substituted (16.1.2012 for specified purposes, 22.11.2012 in so far as not already in force) by Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), ss. 96(2)(e), 157(1); S.I. 2011/3019, art. 3, Sch. 1 (with art. 10(1)(2)); S.I. 2012/2892, art. 2(a)

F10Words in s. 101(1) repealed (3.7.2000) by 1999 c. 29, ss. 312(3)(b), 423, Sch. 34 Pt. VII (with Sch. 12 para. 9(1)); S.I. 2000/1648, art. 2, Sch.

F11S. 101(3) inserted (16.1.2012 for specified purposes, 22.11.2012 in so far as not already in force) by Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), ss. 96(3), 157(1); S.I. 2011/3019, art. 3, Sch. 1 (with art. 10(1)(2)); S.I. 2012/2892, art. 2(a)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

Marginal Citations

102 Orders, rules and regulations.U.K.

Any power of the Secretary of State to make orders, rules or regulations under this Act shall be exercisable by statutory instrument.

103 Consequential amendments, transitional provisions, repeals, etc.U.K.

(1)The enactments mentioned in Schedule 7 shall be amended as provided in that Schedule.

(2)Schedule 8 (which contains transitional and transitory provisions, savings etc.) shall have effect.

(3)The enactments mentioned in Parts I and II of Schedule 9 are repealed, and the instruments mentioned in Part III of that Schedule are revoked, to the extent specified in the third column of the Schedule.

Extent Information

E2S. 103 extends E.W. and insofar as it relates to Sch. 8 paras. 1-5, 7 and 11(1),(2) and(4) also to S. and insofar as it relates to Sch. 8 paras. 1-4 also to N.I.

104 Commencement.U.K.

(1)Except as provided by subsection (2), this Act shall come into force at the end of the period of three months beginning with the day on which it is passed.

(2)The following provisions of this Act—

  • section 50(3),

  • Part IV (including Schedules 5 and 6) other than section 88,

  • paragraphs 43, 45 and 46 of Schedule 7,

  • paragraph 12 of Schedule 8, and

  • Part II of Schedule 9,

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

(3)An order under this section may appoint different days for different purposes or different areas.

(4)The power to make orders under this section includes power to make such transitional provisions and savings as appear to the Secretary of State to be necessary or expedient.

(5)Where an order under this section contains provisions made by virtue of subsection (4), the statutory instrument containing that order shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

Subordinate Legislation Made

P1S. 104 power partly exercised (3.3.1999): 1.4.1999 appointed for specified provisions by S.I. 1999/533, art. 2 (with art. 3)

105 Extent.U.K.

(1)Except as provided by subsections (2) to (5), this Act extends to England and Wales only.

(2)The following provisions of this Act extend to Scotland (and in the case of section 99(1) to Scotland only)—

  • section 21;

  • [F12section 25(1A);]

  • Part III;

  • F13...

  • sections 98, 99(1), 101(2), 102 and 104 to 106 and paragraphs 1 to 5, 7 and 11(1), (2) and (4) of Schedule 8 (and section 103 so far as it relates to those paragraphs).

(3)The following provisions of this Act extend to Northern Ireland (and in the case of section 99(2) to Northern Ireland only)—

  • [F14Part 3A];

  • sections 98, 99(2), 102 and 104 to 106 and paragraphs 1 to 4 of Schedule 8 (and section 103 so far as it relates to those paragraphs).

(4)Subject to subsection (5), the amendments in Schedule 7 and the repeals and revocations in Schedule 9 have the same extent as the enactments to which they refer and section 103 extends accordingly.

(5)Paragraphs 2 to 6 of Schedule 7 extend to England, Wales and Scotland only.

Textual Amendments

F12Words in s. 105(2) inserted (14.12.2001) by 2001 c. 24, ss. 101, 127(2)(f), Sch. 7 para. 28

F13Words in s. 105(2) repealed (1.4.2004) by Police Reform Act 2002 (c. 30), s. 108(2), Sch. 8; S.I. 2004/913, art. 2(f)(iv)

106 Short title.U.K.

This Act may be cited as the Police Act 1996.

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

You have chosen to open The Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Act as a PDF

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open the Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Point in Time: This becomes available after navigating to view revised legislation as it stood at a certain point in time via Advanced Features > Show Timeline of Changes or via a point in time advanced search.

Close

See additional information alongside the content

Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources