251.This section inserts a new section (section 2A) in the 1987 Act. It deals with cases where another police force requires extra resources to meet a special burden. The new section allows such assistance to be given by the MDP, where requested by the chief police officers listed in subsection (4), to enable their force to meet any special demand on its resources. It provides that, where MDP officers serve with other forces as a part of such assistance, they come under the direction of the chief officer of the force with which they are serving for the time being and have full powers of a constable of that force, (i.e. without the jurisdictional limits applying to MDP officers).
250.Sections 100, 101 and Schedule 7 allow the British Transport Police (“BTP”) to act outside their railways jurisdiction when asked to assist in relation to a specific incident by a constable from the local police force, the UKAEA constabulary or a Ministry of Defence Police (“MDP”) officer, and in an emergency. The changes also give BTP officers certain powers already available to local police officers, including powers under the Terrorism Act 2000 and the ability to enter into mutual aid agreements with other forces.