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Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2003

Changes to legislation:

Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2003 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 17 November 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Help about Changes to Legislation

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  1. Introductory Text

  2. Part 1 Policing

    1. Consultation by Secretary of State

      1. 1.Long-term policing objectives

      2. 2.Codes of Practice

    2. The Northern Ireland Policing Board

      1. 3.Board’s policing objectives

      2. 4.Public meetings of the Board

      3. 5.Contracts relating to detention and escort services

      4. 6.Funding for pension purposes

      5. 7.Accounts and audit

      6. 8.Performance summaries

      7. 9.Performance summaries: supplementary

    3. Reports and inquiries

      1. 10.Reports of Chief Constable

      2. 11.Inquiries by Board

      3. 12.Approval of proposals relating to inquiries by Board

    4. The Police Ombudsman

      1. 13.Investigations into current police practices and policies

    5. District policing partnerships

      1. 14.Independent members: appointment

      2. 15.Independent members: declaration against terrorism

      3. 16.Independent members: disqualification

      4. 17.Disqualification following removal from office

      5. 18.Council’s powers

      6. 19.Belfast

    6. Police functions and service

      1. 20.Core policing principles

      2. 21.Chief Constable’s functions

      3. 22.Provision of information to Board

      4. 23.Appointment of constables with special policing skills

      5. 24.Fixed-term appointments

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

      7. 26.Protected disclosures by police officers

    7. Information and inquiries

      1. 27.Restriction on disclosure of information

      2. 28.Special committee of the Board

      3. 29.Disclosure of information and holding of inquiries

  3. Part 2 Police powers

    1. Designation of civilians

      1. 30.Police powers for designated police support staff

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

      3. 32.Police powers: amendments

      4. 33.Designations: supplementary

      5. 34.Complaints and misconduct

      6. 35.Liability for unlawful conduct

      7. 36.Notifiable memberships

      8. 37.Code of ethics

      9. 38.Assaults on, and obstruction of, designated persons

      10. 39.Impersonation etc. of designated persons

      11. 40.Designated persons: interpretation

    2. Searches and samples

      1. 41.Intimate searches

      2. 42.Intimate samples

    3. Codes of practice

      1. 43.Codes of practice

  4. Part 3 General

    1. 44.Orders and regulations

    2. 45.Repeals and revocations

    3. 46.Extent

    4. 47.Short title

  5. SCHEDULES

    1. SCHEDULE 1

      Belfast

      1. 1.The Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 (c. 32) is amended...

      2. 2.After section 15 insert— Default of council: Belfast sub-groups (1) If the Secretary of State is satisfied that the...

      3. 3.In section 17 (annual report by district policing partnership to...

      4. 4.In section 18 (reports by district policing partnership to Board)...

      5. 5.For section 21 substitute— District policing partnership sub-groups for Belfast...

      6. 6.After section 21 insert— Annual report by sub-groups to Belfast...

      7. 7.After section 21A (inserted by paragraph 6 above) insert— Annual...

      8. 8.After section 21B (inserted by paragraph 7 above) insert— Other...

      9. 9.After section 21C (inserted by paragraph 8 above) insert— Reports...

      10. 10.In section 22 (the local policing plan) after subsection (3)...

      11. 11.(1) Schedule 1 (the Northern Ireland Policing Board) is amended...

      12. 12.In Schedule 3 (district policing partnerships) after paragraph 16 insert—...

      13. 13.After Schedule 3 insert— SCHEDULE 3A BELFAST SUB-GROUPS Interpretation (1) In this Schedule— “the council” means the district council...

      14. 14.In Schedule 2 to the Commissioner for Complaints (Northern Ireland)...

      15. 15.In Part 7 of Schedule 1 to the Freedom of...

      16. 16.(1) Sub-paragraphs (4) and (5) have effect in relation to...

    2. SCHEDULE 2

      Powers exercisable by designated persons

      1. Part 1 Investigating officers

        1. Entry and search for purposes of arrest

          1. 1.Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person—

        2. Entry and search for evidence etc.

          1. 2.Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person—

        3. Access to excluded and special procedure material

          1. 3.Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person—

        4. Entry and search after arrest

          1. 4.Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person—

        5. General power of seizure

          1. 5.Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person—

        6. Access and copying in the case of things seized by constables

          1. 6.Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person, Article...

        7. Arrest at a police station for another offence

          1. 7.(1) Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person,...

        8. Power to transfer persons into custody of investigating officers

          1. 8.(1) Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person,...

        9. Power to require arrested person to account for certain matters

          1. 9.Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person—

        10. Extended powers of seizure

          1. 10.(1) Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person—...

      2. Part 2 Detention officers

        1. Attendance at police station for fingerprinting

          1. 11.Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person, he...

        2. Non-intimate searches of detained persons

          1. 12.(1) Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person,...

        3. Searches and examinations to ascertain identity

          1. 13.Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person, he...

        4. Fingerprinting

          1. 14.Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person—

          2. 15.Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person, he...

        5. Warnings about intimate samples

          1. 16.Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person, the...

        6. Non-intimate samples

          1. 17.Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person—

          2. 18.Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person, he...

        7. Attendance at police station for the taking of a sample

          1. 19.Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person, he...

        8. Photographing detained persons

          1. 20.Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person, he...

          2. 21.Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person, he...

      3. Part 3 Escort officers

        1. Power to take an arrested person to a police station

          1. 22.(1) Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person—...

        2. Escort of persons in police detention

          1. 23.(1) Where a designation applies this paragraph to a person,...

      4. Part 4 Interpretation

        1. 24.(1) In this Schedule— “designated person” means a person designated...

    3. SCHEDULE 3

      Police powers: amendments

      1. Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (S.I. 1989/1341 (N.I. 12))

        1. 1.In Article 2 of the 1989 Order (general interpretation) after...

        2. 2.In Article 20(5) of the 1989 Order (power of constable...

        3. 3.In Article 55A(6) of the 1989 Order (persons entitled to...

        4. 4.In Article 61 of the 1989 Order (fingerprinting) after paragraph...

        5. 5.In Article 63 of the 1989 Order (non-intimate samples) after...

        6. 6.In Article 64A(3) of the 1989 Order (persons entitled to...

        7. 7.(1) Article 66 of the 1989 Order (codes of practice:...

      2. Terrorism Act 2000 (c. 11)

        1. 8.(1) Section 101 of the Terrorism Act 2000 (c. 11)...

    4. SCHEDULE 4

      Repeals and revocations

      1. 1.The repeals in section 28(5) of the Police (Northern Ireland)...

      2. 2.The revocations in the Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996...

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