Search Legislation

Advanced Search

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 14 November 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. 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.

  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. 30A.Community support officers

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

      4. 32.Police powers: amendments

      5. 33.Designations: supplementary

      6. 34.Complaints and misconduct

      7. 34A.Secretary of State’s power to make regulations

      8. 35.Liability for unlawful conduct

      9. 36.Notifiable memberships

      10. 37.Code of ethics

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

      12. 39.Impersonation etc. of designated persons

      13. 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—

          2. 2A.Where a designation applies this paragraph to any person—

          3. 2B.Where a designation applies this paragraph to any person, subsection...

        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. Powers in respect of detained persons

          1. “8A.Where a designation applies this paragraph to any person, he...

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

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

        11. Extended powers of seizure

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

        12. Persons accompanying investigating officers

          1. 10A.(1) This paragraph applies where a person (“an authorised 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...

        9. Taking of impressions of footwear

          1. 20A.Where a designation applies this paragraph to any person—

        10. Powers in respect of detained persons

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

        11. Use of reasonable force in relation to detained persons

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

        12. Powers in relation to information about intimate search, x-ray and ultrasound

          1. 20D.Where a designation applies this paragraph to any 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 2A

      POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT OFFICER

      1. 1.Powers to issue fixed penalty notice

      2. 2.Power to require name and address: relevant offences

      3. 3.Power to require name and address: road traffic offences

      4. 4.Power to detain etc

      5. 5.Confiscation of alcohol: public processions

      6. 6.Confiscation of alcohol: young persons

      7. 7.Confiscation of tobacco etc

      8. 8.Search and seizure powers: alcohol and tobacco

      9. 9.Powers to seize and retain: controlled drugs

      10. 10.Entry to save life or limb or prevent serious damage to property

      11. 11.Entry to investigate licensing offences

      12. 12.Power to stop vehicles

      13. 13.Power to direct traffic and place traffic signs

      14. 14.Carrying out of road checks

      15. 15.Cordoned areas

      16. 16.Power to stop and search vehicles etc in authorised areas

      17. 17.Powers in relation to fireworks

      18. 18.Interpretation

    4. 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)...

    5. 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...

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

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

Opening Options

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

Close

Explanatory Notes

Text created by the government department responsible for the subject matter of the Act to explain what the Act sets out to achieve and to make the Act accessible to readers who are not legally qualified. Explanatory Notes were introduced in 1999 and accompany all Public Acts except Appropriation, Consolidated Fund, Finance and Consolidation Acts.

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

The data on this page is available in the alternative data formats listed: