Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005

24 Mutual assistance between SOCA and law enforcement agencies: directed arrangements

(1) This section applies where it appears to the Secretary of State—

(a) that a body within subsection (2) has a special need for assistance from SOCA or SOCA has a special need for assistance from a body within that subsection,

(b) that it is expedient for such assistance to be provided by SOCA or (as the case may be) the body, and

(c) that satisfactory arrangements cannot be made, or cannot be made in time, under section 23.

(2) The bodies within this subsection are—

(a) any police force in England and Wales or Northern Ireland,

(b) any special police force other than the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency, and

(c) any law enforcement agency operating in the United Kingdom other than the Scottish Administration.

(3) In a case where this section applies the Secretary of State may (as appropriate)—

(a) direct the chief officer of the police force to provide such constables or other assistance for the purpose of meeting the need in question as may be specified in the direction;

(b) direct the chief officer of the special police force to provide such constables or other persons, or such other assistance, for the purpose of meeting the need in question as may be so specified;

(c) direct the head of the law enforcement agency to provide such members of the staff of that agency or other assistance for the purpose of meeting the need in question as may be so specified;

(d) direct the Director General of SOCA to provide such members of the staff of SOCA or other assistance for the purpose of meeting the need in question as may be so specified.

(4) A direction under subsection (3) requires the consent of the Treasury if it is to be given to the Commissioners.

(5) Subsections (6) to (9) of section 23 apply in relation to assistance provided under this section—

(a) by SOCA to a police force, a special police force or a law enforcement agency, or

(b) to SOCA by a police force, a special police force or a law enforcement agency,

as they apply in relation to assistance so provided under that section.

(6) In this section “law enforcement agency” has the meaning given by section 3(4) (subject to the territorial restriction contained in subsection (2) above).