Law

Police Act 1996

United Kingdom · statute

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In force since 2026-09-29, as the publisher states.

Copy read on 2026-11-08. The page it was read from

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.

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Contents: 192 provisions

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192 provisions

20 Questions on police matters at council meetings.

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20A Questions on metropolitan police matters at London Assembly meetings.

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21 Application of certain provisions to police authorities.

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22 Reports by chief constables to police authorities.

(1) The Commissioner of Police for the City of London shall, as soon as possible after the end of each financial year, submit to the Common Council a general report on the policing during that year of the City of London police area. (2) The chief constable shall arrange for a report submitted by him under subsection (1) to be published in such manner as appears to him to be appropriate. (3) The Commissioner of Police for the City of London shall, whenever so required by the Common Council, submit to the Common Council a report on such matters as may be specified in the requirement, being matters connected with the policing of the City of London police area. (4) A report submitted under subsection (3) shall be in such form as the Common Council may specify. (5) If it appears to the Commissioner of Police for the City of London that a report in compliance with subsection (3) would contain information which in the public interest ought not to be disclosed, or is not needed for the discharge of the functions of the Common Council, he may request the Common Council to refer the requirement to submit the report to the Secretary of State; and in any such case the requirement shall be of no effect unless it is confirmed by the Secretary of State. (6) The Common Council may arrange, or require the chief officer to arrange, for a report submitted under subsection (3) to be published in such manner as appears to the Common Council to be appropriate. (7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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22A Collaboration agreements

(1) A collaboration agreement may be made by— (a) two or more policing bodies; or (b) the chief officers of police of one or more police forces and— (i) one or more policing bodies together with one or more other persons, or (ii) if no other person is a party to the agreement, two or more policing bodies. (2) A collaboration agreement is an agreement containing one or more of the following— (a) provision about the discharge of functions of members of a police force (“force collaboration provision”); (b) provision about support by a policing body for another policing body (“policing body collaboration provision”); (c) provision about support by a policing body for the police force which another policing body is responsible for maintaining (“policing body & force collaboration provision”). (3) A collaboration agreement may not contain force collaboration provision unless the parties to the agreement consist of, or include,— (a) the chief officer of police of each police force to which the provision relates, and (b) the policing body that is responsible for maintaining each such police force. (4) A collaboration agreement may not contain policing body collaboration provision unless the parties to the agreement consist of, or include, each policing body to which the provision relates. (5) A collaboration agreement may not contain policing body & force collaboration provision unless the parties to the agreement consist of, or include— (a) the policing body, or each policing body, to which the provision relates; (b) the chief officer of police of the police force, or each police force, to which the provision relates; and (c) the policing body that is responsible for maintaining each such police force. (6) Subsection (1)(a) does not prevent other persons from being parties to collaboration agreements. (7) Subsection (2) does not prevent a collaboration agreement from including other kinds of provision. (8) For the purposes of subsections (3) and (5), the circumstances in which force collaboration provision, or policing body & force collaboration provision, is to be taken to relate to a police force include the cases where provision relates— (a) to functions of a kind which are or may be exercisable by members of that police force, or (b) to the police area for which that police force is established. (9) For the purposes of subsections (4) and (5), the circumstances in which policing body collaboration provision, or policing body & force collaboration provision, is to be taken to relate to a policing body include the cases where provision relates— (a) to functions of a kind which are or may be exercisable by that policing body or members of the staff of that body, or (b) to the police area for which that policing body is established.

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22B Duty of chief officers to keep collaboration agreements under review

(1) The chief officer of police of a police force must keep under consideration the ways in which the collaboration functions could be exercised by the chief officer and by one or more other persons to improve the efficiency or effectiveness of— (a) that police force, and (b) one or more other police forces. (2) If the chief officer considers that there is a particular way in which the collaboration functions could be so exercised by the chief officer and by one or more other particular persons (“the proposed collaboration”), the chief officer must notify those other persons (the “proposed partners”) of the proposed collaboration. (3) The chief officer, and the proposed partners notified under subsection (2) (the “notified proposed partners”), must consider whether to exercise the collaboration functions to give effect to the proposed collaboration. (4) In considering whether to so exercise the collaboration functions, the chief officer and the notified proposed partners must consider whether the proposed collaboration would be in the interests of the efficiency or effectiveness of one or more police forces. (5) Subsection (6) applies if all, or two or more, of— (a) the chief officer, and (b) the notified proposed partners, (the “agreeing parties”) are of the view that the proposed collaboration would be in the interests of the efficiency or effectiveness of one or more police forces (if the agreeing parties were to exercise the collaboration functions to give effect to the proposed collaboration, or to give effect to it so far as it relates to them). (6) The agreeing parties must exercise the collaboration functions so as to give effect to the proposed collaboration or to give effect to it so far as it relates to them. (7) In this section “collaboration functions” means functions of chief officers of police or policing bodies under any of sections 22A to 23I (apart from this section).

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22C Duty of policing bodies to keep collaboration agreements under review

(1) A policing body must keep under consideration the ways in which the collaboration functions could be exercised by the policing body and by one or more other persons to improve— (a) the efficiency or effectiveness of— (i) that policing body, (ii) the police force which that policing body is responsible for maintaining, or (iii) that body and that force, and (b) the efficiency or effectiveness of one or more other policing bodies and police forces. (2) If the policing body considers that there is a particular way in which the collaboration functions could be so exercised by the policing body and by one or more other particular persons (“the proposed collaboration”), the policing body must notify those other persons (the “proposed partners”) of the proposed collaboration. (3) The policing body, and the proposed partners notified under subsection (2) (the “notified proposed partners”), must consider whether to exercise the collaboration functions to give effect to the proposed collaboration. (4) In considering whether to so exercise the collaboration functions, the policing body and the notified proposed partners must consider whether the proposed collaboration would be in the interests of the efficiency or effectiveness of one or more policing bodies or police forces. (5) Subsection (6) applies if all, or two or more, of— (a) the policing body, and (b) the notified proposed partners, (the “agreeing parties”) are of the view that the proposed collaboration would be in the interests of the efficiency or effectiveness of one or more policing bodies or police forces (if the agreeing parties were to exercise the collaboration functions to give effect to the proposed collaboration, or to give effect to it so far as it relates to them). (6) The agreeing parties must exercise the collaboration functions so as to give effect to the proposed collaboration, or to give effect to it so far as it relates to them. (7) In this section “collaboration functions” means functions of policing bodies or chief officers of police under any of sections 22A to 23I (apart from this section).

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23 Collaboration agreements involving police forces

(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2) Force collaboration provision may, in particular, consist of provision— (a) for the joint discharge of functions by members of police forces; (b) for members of a police force to discharge functions in another force's area; (c) for members of a police force to be provided to another force. (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (4) A collaboration agreement may provide for a member of a police force, or a civilian employee, to be under the direction and control of a chief officer specified in or determined in accordance with the agreement. (5) A chief officer may make a collaboration agreement only if the chief officer thinks that the agreement is in the interests of the efficiency or effectiveness of one or more police forces. (6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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23A Collaboration agreements involving policing bodie

(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2) Policing body collaboration provision, or policing body & force collaboration provision, may, in particular, consist of provision— (a) for support to be provided jointly by two or more policing bodies; (b) for support to be provided for two or more policing bodies or forces jointly; (c) for a policing body to provide support to another policing body or to a force maintained by another policing body. (3) In relation to policing body collaboration provision, or policing body & force collaboration provision, references to the provision of support include, in particular, the provision of— (a) premises; (b) equipment; (c) staff; (d) services; (e) facilities. (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (5) A policing body may make a collaboration agreement only if it thinks that the agreement is in the interests of the efficiency or effectiveness of one or more policing bodies or police forces. (6) A policing body must consult the chief officer of police of the police force which the body is responsible for maintaining before making a collaboration agreement (unless that chief officer is a party to the agreement). (7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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23AA Force collaboration provision about civilian employees

(1) This section applies to force collaboration provision, contained in a collaboration agreement, which is about the discharge of functions by persons designated under section 38 of the Police Reform Act 2002 (“designated persons”) by the chief officer of one police force (the “assisting force”) for the purposes of another police force (the “assisted force”). (2) The force collaboration provision must specify— (a) the functions which the designated persons are permitted by the collaboration agreement to discharge for the purposes of the assisted force, and (b) any restrictions or conditions on that permission for the designated persons to discharge those functions. (3) The force collaboration provision must not permit the designated persons to discharge functions for the purposes of the assisted force unless those persons are, by virtue of the relevant section 38 designation, authorised to discharge those functions for the purposes of the assisting force. (4) The force collaboration provision does not authorise the designated persons to discharge functions for the purposes of the assisted force (but see section 38B of the Police Reform Act 2002). (5) References in this section to the discharge of functions by persons designated under section 38 of the Police Reform Act 2002 by the chief officer of the assisting force for the purposes of the assisted force include references to— (a) the joint discharge of functions by the designated persons and members of the assisted police force, (b) the discharge of functions by the designated persons in the assisted force's area, and (c) the provision of the designated persons to the assisted force. (6) In this section— ... “relevant section 38 designation”, in relation to a designated person, means the section 38 designation relating to the person; “section 38 designation” means a designation under section 38 of the Police Reform Act 2002.

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23B Collaboration agreements: payments

(1) A collaboration agreement may provide for payments between parties to the agreement. (2) Provision under subsection (1) may in the case of policing bodies or chief officers of police who are parties to the agreement, in particular— (a) specify the policing bodies or chief officers of police by which and to which a payment is to be made or the manner in which those policing bodies or chief officers of police are to be determined; (b) specify the amount of any payment or the manner in which it is to be determined. (3) A policing body or chief officer of police must make any payments required by provision made under subsection (1). (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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23C Collaboration agreements: consultation and supplemental

(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2) A collaboration agreement must be in writing. (3) A collaboration agreement may make different provision for different cases or circumstances. (4) A collaboration agreement may be varied by a subsequent collaboration agreement. (5) A collaboration agreement may be brought to an end by agreement between the parties to it; and section 23(6) or, as the case may be, section 23A(6) applies to an agreement under this subsection. (6) If circumstances are such that one or more of the parties to a collaboration agreement would not, at a particular time, have power to enter into a collaboration agreement of that description (whether because of a failure to meet the requirements of section 22A(1) or (5) or otherwise) each person who does not have that power must cease to be a party to the agreement.

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23D Collaboration agreements: accountability

(1) Where a chief officer makes a collaboration agreement, the policing body responsible for maintaining the force shall hold the chief officer to account for the discharge of functions by anyone who— (a) is acting under the terms of the agreement, and (b) while so acting, is under the direction and control of the chief officer. (2) Before making a collaboration agreement to which a chief officer of police is to be a party, a policing body must notify the chief officer of the arrangements that it proposes to make for the discharge of its functions under this section in connection with the agreement. (3) When deciding what arrangements to make, the policing body shall, in particular, make arrangements for those functions to be discharged jointly with another policing body responsible for maintaining a force whose chief officer is a party to the agreement. (4) The functions conferred on a policing body under this section do not affect any other function of holding a chief officer to account.

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23E Collaboration agreements: publication

(1) A person who makes a collaboration agreement must— (a) publish the agreement, or (b) publish the fact that the agreement has been made and such other details about it as the person thinks appropriate. (2) In a case where information is notified to a chief officer of police under section 23D(2), that information must be published by the chief officer with the information under subsection (1).

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23F Collaboration agreements: guidance

(1) The Secretary of State may give chief officers or policing bodies guidance about collaboration agreements or related matters. (2) In discharging their functions, chief officers and policing bodies must have regard to the guidance. (3) The Secretary of State may give other persons who exercise functions of a public nature guidance about collaboration agreements or related matters, and those persons must have regard to the guidance in exercising such functions.

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23FA Police functions that must be the subject of force collaboration provision

(1) The Secretary of State may, by order, require a specified police function to be exercised in relation to— (a) all police areas, or (b) all police areas apart from any specified in the order, in accordance with police collaboration provision. (2) An order under this section may specify whether the specified police function is required to be exercised in relation to the specified police areas in accordance with police collaboration provision contained in— (a) a single collaboration agreement which relates to all of those police areas, or (b) a number of collaboration agreements which, between them, relate to all of those police areas. (3) Provision under subsection (2)(b) need not specify a particular number of collaboration agreements. (4) A statutory instrument containing an order under this section may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, each House of Parliament. (5) If, but for this subsection, an instrument containing an order under this section would be treated for the purposes of the standing orders of either House of Parliament as a hybrid instrument, it is to proceed in that House as if it were not a hybrid instrument. (6) In this section “specified” means specified in an order under this section.

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23G Collaboration agreements: directions

(1) The Secretary of State may give chief officers or policing bodies directions about collaboration agreements or related matters. (2) A direction may be given to— (a) one or more chief officers; (b) one or more policing bodies (2A) The Secretary of State may give one or more other persons who exercise functions of a public nature directions about collaboration agreements or related matters. (3) A person to whom a direction is given must comply with it. (4) A direction may, in particular— (a) require two or more persons to make, or prohibit them from making, a collaboration agreement; (b) require two or more persons to vary, or prohibit them from varying, a collaboration agreement; (c) require two or more persons to consider making a collaboration agreement of a specified description; (d) specify terms to be included, or not to be included, in collaboration agreements. (5) A direction may relate to— (a) a particular agreement, (b) agreements of a particular description, or (c) agreements in general. (6) Before giving a direction under this section the Secretary of State must consult the person or persons to whom it is to be given.

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23H Collaboration agreements: termination by Secretary of State

(1) The Secretary of State may terminate a collaboration agreement by notice to the parties to the agreement. (2) A notice under this section may provide for the termination of the agreement with immediate effect or at the end of a specified period. (3) Before giving a notice under this section the Secretary of State must consult the parties to the agreement.

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23HA Decisions about efficiency or effectiveness

In reaching a conclusion about whether or not a collaboration agreement is, or would be, in the interests of efficiency or effectiveness of one or more police forces (the “police forces under consideration”), a person must, in particular, consider— (a) the existing collaboration agreements, and other arrangements for co-operation, to which the police forces under consideration are parties; (b) the desirability of police forces taking a consistent approach in making such agreements and other arrangements; and (c) the opportunities available to the police forces under consideration to make such agreements and other arrangements.

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23I Collaboration agreements: definitions

(1) This section has effect for the purposes of sections 22A to 23H. (2) “Police force” includes— (a) the British Transport Police Force, and (b) the Civil Nuclear Constabulary. (3) “Chief officer” means— (a) in relation to the British Transport Police Force, the Chief Constable of the force, (b) in relation to the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, the chief constable of the Constabulary, and (c) in relation to any other police force, the chief officer of police of that force. (4) “Policing body” means— (aa) a local policing body, (a) the British Transport Police Authority, and (b) the Civil Nuclear Police Authority. (5) The following expressions have the meanings given in section 22A— “collaboration agreement”; “force collaboration provision”; “policing body collaboration provision”; “policing body & force collaboration provision”. (6) References to the police force which a policing body is responsible for maintaining include— (a) in the case of the British Transport Police Authority, the British Transport Police, and (b) in the case of the Civil Nuclear Police Authority, the Civil Nuclear Constabulary. (7) References to a police force include— (a) references to the special constables appointed by a chief officer of police, ... (b) references to the civilian employees of the police force; and (c) references to persons who are under the direction and control of the chief officer of police by virtue of being volunteers with the force; and references to the members of a police force are to be read accordingly. (8) For that purpose “civilian employee” means— (a) in the case of a police force maintained under section 2 or 5A, the members of the civilian staff of that force; (b) in the case of any other police force, the employees of the policing body responsible for maintaining that force who are under the direction and control of the chief officer of police of that force.

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24 Aid of one police force by another.

(1) The chief officer of police of any police force may, on the application of the chief officer of police of any other police force, provide constables or other assistance for the purpose of enabling the other force to meet any special demand on its resources. (2) If it appears to the Secretary of State to be expedient in the interests of public safety or order that any police force should be reinforced or should receive other assistance for the purpose of enabling it to meet any special demand on its resources, and that satisfactory arrangements under subsection (1) cannot be made, or cannot be made in time, he may direct the chief officer of police of any police force to provide such constables or other assistance for that purpose as may be specified in the direction. (3) While a constable is provided under this section for the assistance of another police force he shall, notwithstanding sections sections 2 and 4 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (“the 2011 Act”), be under the direction and control of the chief officer of police of that other force. (3A) While a member of the civilian staff of a police force maintained under section 2, or a member of the civilian staff of the metropolitan police force, is provided under this section for the assistance of another police force, that member of staff is, notwithstanding section 2 or 4 of the 2011 Act, under the direction and control of the chief officer of police of that other force. (4) The local policing body maintaining a police force for which assistance is provided under this section shall pay to the local policing body maintaining the force from which that assistance is provided such contribution as may be agreed upon between those bodies or, in the absence of any such agreement, as may be provided by any agreement subsisting at the time between all local policing bodies generally, or, in the absence of such general agreement, as may be determined by the Secretary of State. (4A) This section shall apply in relation to the British Transport Police Authority, the British Transport Police Force and the Chief Constable of that Force as it applies to a local policing body , a police force and a chief officer of police respectively; and for that purpose the reference in subsection (3) to sections 2 and 4 of the 2011 Act shall be construed as including a reference to section 24(2) of the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003. (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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25 Provision of special services.

(1) The chief officer of police of a police force may provide, at the request of any person, special police services at any premises or in any locality in the police area for which the force is maintained, subject to the payment to the local policing body of charges on such scales as may be determined by that body. (1A) The Chief Constable of the British Transport Police Force may provide special police services at the request of any person, subject to the payment to the British Transport Police Authority of charges on such scales as may be determined by that Authority. (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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26 Provision of advice and assistance to international organisations etc.

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, a local policing body may provide advice and assistance— (a) to an international organisation or institution, or (b) to any other person or body which is engaged outside the United Kingdom in the carrying on of activities similar to any carried on by the body or the chief officer of police for its area. (2) The power conferred on a local policing body by subsection (1) includes a power to make arrangements under which a member of the police force maintained by the body is engaged for a period of temporary service with a person or body within paragraph (a) or (b) of that subsection. (3) The power conferred by subsection (1) shall not be exercised except with the consent of the Secretary of State or in accordance with a general authorisation given by him. (4) A consent or authorisation under subsection (3) may be given subject to such conditions as appear to the Secretary of State to be appropriate. (5) Nothing in this section authorises a local policing body to provide any financial assistance by— (a) making a grant or loan, (b) giving a guarantee or indemnity, or (c) investing by acquiring share or loan capital. (6) A local policing body may make charges for advice or assistance provided by it under this section. (7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (8) The provisions of this section are without prejudice to the Police (Overseas Service) Act 1945 . . . .

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27 Special constables.

(1) The chief officer of police of the police force maintained for a police area may, in accordance with regulations under section 51, appoint special constables for that area. (2) Subject to provision included in a collaboration agreement by virtue of section 23(4), section 24(3) and regulations under section 51, all special constables appointed for a police area shall be under the direction and control of, and subject to dismissal by, the chief officer of police.

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28 Police cadets.

(1) The chief officer of police of a police force may, in accordance with regulations under section 52, appoint persons as police cadets to undergo training with a view to becoming members of that police force. (2) Subject to regulations under section 52, all police cadets shall be under the control of, and subject to dismissal by, the chief officer of police. (3) Accordingly, for the purposes of any enactment relating to the functions of employers and of any rule of law with respect to the vicarious liability of employers, the chief officer of a police force shall be treated as the employer of any police cadets undergoing training with the force. (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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29 Attestation of constables.

Every member of a police force maintained for a police area and every special constable appointed for a police area shall, on appointment, be attested as a constable by making a declaration in the form set out in Schedule 4— (a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (b) . . . before a justice of the peace having jurisdiction within the police area.

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30 Jurisdiction of constables.

(1) A member of a police force shall have all the powers and privileges of a constable throughout England and Wales and the adjacent United Kingdom waters. (2) A special constable shall have all the powers and privileges of a constable throughout England and Wales and the adjacent United Kingdom waters. (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3A) A member of the British Transport Police Force who is for the time being required by virtue of section 22A to serve with a police force maintained by a local policing body shall have all the powers and privileges of a member of that police force. (3B) Where a member of the British Transport Police Force is for the time being under the direction and control of the chief officer of another police force by virtue of a collaboration agreement under section 22A, the member shall have all the powers and privileges of a member of that other force. (3C) In subsection (3B), “police force” and “chief officer” have the meanings given by section 23I. (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (5) In this section— powers includes powers under any enactment, whenever passed or made; “United Kingdom waters” means the sea and other waters within the seaward limits of the territorial sea; and this section, so far as it relates to powers under any enactment, makes them exercisable throughout the United Kingdom waters whether or not the enactment applies to those waters apart from this provision. (6) This section is without prejudice to— (a) sections 98 and 99 below, and (b) any other enactment conferring powers on constables for particular purposes.

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31 Rewards for diligence

(1) The chief constable of a police force maintained under section 2 may grant to members of that police force rewards for exceptional diligence or other specially meritorious conduct. (2) The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis may grant to members of the metropolitan police force rewards for exceptional diligence or other specially meritorious conduct. (3) The Common Council may, on the recommendation of the Commissioner of Police for the City of London, grant out of the City of London police fund to members of the City of London police force rewards for exceptional diligence or other specially meritorious conduct.

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31A Power to amend names of police areas

(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations amend any name of a police area specified in the first column of Schedule 1 (police areas). (2) A statutory instrument containing regulations under subsection (1) may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

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32 Power to alter police areas by order.

(1) The Secretary of State may by order make alterations in police areas in England and Wales other than the City of London police area. (2) The alterations that may be made by an order under this section include alterations that result in a reduction or an increase in the number of police areas, but not alterations that result in the abolition of the metropolitan police district. (3) The Secretary of State shall not exercise his power under this section to make alterations unless ...— (a) he has received a request to make the alterations from the local policing body for each of the areas ... affected by them, or (b) it appears to him to be expedient to make the alterations in the interests of efficiency or effectiveness , or (c) the order is made in connection with the functions of a police and crime commissioner becoming exercisable by the mayor for the area of a mayoral strategic authority. (3A) For that purpose, an order “is made in connection with the functions of a police and crime commissioner becoming exercisable by the mayor for the area of a mayoral strategic authority” if— (a) the police areas that are altered by the order are all in England, and (b) the Secretary of State’s purpose in making the order is to— (i) cause a mayoral strategic authority to meet the eligibility condition in relation to an altered police area, and (ii) enable the Secretary of State to specify a transfer time in relation to that mayoral strategic authority and altered police area that will result in the mayor for the area of the mayoral strategic authority exercising functions of a police and crime commissioner in relation to that area. (4) The Secretary of State shall exercise his power to make orders under this section in such a way as to ensure that no police area falls partly in England and partly in Walesand that none of the following areas— (a) a county in which there are no district councils, (b) a district in any other county, (c) a county borough in Wales, and (d) a London borough, is divided between two or more police areas. (4A) In this section— “eligibility condition” has the same meaning as in— section 107FA of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009, or section 33A of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023; “mayoral strategic authority” means— a mayoral combined authority (which has the same meaning as in Part 6 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 — see section 107A(8) of that Act), or a mayoral CCA (which has the same meaning as in Chapter 1 of Part 2 of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 — see section 27(8) of that Act); “transfer time” has the same meaning as in— section 107FA of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009, or section 33A of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023. (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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33 Objections to alterations proposed by Secretary of State.

(1) Before making an order under section 32 by virtue of subsection (3)(b) of that section, the Secretary of State shall give notice of his proposal to— (a) the local policing body for every area ... that he proposes to alter, (b) the council of every county, district, county borough or London borough wholly or partly within any area (other than the metropolitan police district) that he proposes to alter, (bb) the Greater London Authority, if he proposes to alter the metropolitan police district, (c) the council of every London borough, county or district all or part of which would under the proposal be brought into or left out of the metropolitan police district, and (d) such other persons as he considers appropriate. (2) A notice under subsection (1) shall— (a) specify the proposed alterations and describe the general nature of any related provisions proposed to be included in the order, (b) set out the Secretary of State’s reasons for proposing the alterations, and (c) specify a date before which any objections to the proposals are to be delivered to the Secretary of State. (3) The date specified under subsection (2)(c) shall fall after the end of the period of four months beginning with the date of the notice. (4) Where objections have been duly delivered to the Secretary of State by a person notified under subsection (1), the Secretary of State shall before making the order under section 32— (a) consider the objections, and (b) give to that person a further notice stating whether he accepts the objections and, if he does not, giving his reasons. (5) Where the Secretary of State has given a notice under subsection (1) specifying proposed alterations, the provisions of an order making the alterations may be inconsistent with the notice so far as it describes the general nature of the provisions, and may contain provisions not referred to in the notice.

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34 Orders altering police areas: supplementary provisions.

(1) The power to make orders under section 32 includes power to make such supplementary and transitional provision as the Secretary of State thinks necessary or expedient, including— (a) provision as to who is to be a police and crime commissioner; (b) provision for the transfer of property, rights and liabilities; (c) provision for the transfer of members of police forces and other persons; (d) provision as to pending legal proceedings. (1A) Provision falling within subsection (1)(a) includes, in particular— (a) provision for the police and crime commissioner for a police area affected by the order to become the police and crime commissioner for a police area resulting from the order; (b) provision for the holding of an election for the police and crime commissioner for any police area resulting from the order. (2) Without prejudice to subsection (1), the power to make orders under section 32 includes power— (a) to amend Schedule 1 to this Act and section 76 of the London Government Act 1963 (extent of metropolitan police district), ... (b) to amend any other enactment, and any instrument made under any enactment, where the amendment is consequential on any provision of the order and (c) to apply (with or without modification) any provision of, or made under, Chapter 6 of Part 1 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011. (2A) An order under section 32 which includes provision within subsection (1A)(b) may, in particular require the election in question to be held before the alteration of police areas takes effect. (3) No order shall be made under section 32 by virtue of subsection (3)(b) of that section unless a draft of the order has been laid before and approved by resolution of each House of Parliament. (4) An order to which subsection (3) applies, and which would apart from this subsection be treated for the purposes of the standing orders of either House of Parliament as a hybrid instrument, shall proceed in that House as if it were not such an instrument. (5) A statutory instrument containing an order made under section 32 by virtue of subsection (3)(a) or (3)(c) of that section shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

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35 The Scilly Isles.

For the purposes of the application of this Part to the Isles of Scilly— (a) the Isles shall be treated as if they were a county, and (b) references to the council of a county shall be construed as references to the Council of the Isles.

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36 General duty of Secretary of State.

(1) The Secretary of State shall exercise his powers under the provisions of this Act referred to in subsection (2) in such manner and to such extent as appears to him to be best calculated to promote the efficiency and effectiveness of the police. (2) The provisions of this Act mentioned in subsection (1) are— (a) Part I; (b) this Part; (c) Part III ...; (d) in Chapter II of Part IV, sections 84 and 85 and Schedule 6; and (e) in Part V, section 95.

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36A National Policing Plan

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37 Setting of objectives for police authorities.

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37A The strategic policing requirement

(1) The Secretary of State must, from time to time, issue a document (the “strategic policing requirement”) which sets out what, in the Secretary of State's view, are— (a) national threats at the time the document is issued, and (b) appropriate national policing capabilities to counter those national threats. (2) A chief officer of police must, in exercising the functions of chief officer, have regard to the strategic policing requirement. (3) Before issuing the strategic policing requirement, the Secretary of State— (a) must obtain the advice of— (i) such persons as appear to the Secretary of State to represent the views of chief officers of police, and (ii) such persons as appear to the Secretary of State to represent the views of local policing bodies, and (b) must consult such other persons as the Secretary of State thinks fit. (4) The strategic policing requirement need not set out a national threat (in particular) if, in the Secretary of State's view, countering the threat would involve police forces other than England and Wales police forces (and only those other police forces). (5) References in this section to national policing capabilities to counter a threat are references to the ability of all England and Wales police forces— (a) to exercise one or more functions to counter that threat, (b) to exercise one or more functions in one or more particular ways to counter that threat, or (c) to exercise one or more functions in accordance with common operational standards to counter that threat. (6) In this section— “England and Wales police force” means— a police force maintained under section 2, the metropolitan police force, and the City of London police force; “national threat” means a threat (whether actual or prospective) which is— a threat to national security, public safety, public order or public confidence that is of such gravity as to be of national importance, or a threat which can be countered effectively or efficiently only by national policing capabilities to counter the threat.

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38 Setting of performance targets.

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39 Codes of practice.

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39A Codes of practice for chief officers

(1) The College of Policing may, with the approval of the Secretary of State, issue codes of practice relating to the discharge of their functions by chief officers of police if the College considers that— (a) it is necessary to do so in order to promote the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces generally, (b) it is necessary to do so in order to facilitate the carrying out by members of any two or more police forces of joint or co-ordinated operations, or (c) it is for any other reason in the national interest to do so. (2) The College of Policing may, with the approval of the Secretary of State, from time to time revise the whole or any part of a code of practice issued under this section. (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (4) The College of Policing shall consult with the National Crime Agency before issuing or revising a code of practice under this section. (5) The Secretary of State shall lay any code of practice issued by the College of Policing under this section, and any revision of any such code, before Parliament. (6) The Secretary of State shall not be required by subsection (5) to lay before Parliament, or may exclude from what he does so lay, anything the publication of which, in his opinion— (a) would be against the interests of national security; (b) could prejudice the prevention or detection of crime or the apprehension or prosecution of offenders; or (c) could jeopardise the safety of any person. (7) In discharging any function to which a code of practice under this section relates, a chief officer of police shall have regard to the code.

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