Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998

27 Members of [F1 Police Service of Northern Ireland] engaged on other police service. N.I.

(1) For the purposes of this section “relevant service” means—

(a) service in a police force in Great Britain, on which a member of [F1 the Police Service of Northern Ireland] is engaged with the consent of the Chief Constable and the [F2 Department of Justice];

[F3 (aa) temporary service on which a member of the police force is engaged in accordance with arrangements made under paragraph 6(2) of Schedule 2 to the Police Reform Act 2002 (c. 30);]

F4 (b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F5 (c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F6 (ca) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F7 (cb) seconded service as a [F8 National Crime Agency officer] on which a member of the Police Service of Northern Ireland is engaged with the consent of the Chief Constable;]

F9 (cc) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(d) temporary service on which a member of [F1 the Police Service of Northern Ireland] is engaged in accordance with arrangements under section 8 of this Act;

(e) temporary service as an inspector of constabulary under section 56 of the M1 Police Act 1996 on which a member of [F1 the Police Service of Northern Ireland] is engaged with the consent of the Chief Constable;

(f) temporary service under the Crown in connection with the provision by the Secretary of State of such organisations and services as are described in section 57 of the M2 Police Act 1996, on which a member of [F1 the Police Service of Northern Ireland] is engaged with the consent of the Chief Constable;

(g) service the expenses of which are payable under section 1(1) of the M3 Police (Overseas Service) Act 1945, on which a member of [F1 the Police Service of Northern Ireland] is engaged with the consent of the Chief Constable; F10 . . .

(h) service pursuant to an appointment under section 10 of the M4 Overseas Development and Co-operation Act 1980, on which a member of [F1 the Police Service of Northern Ireland] is engaged with the consent of the Chief Constable [F11 , or

(j) service in connection with the provision by the Secretary of State of assistance under the International Development Act 2001 on which a member of the Police Service of Northern Ireland is engaged with the consent of the Chief Constable.]

(2) In this section “member ofthe Police Service of Northern Ireland” does not include the Chief Constable.

(3) Subject to subsections (4) to (7), a member of [F1 the Police Service of Northern Ireland] engaged on relevant service shall be treated as if he were not a member of [F1 the Police Service of Northern Ireland] during that service; but, except where a pension, allowance or gratuity becomes payable to him by virtue of regulations under section 25—

(a) he shall be entitled at the end of the period of relevant service to revert to [F1 the Police Service of Northern Ireland] in the rank in which he was serving immediately before that period began; and

(b) he shall be treated as if he had been serving in [F1 the Police Service of Northern Ireland] during the period of relevant service for the purpose of any scale prescribed by or under regulations made under section 25 fixing his rate of pay by reference to his length of service.

(4) A member of [F1 the Police Service of Northern Ireland] may, when engaged on relevant service, be promoted in [F1 the Police Service of Northern Ireland], as if he were serving in it; and in any such case—

(a) the reference in paragraph (a) of subsection (3) to the rank in which he was serving immediately before the period of relevant service began shall be construed as a reference to the rank to which he is promoted; and

(b) for the purposes mentioned in paragraph (b) of that subsection he shall be treated as having served in that rank from the time of his promotion.

(5) A member of [F1 the Police Service of Northern Ireland] who—

(a) while engaged on relevant service within subsection (1)(a), is dismissed from that service or is required to resign as an alternative to dismissal; or

(b) has completed a period of relevant service within [F12 subsection (1)(aa), F13 ... F14 ... (cb),[F15 (cc),] (d), (e), (f), (h) or (j)]; or

(c) while engaged on relevant service within subsection (1)(g), is dismissed from that service by the disciplinary authority established by regulations made under section 1 of the M5 Police (Overseas Service) Act 1945 or is required to resign as an alternative to dismissal,

may be dealt with under regulations made in accordance with section 25(3) for anything done or omitted while he was engaged on that service as if that service had been service in [F1 the Police Service of Northern Ireland].

(6) For the purposes of subsection (5)(a), a certificate certifying that a person has been dismissed, or required to resign as an alternative to dismissal, shall be evidence of the fact so certified if it is given by or on behalf of the chief officer of the police force in which that person was engaged in relevant service.

[F16 (6A) Regulations made by virtue of section 25(3) or (4) in relation to a member of the PSNI who has completed a period of relevant service within subsection (1)(d) may provide for a relevant procedure to be treated for the purposes of the regulations as carried out in accordance with procedures for which provision is made by regulations made by virtue of section 25(3).

(6B) In subsection (6A) “ relevant procedure ” means an investigation, hearing or other procedure carried out in relation to the person concerned in a country or territory outside the United Kingdom in connection with the person’s relevant service. ]

(7) A member of [F1 the Police Service of Northern Ireland] engaged on relevant service within subsection [F17 (1)F18 ...] F18 ...[F19 (cb) or (cc)]—

(a) shall continue to be a constable; and

(b) shall be treated for the purposes of sections F20 . . ., 32, 33, 35 and 67 of this Act [F21 and [F22 sections 31A and 32] of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000] as if he were a member of [F1 the Police Service of Northern Ireland].

(8) The Secretary of State shall be liable in respect of [F23 any unlawful conduct of] a member of [F1 the Police Service of Northern Ireland] engaged on relevant service within subsection (1)(e) or (f) in the performance or purported performance of his functions in like manner as a master is liable in respect of [F23 any unlawful conduct of] his servants in the course of their employment, and shall [F23 , in the case of a tort,] be treated for all purposes as a joint tortfeasor.

[F24 (9) The preceding provisions of this section apply to a police officer serving in the Police Service of Northern Ireland Reserve as they apply to a police officer serving in the Police Service of Northern Ireland, but with the substitution—

(a) for references to the Police Service of Northern Ireland of references to the Police Service of Northern Ireland Reserve;

(b) for the references in subsection (3) to section 25 of references to section 26; and

(c) for the reference in subsection (5) to section 25(3) of a reference to section 26(3).]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 27 substituted (4.11.2001) by 2000 c. 32, s. 78(1), Sch. 6 para. 23(2)(b); S.R. 2001/396, art. 2, Sch.

F2 Words in s. 27(1)(a) substituted (12.4.2010) by The Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), art. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 11 (with arts. 28-31)

F3 S. 27(1)(aa) inserted (1.4.2004) by Police Reform Act 2002 (c. 30), s. 108(2), Sch. 7 para. 22(1); S.I. 2004/913, art. 2(e)

F4 S. 27(1)(b) repealed (1.4.2006) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), s. 178(8), Sch. 4 para. 114(2)(a), Sch. 17 Pt. 2; S.I. 2006/378, art. 4(1), Sch. paras. 10, 13(ff)

F5 S. 27(1)(c) repealed (1.4.2007) by Police and Justice Act 2006 (c. 48), s. 53(1), Sch. 15 Pt. 1(A); S.I. 2007/709, art. 3(q) (with art. 6)

F6 S. 27(1)(ca) repealed (1.4.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), s. 94(1), Sch. 8 para. 156(2), Sch. 14; S.I. 2008/755, art. 2(1)(a)(d) (with arts. 3-14)

F7 S. 27(1)(cb) inserted (1.4.2006) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), s. 178(8), Sch. 4 para. 114(2)(b); S.I. 2006/378, art. 4(1), Sch. para. 10

F8 Words in s. 27(1)(cb) substituted (7.10.2013) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(2), Sch. 8 para. 62(a); S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(v)

F9 S. 27(1)(cc) omitted (7.10.2013) by virtue of Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(2), Sch. 8 para. 62(b); S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(v)

F10 Word in s. 27(1)(g) repealed (17.6.2002) by 2002 c. 1, s. 19(2), Sch. 4 (with Sch. 5 para. 5); S.I. 2002/1408, art. 2

F11 S. 27(1)(j) and the word preceding it inserted (17.6.2002) by 2002 c. 1, s. 19(1), Sch. 3 para. 12(2) (with Sch. 5 para. 5); S.I. 2002/1408, art. 2

F12 Words in s. 27(5)(b) substituted (1.4.2006) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), s. 178(8), Sch. 4 para. 114(3); S.I. 2006/378, art. 4(1), Sch. para. 10

F13 Words in s. 27(5)(b) repealed (1.4.2007) by Police and Justice Act 2006 (c. 48), s. 53(1), Sch. 15 Pt. 1(A); S.I. 2007/709, art. 3(q) (with art. 6)

F14 Word in s. 27(5)(b) repealed (1.4.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), s. 94(1), Sch. 8 para. 156(3), Sch. 14; S.I. 2008/755, art. 2(1)(a)(d) (with arts. 3-14)

F15 Word in s. 27(5)(b) inserted (1.4.2007) by Police and Justice Act 2006 (c. 48), s. 53(1), Sch. 1 para. 73(3); S.I. 2007/709, art. 3(a) (with art. 6)

F16 S. 27(6A)(6B) inserted (8.4.2003) by Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2003 (c. 6), s. 25

F17 Words in s. 27(7) substituted (1.4.2007) by Police and Justice Act 2006 (c. 48), s. 53(1), Sch. 1 para. 73(4)(a); S.I. 2007/709, art. 3(a) (with art. 6)

F18 Word in s. 27(7) repealed (1.4.2008) by virtue of Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), s. 94(1), Sch. 8 para. 156(4), Sch. 14; S.I. 2008/755, art. 2(1)(a)(d) (with arts. 3-14)

F19 Words in s. 27(7) substituted (1.4.2007) by Police and Justice Act 2006 (c. 48), s. 53(1), Sch. 1 para. 73(4)(b); S.I. 2007/709, art. 3(a) (with art. 6)

F20 Words in s. 27(7)(b) omitted (4.11.2001) by virtue of 2000 c. 32, s. 78(1), Sch. 6 para. 23(2)(c); S.R. 2001/396, art. 2, Sch.

F21 Words in s. 27(7)(b) inserted (4.11.2001) by 2000 c. 32, s. 78(1), Sch. 6 para. 23(2)(c); S.R. 2001/396, art. 2, Sch.

F22 Words in s. 27(7)(b) substituted (8.4.2003) by Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2003 (c. 6), s. 20(5)

F23 Words in s. 27(8) substituted (1.10.2002) by 2002 c. 30, s. 102(1)(2); S.I. 2002/2306, art. 2(f)(xi)

F24 S. 27(9) added (30.3.2001) by 2000 c. 32, s. 50; S.R. 2001/132, art. 2, Sch.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 27 modified (1.12.2023) by Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 (c. 41), s. 63(4), Sch. 1 para. 17(5)(a) (with s. 61)

C2 S. 27(8) excluded (25.7.2006) by S.I. 1978/1039 (N.I. 9), art. 2E(b) (as inserted (with effect in accordance with s. 27(4) of the amending Act) by Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 (c. 33), ss. 27(1), 31(1)(f) (with s. 27(5)))

Marginal Citations

M1 1996 c. 16.

M2 1996 c. 16.

M3 1945 c. 17.

M4 1980 c. 63.

M5 1945 c. 17.