The Police (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1995

Investigation of complaints against senior officers

19.—(1) Where a complaint about the conduct of a senior officer—

(a) is submitted to the Police Authority; or

(b) is sent to the Police Authority under Article 17(3),

it shall be the Authority’s duty—

(i) to record the complaint;

(ii) to refer the complaint to the Commission not later than the end of such period as may be prescribed; and

(iii) subject to paragraph (2), to investigate it.

(2) The Police Authority may deal with the complaint according to the Authority’s discretion, if satisfied that the conduct complained of, even if proved, would not justify criminal or disciplinary proceedings.

(3) In any other case the Police Authority shall appoint a member of the police force or a member of another United Kingdom police force to investigate the complaint.

(4) The Chief Constable shall provide a member of the police force to be appointed, if a request is made to him for one to be appointed under paragraph (3).

(5) No member of the police force may be appointed under paragraph (3) unless he is of at least the rank of the member against whom the complaint is made.

(6) Unless an investigation under this Article is supervised by the Commission under Article 21, the person appointed under paragraph (3) shall submit his report on the investigation to the Police Authority.