Search Legislation

Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000

 Help about what version

What Version

 Help about advanced features

Advanced Features

Changes to legislation:

There are currently no known outstanding effects for the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000, Cross Heading: General. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. At the current time any known changes or effects made by subsequent legislation have been applied to the text of the legislation you are viewing by the editorial team. Please see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ for details regarding the timescales for which new effects are identified and recorded on this site.

GeneralN.I.

50 Service by members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland Reserve with other police services.N.I.

In section 27 of the 1998 Act (engagement on other police service) at the end there shall be added—

(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).

51 Notifiable memberships.N.I.

(1)For the purposes of this section, a police officer has a notifiable membership if membership of the organisation in question might reasonably be regarded as affecting the officer’s ability to discharge his duties effectively and impartially.

(2)The Chief Constable may give guidance to police officers in connection with notifiable memberships.

(3)Before issuing any guidance under subsection (2), the Chief Constable shall consult—

(a)the Board;

(b)the [F1Department of Justice]; and

(c)the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.

(4)The Chief Constable shall publish any guidance issued under subsection (2).

(5)The Chief Constable shall require each police officer to inform him—

(a)of any notifiable membership which that police officer believes he has; or

(b)if he believes he has no notifiable memberships, of that belief.

(6)In imposing a requirement on a police officer under subsection (5) the Chief Constable shall—

(a)draw the attention of that officer to the provisions of this section; and

(b)give a general explanation of the purposes for which the information required may lawfully be used.

(7)The Chief Constable—

(a)shall, subject to paragraphs (b) and (c), retain information received under this section for so long as the person to whom it relates remains a police officer;

(b)shall amend that information where the police officer to whom it relates informs the Chief Constable that there has been a change in his notifiable memberships; and

(c)shall destroy the information within one year from the date on which the person to whom it relates ceases to be a police officer.

(8)No information received by the Chief Constable under this section is to be disclosed unless the person making the disclosure is a person to whom this subsection applies and the disclosure is made—

(a)to the Ombudsman or an officer of the Ombudsman or to any other person in connection with the exercise of any function of the Ombudsman;

(b)as permitted by section 63 of the 1998 Act;

(c)to the Board in connection with the exercise of any of its functions;

(d)for the purposes of any criminal, civil or disciplinary proceedings;

(e)in the form of a summary or other general statement which does not identify any person to whom the information relates;

(f)to, or with the consent of, the person to whom the information relates; or

(g)to another person to whom this subsection applies.

(9)Subsection (8) applies to—

(a)the Chief Constable;

(b)a police officer engaged in carrying out on behalf of the Chief Constable his functions under this section;

(c)the Board, each of its members and the members of its staff; and

(d)a member of the police support staff engaged in carrying out on behalf of the Chief Constable his functions under this section.

(10)Any person who discloses information in contravention of subsection (8) shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

(11)It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under subsection (10) to show that, before the disclosure was made, he obtained the information otherwise than in his capacity as a person to whom subsection (8) applies.

(12)But subsection (11) does not provide a defence if it is shown that the person concerned used his position as a person to whom subsection (8) applies in order to obtain the information.

(13)The annual report of the Chief Constable under section 58 shall contain statistical information on the notifiable memberships of police officers of which he has been informed under this section.

(14)For the purposes of this section a person is a member of an organisation if he belongs to it by virtue of his admission to any sort of membership provided for by its constitution.

Textual Amendments

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1S. 51 applied (with modifications) (8.4.2003) by Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2003 (c. 6), s. 36

52 Code of ethics.N.I.

(1)The Board shall issue, and may from time to time revise, a code of ethics for the purpose of—

(a)laying down standards of conduct and practice for police officers;

(b)making police officers aware of the rights and obligations arising out of the Convention rights (within the meaning of the Human Rights Act 1998).

(2)In preparing the code, the Chief Constable and the Board shall have regard to the terms of the declaration set out in section 38(1).

[F2(2A)In revising the code the Chief Constable and the Board shall also have regard to any guidance for the time being in operation under section 8 of the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2004.]

(3)A draft of the code shall be submitted by the Chief Constable to the Board for it to consider.

(4)The Board may adopt the draft code—

(a)as submitted by the Chief Constable; or

(b)with such amendments as the Board may determine, after consultation with the Chief Constable.

(5)Before issuing or revising the code the Board shall consult—

(a)the Police Association;

(b)the [F3Department of Justice];

(c)the Ombudsman;

(d)the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission;

(e)the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland; and

(f)any other person or body appearing to the Board to have an interest in the matter.

(6)After consulting under subsection (5), the Board may make such further amendments to the draft code as it may determine, after consultation with the Chief Constable.

(7)The Board shall publish any code of ethics issued or revised under this section in such manner as it thinks appropriate.

(8)The Chief Constable shall take such steps as he considers necessary to ensure—

(a)that all police officers have read and understood the code as currently in force; and

(b)that a record is made and kept of the steps taken in relation to each officer.

(9)In order to enable it to carry out its function under section 3(3)(d)(iv), the Board shall keep under review the steps taken by the Chief Constable under subsection (8).

(10)The [F4Department of Justice] shall, so far as practicable, ensure that the provisions of the code currently in force under this section are reflected in the regulations relating to conduct or discipline made under section 25 or 26 of the 1998 Act.

[F5(10A)The Director General of the National Crime Agency shall take such steps as the Director General considers necessary to ensure—

(a)that all National Crime Agency officers exercising functions in Northern Ireland have read and understood the code as currently in force; and

(b)that a record is made and kept of the steps taken in relation to each officer.

(10B)The Director General of the National Crime Agency shall, so far as practicable, ensure that the provisions of the code currently in force under this section are reflected in the disciplinary procedures applicable to National Crime Agency officers in relation to their exercise of functions in Northern Ireland.]

53 Guidance as to use of equipment for maintaining or restoring public order.N.I.

(1)The [F6Department of Justice] may issue, and from time to time revise, guidance on the use by police officers of equipment designed for use in maintaining or restoring public order.

(2)Before issuing or revising any guidance under this section, the [F7Department of Justice] shall consult—

(a)the Board;

(b)the Chief Constable;

(c)the Ombudsman; and

(d)the Police Association.

(3)The [F8Department of Justice] shall publish any guidance issued or revised under this section in such manner as [F9it] thinks appropriate.

54 Regulations as to emblems and flags.N.I.

(1)The [F10Department of Justice] may make regulations—

(a)prescribing the design of an emblem for the police; and

(b)regulating the use of that or any other emblem—

(i)on equipment or property used for the purposes of the police; or

(ii)otherwise in connection with the police.

(2)The [F11Department of Justice] may make regulations—

(a)prescribing the design of a flag for the police; and

(b)regulating the flying or carrying of that or any other flag—

(i)on land or buildings used for the purposes of the police; or

(ii)otherwise in connection with the police.

(3)Before making any regulations under this section the [F12Department of Justice] shall consult—

(a)the Board;

(b)the Chief Constable;

(c)the Police Association; and

(d)any other person or body appearing to [F13the Department of Justice] to have an interest in the matter.

55 Identification of police officers.N.I.

(1)The Chief Constable shall make arrangements for each police officer to be assigned a serial number.

(2)The Chief Constable shall ensure that, as far as practicable, the number assigned under this section to a police officer is so displayed on his uniform as to be clearly visible at all times when he is on duty and in uniform.

56 Co-operation with Garda Siochana.N.I.

The Board and the Chief Constable shall implement any arrangements made in pursuance of an agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom and the Government of Ireland dealing with co-operation on policing matters between the police and the Gárda Sióchána.

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

You have chosen to open The Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Act as a PDF

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open the Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

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.

Close

See additional information alongside the content

Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.

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