PART 1

Police reform
CHAPTER 2

The Police Service of Scotland

Functions of constables

Constables: general duties
20
1
It is the duty of a constable—
a
to prevent and detect crime,
b
to maintain order,
c
to protect life and property,
d
to take such lawful measures, and make such reports to the appropriate prosecutor, as may be needed to bring offenders with all due speed to justice,
e
where required, to serve and execute a warrant, citation or deliverance issued, or process duly endorsed, by a Lord Commissioner of Justiciary, sheriff, summary sheriff or justice of the peace in relation to criminal proceedings, and
f
to attend court to give evidence.
2
When taking lawful measures in pursuance of subsection (1)(d), a constable must take every precaution to ensure that a person charged with an offence is not unreasonably or unnecessarily detained in custody.
3
Subsection (2) does not prejudice the operation of section 135(3) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 (c.46).
S. 20 in force at 1.4.2013 by S.S.I. 2013/51, art. 2
Words in s. 20(1)(e) substituted (28.11.2016) by The Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (Relevant Officer and Consequential Provisions) Order 2016 (S.S.I. 2016/387), art. 1, sch. 4 para. 3