The Police Act 1996 (Equipment) Regulations 2011

Statutory Instruments

2011 No. 300

Police, England And Wales

The Police Act 1996 (Equipment) Regulations 2011

Made

9th February 2011

Laid before Parliament

11th February 2011

Coming into force

4th March 2011

The Secretary of State makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 53(1) and (1A) of the Police Act 1996 (1).

The Secretary of State has consulted in accordance with section 53(2) of that Act and considers that these Regulations are necessary for the purpose of promoting the efficiency and effectiveness of one or more police forces in accordance with section 53(1B) of that Act.

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Police Act 1996 (Equipment) Regulations 2011 and shall come into force on 4th March 2011.

Requirements as to design and performance of equipment

2.  Subject to regulation 3—

(a) the design and performance standards of equipment provided or used for police purposes which falls within the scope of the relevant national framework arrangement referred to in the Schedule to these Regulations shall comply with the specifications for that equipment contained in that agreement;

(b) a police force shall use equipment which falls within the scope of the relevant national framework arrangement referred to in the Schedule to the Regulations only if it has been acquired in accordance with the procedures set out in that agreement.

Transitional provision

3.  Where on the date these Regulations come into force a contractual commitment has already been entered into to acquire the specified equipment for police purposes, regulation 2 shall not apply until the contractual arrangements in question expire or are otherwise terminated in accordance with their terms.

Nick Herbert

Minister of State

Home Office

9th February 2011

Regulation 2

SCHEDULE

Equipment	Framework Arrangement
Body armour	(1) The Framework Agreement for general patrol regular body armour(2) to comply with HOSDB standard HG1A (for ballistic protection)(3) and HOSDB standard KR1 (for knife resistance)(4)
Police vehicles	The NPIA/NAPFM Framework Agreement for Provision of Vehicles and Spare Parts(5)
IT commoditised hardware	Sprint II (Product Framework RM720)(6)
IT commercial off-the-shelf software	Sprint II (Product Framework RM720)(7)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations impose certain requirements when specified equipment (body armour, vehicles and computer commoditised hardware and commercial off-the-shelf software) is acquired for police use. Firstly, the equipment must satisfy requirements as to design and performance specified in the applicable national framework arrangement referred to in the Schedule to the Regulations, and secondly, police forces can only use such equipment where it is acquired in accordance with the procedures set out in the applicable framework arrangement.

Where binding contractual arrangements are already in existence for the supply of the particular equipment when the Regulations come into force, the requirements set out in the Regulations will only apply once those arrangements have expired or are terminated in accordance with the terms of that contract.

(1)

1996 c.16. Subsection (1) was re-numbered as such, and subsection (2) inserted, by section 134(1) of and paragraph 75 of Schedule 9 to the Police Act 1997 (c.50). Subsections (1A) and (1B) were substituted by section 6 of the Police Reform Act 2002 (c. 30) and were amended by section 11 of the Policing and Crime Act 2009 (c.26).

(2)

This Framework Agreement is entitled “Supply and Delivery of Body Armour to protection level HG1A/KR1 and associated covers.” It was published by the Metropolitan Police Authority in 2010.

(3)

This publication is entitled “Body Armour Standards for UK Police.” It was published by the Home Office Scientific Development Branch in July 2007. Parts 1 and 2 are of particular relevance.

(4)

Ibid. Parts 1 and 3.

(5)

This Framework Agreement is entitled “National Association of Police Fleet Managers Framework Arrangement for the Provision of Vehicles and Spare Parts.” It was published by the National Policing Improvement Agency in 2010.

(6)

This Framework Agreement is entitled “Sprint II Framework Agreement for the provision of IT Products and Services.” It was published by Buying Solutions in 2010. The Framework terms and conditions are available on www.buyingsolutions.gov.uk.

(7)

Ibid.