The Police Act 1996 (Equipment) Regulations 2011

Made9th February 2011

Laid before Parliament11th February 2011

Coming into force4th 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 commencement1

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 equipment2

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 provision3

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 HerbertMinister of StateHome Office9th February 2011

SCHEDULE

Regulation 2

Equipment	Framework Arrangement

Body armour	(1) The Framework Agreement for general patrol regular body armour2 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 Parts5

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.