Statutory Duties

Our Statutory Duties

All 43 Police Authorities in the UK are responsible for delivering the following statutory duties:

Promote equality and diversity.
Independent Custody Visitor Scheme.
Ensure people know their rights if stopped and searched.
Community safety strategies.
Duty to consult with local people on policing priorities.

police authority stand at durham miners gala

Other Functions

To determine local priorities for policing – after consulting local people and the Chief Constable (Section 7, Police Act 1996).
To publish an annual policing plan including Ministerial priorities, local policing objectives and any performance targets set by the authority and including the best value performance plan (Section 8, Police Act 1996 and Section 6, Local Government Act 1999).
To report back to the community at the end of the year on the extent to which the policing plan/best value performance plans have been met (Section 9, Police Act 1996).
To appoint and dismiss the Chief Constable, subject to the approval of the Secretary of State (Section 11, Police Act 1996).
To appoint and dismiss Assistant Chief Constables and be consulted on the designation of a Deputy Chief Constable (Section 12, Police Act 1996 and Police Regulations).
To hold the police fund and maintain accounts (Section 14, Police Act 1996).
To agree the police budget and set the precept (Section 19, Police Act 1996 and Section 40, Local Government Finance Act 1992).
To nominate one or more members of the authority to answer questions on the discharge of the authority’s functions at the meeting of a relevant council when given reasonable notice of this by the council (Section 20, Police Act 1996).
To collaborate with other police authorities to jointly provide equipment, premises, or other material facilities, where appropriate (Section 23, Police Act 1996).
To decide the charges for the provision of special police services (Section 25, Police Act 1996).
To provide advice and assistance to an international organisation, institution or police body outside the UK (includes the secondment of officers), subject to the consent of the Home Secretary (Section 26, Police Act 1996). The authority can charge for such assistance.
To comply with any direction given by the Secretary of State on performance targets or ministerial priorities (Section 38, Police Act 1996).
To comply with any codes of practice issued by the Secretary of State relating to the discharge of police authority functions (Section 39, Police Act 1996).
To comply with any direction made by the Secretary of State following an adverse report by the HMIC i.e. that the force is not, or will cease to be, efficient and effective (Section 40, Police Act 1996).
To comply with any direction made by the Secretary of State as to the budget requirement (Section 41, Police Act 1996).
To comment on any HMIC report on the force and any comments made by the chief officer about the report and to publish those comments (Section 55, Police Act 1996).
To investigate complaints about the conduct of ACPO officers (Section 68, Police Act 1996) or where appropriate refer those complaints to the PCA (Section 70, Police Act 1996).
To keep itself informed of the workings of the discipline and complaints procedures (Section 77, Police Act 1996).
To have regard to any guidance issued by the Home Secretary on complaints or disciplinary matters (Section 78, Police Act 1996).
To pay out of the police fund, in such cases and to such extent that it thinks appropriate, any damages or costs awarded against the police in respect of torts or in relation to the settlement of a claim (Section 88, Police Act 1996).
To receive grants from any local council which falls wholly or partly within the authority area either unconditionally or, subject to conditions agreed with the chief officer of police (Section 92, Police Act 1996).
To accept gifts of money and loans of other property, including commercial sponsorship of any activity of the authority or force on such terms as appear to be appropriate (Section 93, Police Act 1996).
To conduct best value reviews of its functions in accordance with any order made by the Secretary of State (Section 5, Local Government Act 1999).
To publish any audit report on its best value performance plan (Section 9, Local Government Act 1999).
To co-operate with the responsible authorities in formulating and implementing crime and disorder audits and strategies for each district in its area (Section 17, Crime and Disorder Act 1998).
To exercise its functions with due regard to the likely effect of the exercise of those functions on, and the need to do all that it reasonably can to prevent crime and disorder in its area (Section 17, Crime and Disorder Act 1998).
To comply with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
To have due regard for the need to eliminate unlawful racial discrimination and promote equality of opportunity and good relations of persons of different racial groups (Section 2, Race Relations (amendment) Act 2000).
To maintain an effective independent custody visiting scheme (Paragraph 51 of the Police Reform Act 2002).
To comply with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.