Part VII N.I. Police complaints and disciplinary proceedings

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Pt. 7 applied (with modifications) (1.7.2008) by Police Powers for Designated Staff (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 (S.R. 2008/242), regs. 1(2), 4-66

[F1 60AInvestigations into current police practices and policies N.I.

(1) The Ombudsman may investigate a current practice or policy of the police if—

(a) the practice or policy comes to his attention under this Part, and

(b) he has reason to believe that it would be in the public interest to investigate the practice or policy.

(2) But subsection (1) does not authorise the Ombudsman to investigate a practice or policy to the extent that the practice or policy is concerned with conduct of a kind mentioned in section 65(5) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (conduct which may be within jurisdiction of tribunal established under section 65 of that Act).

(3) If the Ombudsman decides to conduct an investigation under this section he shall immediately inform the Chief Constable, the Board and the [F2 Department of Justice] of—

(a) his decision to conduct the investigation,

(b) his reasons for making that decision, and

(c) the practice or policy into which the investigation is to be conducted.

[F3 (3A) Where it appears to the Ombudsman that an investigation may relate wholly or in part to—

(a) a matter in respect of which a function is conferred or imposed on the Secretary of State by or under a statutory provision, or

(b) an excepted matter or reserved matter (within the meaning given by section 4 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998),

the Ombudsman shall also immediately inform the Secretary of State of the matters mentioned in subsection (3)(a) to (c).]

(4) When an investigation under this section has been completed the Ombudsman shall report on it to the Chief Constable and the Board.

(5) The Ombudsman shall send a copy of his report to the Secretary of State, if the investigation relates wholly or in part to—

(a) a matter in respect of which a function is conferred or imposed on the Secretary of State by or under a statutory provision, or

(b) an excepted matter (within the meaning given by section 4 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998).]

[F4 (6) The Ombudsman shall send a copy of his report to the Department of Justice, if the investigation relates wholly or in part to a matter in respect of which a function is conferred or imposed on the Department of Justice by or under a statutory provision.]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 60A inserted (8.4.2003) by Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2003 (c. 6), s. 13(1)

F2 Words in s. 60A(3) substituted (12.4.2010) by The Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), art. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 31(a) (with arts. 28-31)

F3 S. 60A(3A) inserted (12.4.2010) by The Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), art. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 31(b) (with arts. 28-31)

F4 S. 60A(6) inserted (12.4.2010) by The Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), art. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 31(c) (with arts. 28-31)