Police Act 1996
Encyclopedia
The Police Act 1996 is an Act
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
which defined the current police area
s, constituted the current police authorities
and set out the relationship between the Home Secretary
and the territorial police force
s. It replaced the Police and Magistrates Courts Act 1994
, which in turn had replaced the Police Act 1964
.
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
which defined the current police area
Police area
A police area is the area for which a territorial police force in the United Kingdom is responsible for policing.Every location in the United Kingdom has a designated territorial police force with statutory responsibility for providing policing services and enforcing criminal law, which is set out...
s, constituted the current police authorities
Police authority
A police authority in the United Kingdom, is a body charged with securing efficient and effective policing of a police area served by a territorial police force or the area and/or activity policed by a special police force...
and set out the relationship between the Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
and the territorial police force
Territorial police force
The phrase Territorial Police Force varies in precise meaning according to the country to which it is related, generally distinguishing a force whose area of responsibility is defined by sub-national boundaries from others which deal with the entire country or a restricted range of...
s. It replaced the Police and Magistrates Courts Act 1994
Police and Magistrates Courts Act 1994
The Police and Magistrates Courts Act 1994 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which defined the police areas, constituted the current police authorities and set out the relationship between the Home Secretary and the territorial police forces. It superseded the Police Act 1964 and...
, which in turn had replaced the Police Act 1964
Police Act 1964
The Police Act 1964 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that updated the legislation governing police forces in England and Wales, constituted new police authorities, gave the Home Secretary new powers to supervise local constabularies, and allowed for the amalgamation of existing...
.