Correspondence

Circular 001/2017: Policing and Crime Act - provisions commencing

This circular summarises the provisions in the Policing and Crime Act 2017 that come into effect on 3 April.

Documents

Circular 001/2017: Policing and Crime Act - provisions commencing

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Details

  • broad subject: police service
  • from: Crime and Policing Group (CPG) – policing directorate
  • unit: Police Workforce and Efficiency Unit (PWEU)
  • date for implementation: 28 March 2017
  • for more information contact: Charles Goldie 020 7035 3512 Charles.Goldie1@homeoffice.gov.uk

The Policing and Crime Act 2017 received Royal Assent on 31 January. The act contains a wide range of measures to:

  • improve the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces, including through closer collaboration with other emergency services
  • enhance the democratic accountability of police forces and fire and rescue services
  • build public confidence in policing
  • strengthen the protections for persons under investigation by, or who come into contact with, the police
  • ensure that the police and other law enforcement agencies have the powers they need to prevent, detect and investigate crime
  • further safeguard children and young people from sexual exploitation

Provisions

The act itself provides for a small number of its provisions to come into force either on the day of Royal Assent or 2 months afterwards (on 31 March).

In addition, the Minister for Policing and the Fire Service has now made the first commencement regulations (the Policing and Crime Act 2017 (Commencement No. 1 and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2017 (SI 2017/399)) bringing other provisions of the act into force on either 3 April, 6 April or 2 May.

This circular provides details of those provisions of the act that are coming into force on or before 2 May. It will be supported by more detailed operational guidance to the police and others.

Glossary

A glossary of abbreviations used in this circular is contained in Annex A.

Point of contact

A point of contact for each of the provisions in this circular can be found in Annex B.

Offence codes

A list of offence codes are attached at Annex C.

Updates to this page

Published 29 March 2017

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