Section 59 of the Act is a common tool now used by police constables and police community support officers (PCSOs) to seize vehicles being used in an anti-social manner. Vehicles can be seized if the police officer / PCSO reasonably believes that a mechanically propelled vehicle is being used in a manner: [5] However, this may cause confusion among the public and absolute clarity is needed so that those supervising and leading PCSOs understand any anomalies across geographical boundaries. Perhaps the most prominent substantive provision of the Act which is regularly used by forces today is section 59, which allows police to seize vehicles which are being used in an anti-social manner. This has proved a valuable tool in combatting crime and remains in place today. Section 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967, Section 117 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1884 and common law (breach of the peace and self-defence) provide legislation around reasonable force. The Act also reflected the general tendency of left-wing government to centralise power. Prime Minister at the time of the Act Tony Blair had expressed this concern specifically in the context of policing, suggesting that to allow municipal governments to establish their own police forces would give rise to a risk of ‘Balkanisation’ (the geopolitical situation in which a region fragments into uncooperative or even hostile smaller regions). This attitude is likely to have motivated the increase in Home Office control over police strategy and management.

This includes power of arrest, stop and search, powers under the Terrorism Act 2000, those available under the Official Secrets Act, and powers which by virtue require the officer to hold a police officer rank above that of constable. Grants the home secretary the power to force a police force to produce an action plan if the force is judged to be inefficient or ineffective. The issuing of incapacitant spray, handcuffs and batons can be considered as options for PCSOs but it is not expected that forces are required to do so as a matter of course. contravening section 34 (prohibition of off-road driving/driving other than a road) of the Road Traffic Act 1988. Good practice indicates that powers should be set force-wide and, where collaborative opportunities with surrounding forces are extant or being considered, there should be commonality.After Conservative and Liberal Democrat peers voted down elements of the bill that allowed the home secretary the power to directly intervene by taking operation control of individual force's activities, the home secretary, David Blunkett, was forced to introduce some last-minute amendments. These included involving the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Police Authorities in decisions on when to intervene at failing police forces. The role of a PCSO, the geographic area covered, and availability of police officer assistance should all be considered when deciding what PPE should be issued. There is also variation between forces. Chief officers should satisfy themselves that there is an operational requirement to designate specific powers. Any increase will have additional training/cost requirements, potential personal safety implications, create possible public confusion and blur the roles between PCSOs and warranted officers. Creates the community support officer, a civilian uniformed non-warranted officer working in England and Wales. Grants the home secretary the power to directly intervene in a failing force and dismiss police chief constables after a poor report from HM Inspector of Constabulary.

Creates the Independent Police Complaints Commission and grants it the power to examine cases using its own investigators.The duties of PCSOs are discussed elsewhere in this handbook, but it is important that their role in individual forces is determined before the powers that are to be designated are chosen. Overall, the powers of PCSOs need to be set in context. PCSOs, like police officers, will spend much of their time undertaking street duties without recourse to their powers. being a PCSO and making a false suggestion that one possesses powers that exceed those designated by the chief officer PCSOs retain the powers of arrest of a citizen under both common law and Section 24A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. They also have the power to use reasonable force in defence of themselves or another. PCSOs are not under a duty to act in any given situation, unlike the duty falling to police officers. Although PCSOs do have a duty under paragraph 2(4A) of Schedule 4 of the Police Reform Act 2002 (when designated) to remain with a police officer when transferring control of a detained person to his or her custody until the police officer has the person under control.