{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/police-act-1996/section-98",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/police-act-1996/section-98.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1996/16",
  "legislation_title": "Police Act 1996",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/police-act-1996",
  "path": "section/98",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "98",
  "heading": "Cross-border aid of one police force by another.",
  "text": "(1) The chief officer of police of a police force in England or Wales may, on the application of the chief constable of the Police Service of Scotland or the chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, provide constables or other assistance for the purpose of enabling the Scottish force or the Police Service of Northern Ireland to meet any special demand on its resources.\n(2) The chief constable of the Police Service of Scotland may, on the application of the chief officer of police of a police force in England or Wales ... the chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland ..., provide constables or other assistance for the purpose of enabling the English or Welsh force or the Police Service of Northern Ireland ... to meet any special demand on its resources.\n(3) The chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland may, on the application of the chief officer of police of a police force in England or Wales or the chief constable of the Police Service of Scotland ..., provide constables or other assistance for the purpose of enabling the English or Welsh force or the Scottish force ... to meet any special demand on its resources.\n(3A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(4) If it appears to the Secretary of State—\n(a) to be expedient in the interests of public safety or order that a police force ...should be reinforced or should receive other assistance for the purpose of enabling it to meet any special demand on its resources, and\n(b) that satisfactory arrangements under subsection (1), (2) or (3) cannot be made, or cannot be made in time,\nhe may direct the chief officer of police of any police force in England or Wales, the chief constable of the Police Service of Scotland or the chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland ..., as the case may be, to provide such constables or other assistance for that purpose as may be specified in the direction.\n(5) While a constable is provided under this section for the assistance of another police force ... he shall, notwithstanding any enactment,—\n(a) be under the direction and control of the chief officer of police of that other force (or, where that other force is the Police Service of Scotland or the Police Service of Northern Ireland ..., of the chief constable of that Service ...); and\n(b) have in any place the like powers and privileges as a member of that other force has in that place as a constable.\n(6) The local policing body maintaining a police force for which assistance is provided under this section shall pay to the local policing body maintaining the force from which that assistance is provided such contribution as may be agreed upon between those bodies or, in the absence of any such agreement, as may be provided by any agreement subsisting at the time between all local policing bodies generally, or, in the absence of such general agreement, as may be determined by the Secretary of State.\n(6A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(6B) In this section “local policing body” includes—\n(a) the Scottish Police Authority, and\n(b) the Northern Ireland Policing Board.\n(7) In the application of this section to Scotland, any expression used in this section and in the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 shall have the same meaning in this section as in that Act.\n(8) “Constable”, in relation to Northern Ireland, means a police officer within the meaning of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 98(1) substituted (1.4.2013) by The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/602), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 25(5)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 98(1)-(5) substituted (4.11.2001) by 2000 c. 32, s. 74, Sch. 6 para. 12(4); S.R. 2001/396, art. 2, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 98(2) substituted (1.4.2013) by The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/602), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 25(5)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Word in s. 98(2) repealed (1.4.1998) by 1997 c. 50, s. 134(2), Sch. 10; S.I. 1998/354, art. 2(2)(ay)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in s. 98(2) repealed (1.4.2006) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), s. 178(8), Sch. 4 para. 83(2), Sch. 17 Pt. 2; S.I. 2006/378, art. 4(1), Sch. paras. 10, 13(y)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in s. 98(3) substituted (1.4.2013) by The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/602), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 25(5)(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Words in s. 98(3) repealed (1.4.2006) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), s. 178(8), Sch. 4 para. 83(2), Sch. 17 Pt. 2; S.I. 2006/378, art. 4(1), Sch. paras. 10, 13(y)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "S. 98(3A) repealed (1.4.2006) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), s. 178(8), Sch. 4 para. 83(3), Sch. 17 Pt. 2; S.I. 2006/378, art. 4(1), Sch. paras. 10, 13(y)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "Words in s. 98(4) repealed (1.4.2006) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), s. 178(8), Sch. 4 para. 83(4)(a), Sch. 17 Pt. 2; S.I. 2006/378, art. 4(1), Sch. paras. 10, 13(y)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "Words in s. 98(4) substituted (1.4.2006) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), s. 178(8), Sch. 4 para. 83(4)(b); S.I. 2006/378, art. 4(1), Sch. para. 10"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "Words in s. 98(4) substituted (1.4.2013) by The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/602), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 25(5)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F12",
      "text": "Words in s. 98(5) repealed (1.4.2006) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), s. 178(8), Sch. 4 para. 83(5)(a), Sch. 17 Pt. 2; S.I. 2006/378, art. 4(1), Sch. paras. 10, 13(y)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F13",
      "text": "Words in s. 98(5)(a) substituted (1.4.2013) by The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/602), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 25(5)(e)(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F14",
      "text": "Words in s. 98(5)(a) substituted (1.4.2013) by The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/602), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 25(5)(e)(ii)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F15",
      "text": "Words in s. 98(5)(a) omitted (1.4.2013) by virtue of The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/602), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 25(5)(e)(iii)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F16",
      "text": "Words in s. 98(6) substituted (16.1.2012) by Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), s. 157(1), Sch. 16 para. 45(2)(a); S.I. 2011/3019, art. 3, Sch. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F17",
      "text": "Words in s. 98(6) substituted (16.1.2012) by Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), s. 157(1), Sch. 16 para. 45(2)(b); S.I. 2011/3019, art. 3, Sch. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F18",
      "text": "Words in s. 98(6) substituted (16.1.2012) by Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), s. 157(1), Sch. 16 para. 45(2)(c); S.I. 2011/3019, art. 3, Sch. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F19",
      "text": "S. 98(6A) repealed (1.4.2006) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), s. 178(8), Sch. 4 para. 83(6), Sch. 17 Pt. 2; S.I. 2006/378, art. 4(1), Sch. paras. 10, 13(y)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F20",
      "text": "S. 98(6B) inserted (16.1.2012) by Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), s. 157(1), Sch. 16 para. 45(3); S.I. 2011/3019, art. 3, Sch. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F21",
      "text": "Words in s. 98(6B) substituted (1.4.2013) by The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/602), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 25(5)(f)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F22",
      "text": "Words in s. 98(7) substituted (1.4.2013) by The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/602), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 25(5)(g)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F23",
      "text": "S. 98(8) substituted (4.11.2001) for s. 98(8)(9) by 2000 c. 32, s. 74, Sch. 6 para. 12(5); S.R. 2001/396, art. 2, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 98(6): power to apply conferred (28.1.2016 for specified purposes, 28.3.2016 in so far as not already in force) by 2009 c. 20, Sch. 5C para. 11(1)(a) (as inserted (E.W.) by Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016 (c. 1), s. 25(2), Sch. 2)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/16/section/98",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:32:17.766939+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}