{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/police-and-fire-reform-scotland-act-2012/section-21",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/police-and-fire-reform-scotland-act-2012/section-21.json",
  "legislation": "asp/2012/8",
  "legislation_title": "Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/police-and-fire-reform-scotland-act-2012",
  "path": "section/21",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "21",
  "heading": "Direction and control of the Police Service",
  "text": "(1) Constables are, in the carrying out of their functions (including any functions held by virtue of being a deputy chief constable, an assistant chief constable or a local commander), subject to the direction and control of the chief constable.\n(2) A constable must—\n(a) carry out lawful orders, and\n(b) punctually and promptly perform all appointed duties and attend to all matters within the scope of that constable's office.\n(3) Police staff and police cadets are, in the carrying out of their functions, subject to the direction and control of (and may be dismissed by) the chief constable.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "S. 21 in force at 1.4.2013 by S.S.I. 2013/51, art. 2"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2012/8/section/21",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T20:14:45.019055+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."
}