{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/police-northern-ireland-act-1998/section-54",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/police-northern-ireland-act-1998/section-54.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1998/32",
  "legislation_title": "Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/police-northern-ireland-act-1998",
  "path": "section/54",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "54",
  "heading": "Complaints – formal investigation.",
  "text": "(1) If—\n(a) it appears to the Ombudsman that a complaint is not suitable for informal resolution; or\n(b) a complaint is referred to the Ombudsman under section 53(6),\nthe complaint shall be formally investigated as provided in subsection (2) or (3).\n(2) Where the complaint is a serious complaint, the Ombudsman shall formally investigate it in accordance with section 56.\n(3) In the case of any other complaint, the Ombudsman may as he thinks fit—\n(a) formally investigate the complaint in accordance with section 56; or\n(b) refer the complaint to the Chief Constable for formal investigation by a police officer in accordance with section 57.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/32/section/54",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:22:34.496122+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."
}