Section 56 Formal investigation by the Ombudsman.

Where a complaint or matter is to be formally investigated by the Ombudsman under section 54(2) or (3)(a) or 55(3), (5) or (6), he shall appoint an officer of the Ombudsman to conduct the investigation.

Where an investigation is authorised by virtue of section 85 (read with section 86A) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (investigation of the commission of certain offences by persons acquitted), the Ombudsman shall appoint an officer of the Ombudsman to conduct the investigation.

The F2Department of Justice may by order provide that any provision of the M1Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 which relates to investigation of offences conducted by police officers (within the meaning of that Order) shall apply, subject to such modifications as the order may specify, to investigations under this section conducted by persons who are not police officers (within the meaning of that Order).

A person employed by the Ombudsman under paragraph 3(1) of Schedule 3 shall for the purpose of conducting, or assisting in the conduct of, an investigation under this section have all the powers and privileges of a constable throughout Northern Ireland and the adjacent United Kingdom territorial waters; and subsection (3) of F3section 32 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 applies for the purposes of this subsection as it applies for the purposes of subsection (2) of that section.

Section 66 applies to a person to whom subsection (3) applies as it applies to a constable.

A person to whom subsection (3) applies shall not be regarded as in police service for the purposes of—

At the end of an investigation under this section the person appointed to conduct the investigation shall submit a report on the investigation to the Ombudsman.