{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/police-reform-act-2002/section-22",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/police-reform-act-2002/section-22.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/2002/30",
  "legislation_title": "Police Reform Act 2002",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/police-reform-act-2002",
  "path": "section/22",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "22",
  "heading": "Power of the Director General to issue guidance",
  "text": "(1) The Director General may issue guidance—\n(a) to local policing bodies,\n(b) to chief officers, and\n(c) to persons who are serving with the police otherwise than as chief officers,\nconcerning the exercise or performance, by the persons to whom the guidance is issued, of any of the powers or duties specified in subsection (2).\n(2) Those powers and duties are—\n(a) those that are conferred or imposed by or under this Part; and\n(b) those that are otherwise conferred or imposed but relate to—\n(i) the handling of complaints;\n(ii) the means by which recordable conduct matters or DSI matters are dealt with; or\n(iii) the detection or deterrence of misconduct by persons serving with the police.\n(3) Before issuing any guidance under this section, the Director General shall consult with—\n(a) such persons as appear to the Director General to represent the views of police and crime commissioners;\n(aa) the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime;\n(ab) the Common Council;\n(b) the National Police Chiefs' Council; and\n(c) such other persons as the Director General thinks fit.\n(4) The approval of the Secretary of State shall be required for the issue by the Director General of any guidance under this section.\n(5) Without prejudice to the generality of the preceding provisions of this section, the guidance that may be issued under this section includes—\n(a) guidance about the handling of complaints which have not yet been recorded and about dealing with recordable conduct matters or DSI matters that have not been recorded;\n(b) guidance about the procedure to be followed by the appropriate authority when recording a complaint or any recordable conduct matter or DSI matter;\n(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(d) guidance about how to protect the scene of an incident or alleged incident which—\n(i) is or may become the subject-matter of a complaint; or\n(ii) is or may involve a recordable conduct matter or DSI matter;\n(e) guidance about the circumstances in which it is appropriate (where it is lawful to do so)—\n(i) to disclose to any person, or to publish, any information about an investigation of a complaint , conduct matter or DSI matter; or\n(ii) to provide any person with, or to publish, any report or other document relating to such an investigation;\n(f) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(6) Nothing in this section shall authorise the issuing of any guidance about a particular case.\n(7) It shall be the duty of every person to whom any guidance under this section is issued to have regard to that guidance in exercising or performing the powers and duties to which the guidance relates.\n(8) A failure by a person to whom guidance under this section is issued to have regard to the guidance shall be admissible in evidence in any disciplinary proceedings or on any appeal from a decision taken in any such proceedings.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 22 substituted (31.1.2017 for specified purposes, 8.1.2018 in so far as not already in force) by Policing and Crime Act 2017 (c. 3), s. 183(1)(5)(e), Sch. 9 para. 30(2); S.I. 2017/1249, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 22(1)(a) substituted (16.1.2012) by Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), s. 157(1), Sch. 16 para. 287(2); S.I. 2011/3019, art. 3, Sch. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 22(2)(b)(ii) inserted (1.7.2005) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), ss. 160, 178, Sch. 12 para. 8(2); S.I. 2005/1521, art. 3(1)(w)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "S. 22(3)(a)(b) substituted (1.4.2007) by Police and Justice Act 2006 (c. 48), ss. 6, 53, Sch. 4 para. 11; S.I. 2007/709, art. 3(d) (subject to arts. 6, 7)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "S. 22(3)(a)-(ab) substituted for s. 22(3)(a) (16.1.2012) by Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), s. 157(1), Sch. 16 para. 287(3); S.I. 2011/3019, art. 3, Sch. 1 (with Sch. 2 para. 65)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in s. 22(3)(b) substituted (31.1.2017 for specified purposes, 3.4.2017 in so far as not already in force) by Policing and Crime Act 2017 (c. 3), s. 183(1)(5)(e), Sch. 14 paras. 6, 7(e); S.I. 2017/399, reg. 2, Sch. para. 41"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Words in s. 22(3)(c) substituted (31.1.2017 for specified purposes, 8.1.2018 in so far as not already in force) by Policing and Crime Act 2017 (c. 3), s. 183(1)(5)(e), Sch. 9 para. 30(3); S.I. 2017/1249, reg. 2 (with reg. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Words in s. 22(5)(a) inserted (1.7.2005) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), ss. 160, 178, Sch. 12 para. 8(3)(a); S.I. 2005/1521, art. 3(1)(w)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "Words in s. 22(5)(b)(d)(ii) inserted (1.7.2005) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), ss. 160, 178, Sch. 12 para. 8(3)(b); S.I. 2005/1521, art. 3(1)(w)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "S. 22(5)(c) omitted (31.1.2017 for specified purposes, 1.2.2020 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Policing and Crime Act 2017 (c. 3), s. 183(1)(5)(e), Sch. 5 para. 47(e)(i); S.I. 2020/5, reg. 2(n) (with art. 3(1)(2)(4))"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "Words in s. 22(5)(e)(i) substituted (1.7.2005) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), ss. 160, 178, Sch. 12 para. 8(3)(c); S.I. 2005/1521, art. 3(1)(w)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F12",
      "text": "S. 22(5)(f) omitted (31.1.2017 for specified purposes, 1.2.2020 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Policing and Crime Act 2017 (c. 3), s. 183(1)(5)(e), Sch. 5 para. 47(e)(ii); S.I. 2020/5, reg. 2(n) (with art. 3(1)(2)(4))"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 22 applied (with modifications) (28.12.2005) by The Revenue and Customs (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/3311), reg. 3(2)(6), Sch. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "S. 22 applied (with modifications) (5.8.2009) by The UK Border Agency (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/2133), reg. 4"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C3",
      "text": "S. 22 applied (with modifications) (7.4.2010) by The UK Border Agency (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/782), reg. 4"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C4",
      "text": "S. 22 applied (with modifications) (16.1.2012) by The Elected Local Policing Bodies (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/62), regs. 1, 4 (with reg. 3(6))"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C5",
      "text": "S. 22 applied (with modifications) (7.10.2013) by The National Crime Agency (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/2325), regs. 1(1), 5"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C6",
      "text": "S. 22 applied (with modifications) (30.4.2017) by The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/521), regs. 1, 5"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C7",
      "text": "S. 22 applied (with modifications) (1.5.2025) by The Food Crime Officers (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/301), regs. 1(1), 4"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C8",
      "text": "S. 22 applied (with modifications) (5.8.2010) by The Revenue and Customs (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/1813), reg. 5 (with reg. 11) (as amended (11.7.2025) by The Revenue and Customs (Complaints and Misconduct) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/703), regs. 1(2), 4 (with reg. 1(3)))"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C9",
      "text": "Pt. 2: power to amend conferred (E.W.) (31.1.2017 for specified purposes, 3.4.2017 in so far as not already in force) by 2004 c. 21, s. 4K(2)(4) (as inserted by Policing and Crime Act 2017 (c. 3), s. 183(1)(5)(e), Sch. 1 para. 5; S.I. 2017/399, reg. 2, Sch. para. 38)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C10",
      "text": "Pt. 2 applied (with application in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Police (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/2), regs. 1(1), 43(3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C11",
      "text": "Pt. 2 applied (with modifications) (with application in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Police (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/2), regs. 1(1), 52"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C12",
      "text": "Pt. 2 applied (with modifications) (with application in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Police (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/2), regs. 1(1), 42(1), Sch. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C13",
      "text": "Pt. 2 applied (with modifications) (with application in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Police (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/2), regs. 1(1), 43(1)(2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C14",
      "text": "Pt. 2 applied (with modifications) (with application in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Police (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/2), regs. 1(1), 42(2)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "applied (with modifications)",
      "affecting": "uksi/2026/1098",
      "affecting_title": "The Authorised Investigators (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2026"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/30/section/22",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-31T10:30:50.998378+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."
}