Singapore legislation
Section 20
Section 20
Fire forensic specialists
(1)
The Minister may, in writing, appoint any of the following individuals to be fire forensic specialists to assist the Commissioner, or any member of the Force authorised by the Commissioner under section 16, exercising in Singapore a power under that section or section 17:
a public officer (except an operations support officer at grade III, IV or V or other public officer at equivalent grade) who is not a member of the Force but is employed in the offices of the Force;
an individual (who is not a public officer) with suitable qualifications or experience to properly exercise the powers of a fire forensic specialist.
(2)
A fire forensic specialist’s appointment is to be for such period as the Minister decides and, for an individual mentioned in subsection (1)(b), is to be on such terms and conditions (including remuneration) as the Minister decides from time to time.
(3)
The Minister may, for any reason that appears to the Minister to be sufficient, at any time revoke an individual’s appointment as a fire forensic specialist.
(4)
The Commissioner must issue to each fire forensic specialist an identification card, which must be carried at all times by the fire forensic specialist when exercising powers under any provision in this Act.
(5)
A fire forensic specialist whose appointment as such ceases must return any identification card issued to him or her under subsection (4) to the Commissioner.
(6)
A fire forensic specialist is not a member of the Force, and an individual mentioned in subsection (1)(b) who is appointed as a fire forensic specialist under that subsection does not, by virtue only of that appointment, become an employee or agent of the Government.
(7)
A fire forensic specialist is to be issued with such equipment, or such description of equipment, as the Commissioner may determine.
(8)
The Commissioner may, in writing, authorise a fire forensic specialist to exercise any of the powers in sections 16 and 17 in aid of any member of the Force or class of such members, as the Commissioner may specify in that authorisation, but the Commissioner cannot authorise under this subsection any fire forensic specialist to arrest any individual.
(9)
The Commissioner’s authorisation under subsection (8) for a fire forensic specialist may do any or all of the following:
limit the powers in sections 16 and 17 that the fire forensic specialist may exercise;
limit when the fire forensic specialist may exercise his or her powers in sections 16 and 17 or any of them;
limit where in Singapore the fire forensic specialist may exercise his or her powers in sections 16 and 17 or any of them;
limit the circumstances in which the fire forensic specialist may exercise his or her powers in sections 16 and 17 or any of them;
limit the purposes for which the fire forensic specialist may exercise his or her powers in sections 16 and 17 or any of them.
(10)
A fire forensic specialist who under this section is authorised by the Commissioner to exercise any power under section 16 or 17 to assist the Commissioner or a member of the Force —
must obey all lawful directions (general or specific) of the Commissioner and the member of the Force when exercising such power; and
is deemed to be a public servant for the purposes of the Penal Code 1871 when exercising such power.
(11)
Without prejudice to subsection (10), where any law or written law protects a member of the Force from liability for the member’s acts or omissions, that law or written law is taken to operate as if those acts or omissions included the fire forensic specialist’s acts or omissions when acting in the course of his or her duty as a fire forensic specialist in accordance with the written authorisation of the Commissioner under this Part and the lawful directions of the member of the Force he or she assists.
(12)
To avoid doubt, a fire forensic specialist does not cease to be acting on the direction of a member of the Force by reason only that that member of the Force is not present at all times when the fire forensic specialist exercises any power under section 16 or 17.[8E