Police Force Act 2004 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 2 · Constitution and Administration of Police Force
18. Power of Minister to substitute another officer for Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner
Feedback & supportLast amended by an amending law of 2025. 3 amendments in all.
Whenever by any written law power is given to the Commissioner or a Deputy Commissioner to grant licences for any purpose, the Minister may appoint by name or office —
Commissioner
“Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Police appointed under section 6(1);
a police officer not below the rank of superintendent or assistant superintendent in the case of permits under the Public Order Act 2009; or
any person (whether or not a police officer) in any other case,to grant such licences in the place of or in addition to the Commissioner or the Deputy Commissioner, as the case may be.
An appointment under subsection (1) must be published in the Gazette.
Any licence granted by any person appointed under subsection (1) is as valid and effectual for all purposes as if the licence had been granted by the Commissioner or the Deputy Commissioner.
Deputy Commissioner
“Deputy Commissioner”, in relation to any provision in this Act or its subsidiary legislation, or in the Police General Orders, Force Orders or Standing Orders, means the Deputy Commissioner of Police designated by the Commissioner for the purposes of that provision;
Whenever by any written law power is given to the Commissioner to hear an appeal against any decision, and the decision‑maker is a police officer who, if not for this subsection, may hear that appeal, then despite section 17(1), the appeal must be heard and determined by —
police officer
“police officer” means any member of the Police Force and includes a temporary constable;
the Commissioner in person (and no other); or
if the Commissioner is absent or incapable for any reason of hearing and determining that appeal, a public officer who is not the decision‑maker whose decision is appealed against and not subordinate to that decision‑maker, and is designated by the Minister to hear and determine that appeal.
In this section —
“grant”, when used with reference to a licence, includes issue or give;
“licence” includes a pass and a permit.