I only ask because I thought they only had their police powers on railway
property and a few other transport related areas (but specifically NOT roads).
However the other day I saw a BTP marked car pull over an elderly motorist on
a main road.
Are they allowed to do this or should they have called the local plod to
do it for them? If they do have police powers outside their usual areas
does this now extend to anywhere in the country (given they're a nationwide
force)?

B2003

On Sun, 2 Jul 2006 17:27:50 +0000 (UTC) someone who may be
wrote this:-

I only ask because I thought they only had their police powers on railway
property and a few other transport related areas (but specifically NOT roads).
However the other day I saw a BTP marked car pull over an elderly motorist on
a main road.
Are they allowed to do this or should they have called the local plod to
do it for them? If they do have police powers outside their usual areas
does this now extend to anywhere in the country (given they're a nationwide
force)?

Their powers were extended some years ago, I guess in the last 5-10
years.



--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

David Hansen wrote:
On Sun, 2 Jul 2006 17:27:50 +0000 (UTC) someone who may be
wrote this:-

I only ask because I thought they only had their police powers on railway
property and a few other transport related areas (but specifically NOT roads).
However the other day I saw a BTP marked car pull over an elderly motorist on
a main road.
Are they allowed to do this or should they have called the local plod to
do it for them? If they do have police powers outside their usual areas
does this now extend to anywhere in the country (given they're a nationwide
force)?

Their powers were extended some years ago, I guess in the last 5-10
years.



As long as the motorist doesn't go over County Line

wrote in message
I only ask because I thought they only had their police powers on railway
property and a few other transport related areas (but specifically NOT
roads).
However the other day I saw a BTP marked car pull over an elderly motorist
on
a main road.
Are they allowed to do this or should they have called the local plod to
do it for them? If they do have police powers outside their usual areas
does this now extend to anywhere in the country (given they're a
nationwide
force)?

Section 26 of the Anti-terrorism, crime and security Act 2001 says,

26. Sections 98 to 101 and Schedule 7 allow the British Transport Police
("BTP") to act outside their railways jurisdiction when asked to assist with
a specific incident by a constable from the local police force, the UKAEA
constabulary or a Ministry of Defence Police ("MDP") officer, and in an
emergency. The changes also give BTP officers certain powers available to
local police officers, including powers under the Terrorism Act 2000 and
powers to enter into mutual aid agreements with other forces.

Section 100 says,

100 Jurisdiction of transport police

(1) Where a member of the British Transport Police Force has
been requested by a constable of-

(a) the police force for any police area,
(b) the Ministry of Defence Police, or
(c) the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority Constabulary,
("the requesting force") to assist him in the execution of his
duties in relation to a particular incident, investigation or operation,
members of the British Transport Police Force have for the purposes of that
incident, investigation or operation the same powers and privileges as
constables of the requesting force.

(2) Members of the British Transport Police Force have in any
police area the same powers and privileges as constables of the police force
for that police area-

(a) in relation to persons whom they suspect on reasonable grounds
of having committed, being in the course of committing or being about to
commit an offence, or
(b) if they believe on reasonable grounds that they need those
powers and privileges in order to save life or to prevent or minimise
personal injury.
(3) But members of the British Transport Police Force have
powers and privileges by virtue of subsection (2) only if-

(a) they are in uniform or have with them documentary evidence that
they are members of that Force, and
(b) they believe on reasonable grounds that a power of a constable
which they would not have apart from that subsection ought to be exercised
and that, if it cannot be exercised until they secure the attendance of or a
request under subsection (1) by a constable who has it, the purpose for
which they believe it ought to be exercised will be frustrated or seriously
prejudiced.
(4) In this section-

"British Transport Police Force" means the constables appointed
under section 53 of the British Transport Commission Act 1949 (c. xxix).
Hope that helps.
Ian

On Sun, 02 Jul 2006 19:59:57 GMT someone who may be
"www.waspies.net" wrote this:-

As long as the motorist doesn't go over County Line

Such things don't apply to BTP. ISTR this has been or is about to be
changed for local police forces as well.


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

Ian wrote:

Section 26 of the Anti-terrorism, crime and security Act 2001 says,

(snip)

Section 100 says,

100 Jurisdiction of transport police

(1) Where a member of the British Transport Police Force has
been requested by a constable of-

(a) the police force for any police area,
(b) the Ministry of Defence Police, or
(c) the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority Constabulary

O/T but for the sake of completeness - the UKAEA Constabulary have now
been reformed as the Civil Nuclear Constabulary [1]. As well as what is
said in the Wikipedia entry, I think the change was also to do with
disembedding the police force from the UKAEA, given that the government
wishes to privatise it in an attempt to create a competetive market in
decommisioning nuclear power stations and other civil nuclear sites.

Back on topic, thanks for your post Ian, it's good to read the actual
legislation that covers this matter.


[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_Atom...y_Constabulary

wrote:
I only ask because I thought they only had their police powers on railway
property and a few other transport related areas (but specifically NOT roads).
However the other day I saw a BTP marked car pull over an elderly motorist on
a main road.
Are they allowed to do this or should they have called the local plod to
do it for them? If they do have police powers outside their usual areas
does this now extend to anywhere in the country (given they're a nationwide
force)?

B2003
The jurisdiction always used to be, "In, on and in the vicinity of
premises and elsewhere in matters affecting the Board (BRB)". Within
that jurisdiction they have full police powers. Properly used, the
combination of jurisdiction and powers covers the whole of England and
Wales (Scotland requires separate oath swearing).

I cannot imagine that any recent changes have reduced their powers.
For example, they may have needed to stop the elderly motorist as he
had left premises in suspicious circumstances. Who knows he may have
had a stolen class 47 in his boot!
George

wrote in message
...
I only ask because I thought they only had their police powers on railway
property and a few other transport related areas (but specifically NOT
roads).
However the other day I saw a BTP marked car pull over an elderly motorist
on
a main road.
Are they allowed to do this or should they have called the local plod
to
do it for them? If they do have police powers outside their usual areas
does this now extend to anywhere in the country (given they're a
nationwide
force)?

Any Police Officer in any force in the UK has has jurisdiction anywhere in
the UK. They may, for operational reasons, be instructed to leave certain
types of offences/incidents to the "local" plod.

If fact, doesn't any EU Police Officer have jurisdiction in the UK as well,
for
offences that were allegedly committed on their home soil ?

Richard [in SG19]



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

On Mon, 3 Jul 2006 09:13:37 +0100 someone who may be "Richard M
Willis" wrote this:-

Any Police Officer in any force in the UK has has jurisdiction anywhere in
the UK. They may, for operational reasons, be instructed to leave certain
types of offences/incidents to the "local" plod.

It might not be a good idea to try this in Northern Ireland.

In this country when the English police were imported for the
gathering of criminals at Gleneagles this time last year ISTR that
they had to have something done to them to make them Scottish
officers.

One of the reasons why many of the malicious prosecutions resulting
from that gathering were eventually abandoned was that these English
police officers were devoid of any useful knowledge of the law here.
The Bluff and Bluster Act didn't cut the mustard.

Instead of wasting their time and my money behaving like arseholes
here they might have been better employed in London looking out for
people with exploding rucksacks.



--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

David Hansen wrote:

In this country when the English police were imported for the
gathering of criminals at Gleneagles this time last year ...

Geldof is a bit of an unattractive character (IMHO), but calling him and
his cohorts "criminals" could be seen as libellous - you need to be more
careful.