ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

   SECTION

PART I
Introduction and Interpretation

              1.         Short title

              2.         Interpretation

PART II
Constitution and Administration

              3.         Constitution of the Service

              4.         Commissioner

              5.         Delegation of powers of Commissioner

              6.         Duties, functions and administration of Service

              7.         Employment of Service in emergency

PART III
Appointment, Attestation, Service and Discharge

              8.         Appointment of police officers

              9.         Declaration on attestation

            10.         Pensions and gratuities

            11.         Permission for resignation

            12.         Restriction on retirement

            13.         Interdiction

            14.         Termination of appointment

            15.         Retirement, reduction in rank, dismissal

PART IV
Powers, Duties and Privileges of Police Officers

            16.         General powers and duties

            17.         Duty to lay information and apply for summons, etc.

            18.         Powers with regard to fires

            19.         Other employment forbidden

            20.         Uniform and equipment

PART V
Discipline

            21.         Method of dealing with offences

            22.         Offences for trial by criminal court

            23.         Disciplinary offences

            24.         Membership of political party, trade union, etc., forbidden

            25.         Powers of arrest and remand

            26.         Authorities for the trial of disciplinary offences

            27.         Punishment

            28.         Dismissal as a result of disciplinary action

            29.         Confirmation, consideration and review of sentences

            30.         Attendance of witnesses

            31.         Disobedience to summons

            32.         Witnesses' expenses

            33.         Defence of accused

            34.         Recovery of fines

            35.         Dismissal, etc., to be considered as punishment

            36.         Disciplinary action after acquittal of criminal charges

PART VI
Appeals

            37.         Appeals

            38.         Appeals procedure

            39.         Application of section 31 to proceedings before Police Council

PART VII
Rewards and Fines Fund

            40.         Establishment of Rewards and Fines Fund

            41.         Lost property

            42.         Unclaimed property

PART VIII
Special Constables

            43.         Appointment of special constables

            44.         Equipment for special constables

            45.         Powers of special constables

            46.         Termination of service of special constables

            47.         Delivery up of equipment

            48.         Death or injury of special constable

            49.         Remuneration of special constable

PART IX
Police Reserve

            50.         Formation of Police Reserve

            51.         Appointments to Police Reserve

            52.         Service to be voluntary

            53.         Equipment for Police Reserve

            54.         Powers and privileges of Police Reserve

            55.         Salary and allowances of Police Reserve

            56.         Death or injury of members of Police Reserve

PART X
General

            57.         Unauthorized wearing, etc., of police uniform

            58.         Obstruction

            59.         No attachment of property of police officer

            60.         Assignment of pay

            61.         Limitation of action

PART XI
Police Council

            62.         Appointment of Police Council

            63.         Duties of Police Council

            64.         Complaints against the Service

PART XII
Miscellaneous

            65.         Regulations

            66.         Botswana Police College to be a tertiary institution

                        Schedule

Act 29, 1978,
S.I. 157, 1978,
Act 18, 1980,
Act 15, 2002.

An Act to provide for the enrolment, discipline, control and administration of the Botswana Police Service; to provide for Special constables and for a Police Reserve and a Police Council; and for matters incidental thereto and connected therewith.

[Date of Commencement: 1st January, 1979]

1.       Short title

          This Act may be cited as the Police Act.

2.       Interpretation

          In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires-

          "appointing authority" means an authority referred to in section 8;

          "arms" includes firearms;

          "Board" means a Board constituted in terms of section 26;

          "Branch Commander" means any officer of the rank of Assistant Commissioner and above, who is in command of a branch of the Service;

          "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Police appointed by the President in terms of section 112 of the Constitution;

          "inspectorate" means those police officers of the rank of inspector or sub-inspector;

          "junior officer" means a police officer of the rank of sergeant or below;

          "pay" means the salary of a police officer in his substantive rank but does not include any allowances which have not been declared to be pensionable;

          "police camp" means an area set aside for occupation by police officers;

          "police council" means the Police Council established under section 62;

          "police officer" includes a special constable and a member of the Reserve Service but does not include a civilian employee;

          "review authority" means the appropriate review authority under section 29;

          "senior officer" means any police officer of or above the rank of Assistant Superintendent;

          "Service" means the Botswana Police Service as constituted under this Act, and any reference in any enactment to the Botswana Police Force shall be construed as a reference to Botswana Police Service.