ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

PART I
Introduction and Interpretation

     SECTION

                 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]

            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;

            15 of 2002, s. 3(a)."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;

            15 of 2002, s. 2, 15 of 2002, s. 3(c)."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;