Policing and Crime Act 2009

Policing and Crime Act 2009^[1]

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	Click "show"        An Act to make provision about the police; to make provision about prostitution, sex offenders, sex establishments and certain other premises; to make provision for reducing and dealing with the abuse of alcohol; to make provision about the proceeds of crime; to make provision about extradition; to amend the Aviation Security Act 1982; to make provision about criminal records and to amend the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007; to confer, extend or facilitate search, forfeiture and other powers relating to the United Kingdom’s borders or elsewhere; to make further provision for combatting crime and disorder; to repeal redundant provisions; and for connected purposes.
Citation	2009 c. 26
Introduced by	Jacqui Smith (Home Secretary) and Lord West of Spithead[2]
Territorial extent	England and Wales Scotland Northern Ireland
Dates
Royal assent	12 November 2009
Commencement	12 November 2009 (in part) 30 November 2009 (in part)[3] 25 January 2010 (in part)[4][5] 29 January 2010 (in part)[6][7] 2 March 2010 (in part)[8][9] 12 March 2010 (in part)[10] 15 March 2010 (in part)[11] 1 April 2010 (in part)[12]
Other legislation
Relates to	Policing and Crime Act 2009 (Commencement No. 1 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2009 (SI 2009/3096) Policing and Crime Act 2009 (Commencement No. 2) Order 2010 (SI 2010/52) Policing and Crime Act 2009 (Commencement No. 3) Order 2010 (SI 2010/125) Policing and Crime Act 2009 (Commencement No. 4) Order 2010 (SI 2010/507)
Status: Current legislation
History of passage through Parliament
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended

The Policing and Crime Act 2009 (c. 26) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act makes provision about police reform, prostitution, sex offenders, sex establishments and certain other premises. It amends the law on aviation security, misuse, proceeds of crime, extradition and gang related violence.

The legislation came about due to a number of recommendations in government reports seeking an increase in public accountability. This led to a green paper about policing in which ways in which policing could be improved were discussed, which in turn led to the creation of the Policing Pledge. This then became a government bill and was introduced to the House of Commons on 18 December 2008, passing to the House of Lords on 20 May 2009, gaining royal assent and becoming law on 12 November 2009.

The act has received a mixed reception, with improved police accountability being praised and the changes to sexual entertainment licenses and prostitution being criticised by senior members of the police as well as other interested parties.

There were initially proposals that the act would allow the public to elect crime and policing representatives to run their local police service, but these plans were removed from the bill before it was laid before the house.^[13] Nevertheless, the Act still requires police authorities to have regard for the views of people in the police area.^[14] The election of crime and policing representatives was subsequently introduced in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, which established Police and Crime Commissioners.