Commentary on Sections Section 17 – Community Support Officers etc
56.Section 17 amends the Police Reform Act 2002 so that if a legislating authority and the chief police officer for the area agree, community support officers and other “accredited persons” under that Act may issue fixed penalty notices for breach of legislating authority byelaws.  Before a community support officer or accredited person will be able to do this, the chief police officer is required to designate the community support officer or accredited person as having that function.  In addition, the byelaw to which the fixed penalty notice relates is required to appear on a list agreed between the chief police officer and the legislating authority.