31Appointment of authorised officers

31 Appointment of authorised officers

(1)  The Secretary, by instrument in writing, may appoint persons to be authorised officers if the Secretary is satisfied that they have the qualifications to exercise the powers of that office competently.

(2)  The persons so appointed may be –

(a) State Service officers or State Service employees employed in the Department; or

(b) with the consent of the Head of another State Service Agency, State Service officers or State Service employees employed in that other Agency; or

(c) with the consent of the Commissioner of Police, police officers.

(3)  If a State Service officer or State Service employee is appointed as an authorised officer –

(a) he or she holds that office in conjunction with State Service employment; and

(b) duties that he or she performs as an authorised officer are taken to be part of his or her duties as a State Service officer or State Service employee.

(4)  If a police officer is appointed as an authorised officer –

(a) he or she holds that office in conjunction with police employment; and

(b) duties that he or she performs as an authorised officer are taken to be part of his or her duties as a police officer.

(5)  A person who is not a State Service officer, State Service employee or police officer is not capable of being given an appointment under subsection (1) .

(6)  However, the Secretary may authorise a person who is not a State Service officer, State Service employee or police officer to exercise the powers of an authorised officer if the Secretary is satisfied that the person has the qualifications to do so competently.

(7)  In this section –

persons includes a class of persons.