11Form of authority

11 Form of authority

(1)  An authority to conduct a controlled operation may be granted –

(a) by means of a written document, signed by the chief officer (a "formal authority"); or

(b) if the chief officer is satisfied that the delay caused by granting a formal authority may affect the success of the operation, orally in person or by telephone, fax, email or any other means of communication (an "urgent authority").

(2)  Nothing in this Part prevents an authority being granted in respect of a controlled operation that has been the subject of a previous authority.

(3)  An authority, whether formal or urgent, must –

(a) state the name and rank or position of the person granting the authority; and

(b) identify the principal law enforcement officer and, if the principal law enforcement officer is not the applicant for the authority, the name of the applicant; and

(c) state whether the application is a formal application or an urgent application; and

(d) identify each person who may engage in controlled conduct for the purposes of the controlled operation; and

(e) state the participating jurisdictions in which the controlled conduct is, or is likely, to be engaged in; and

(f) identify the nature of the criminal activity (including the suspected relevant offences) in respect of which the controlled conduct is to be engaged in; and

(g) identify –

(i) with respect to the law enforcement participants, the nature of the controlled conduct that those participants may engage in; and

(ii) with respect to the civilian participants, the particular controlled conduct (if any) that each such participant may engage in; and

(h) identify (to the extent known) any suspect; and

(i) specify the period of validity of the authority, being a period not exceeding 3 months in the case of a formal authority or 7 days in the case of an urgent authority; and