Northern Ireland
Criminal investigation in Northern Ireland
The police investigate and the prosecuting authority decides; the detail of both is held back because the police service could not be read.
Facts verified:
This is a static reference page, not a live feed — check anything you intend to act on with the official source.
Section 32 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 places on police officers the duty, where an offence has been committed, to take measures to bring the offender to justice. The Public Prosecution Service states that it makes prosecution decisions in cases investigated by the police in Northern Ireland.
That is the division of labour and it is as far as the sources go. Investigation belongs to the police; the decision whether to prosecute belongs to the prosecuting authority.
Sources
Sources
The National Archives (United Kingdom) · Legislation · link verified 2026-09-18
SCOPE: the general duty of police officers in Northern Ireland. The official consolidated text, read directly. Supports that it shall be the general duty of police officers to protect life and property, to preserve order, to prevent the commission of offences, and where an offence has been committed to take measures to bring the offender to justice. The section is shown as extending to Northern Ireland (N.I.). It establishes nothing about the governance of the police service, which is in other provisions not read here.
About the PPS — Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland
Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland · Government publication · link verified 2026-09-18
SCOPE: the PPS's own account of itself. The service's about page, read directly. Supports that the PPS is the principal prosecuting authority in Northern Ireland; that it makes prosecution decisions in cases investigated by the police there and considers cases investigated by other statutory authorities such as HM Revenue and Customs; that it is led by the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland; that the Deputy Director has the same powers as the Director but exercises them subject to the Director's direction and control; and that both posts are public appointments made by the Attorney General for Northern Ireland. The current office-holders are named on the page and are NOT republished here.