This is the version of this Act as it was from 28 December 2005 to 20 July 2023. Read the latest available version.
Related documents
Police Act, 1990
Act 19 of 1990
- Published in Government Gazette 113 on 3 December 1990
- Assented to on 26 November 1990
- Commenced on 3 December 1990
- [This is the version of this document as it was from 28 December 2005 to 20 July 2023.]
- [Amended by Police Amendment Act, 1999 (Act 3 of 1999) on 31 March 1999]
- [Amended by Police Amendment Act, 2001 (Act 5 of 2001) on 3 July 2001]
- [Amended by General Law Amendment Act, 2005 (Act 14 of 2005) on 28 December 2005]
1. Definitions
In this Act, unless the context otherwise indicates -“auxiliary member” means any auxiliary member referred to in section 12(1)(b);“Inspector-General” means the Inspector-General appointed under Article 142 or 32(4)(c)(bb) of the Namibian Constitution, as the case may be;“member” means an officer and non-officer of the Namibian Police appointed as such under section 4(1) and includes, except for the purposes of any provision of this Act in respect of which the Inspector-General may, subject to the directions of the Minister, otherwise prescribe, any member of the Reserve Force while serving in the Force and any temporary and auxiliary member;“Minister” means the Minister responsible for policing;[definition of “Minister” amended by Act 14 of 2005]“misconduct” means -(a)any contravention of this Act; or(b)the commission of any other offence;“prescribe” or “prescribed” means prescribe or prescribed by regulation, and in the case of any power exercised by the Inspector-General, prescribe or prescribed by rules;“regulation” means any regulation made or in force under this Act;“Reserve Force” means the Reserve Police Force referred to in section 11;“temporary member” means any temporary member referred to in section 12(1)(a);“the Force” means the Namibian Police Force established under section 2; and“this Act” includes the regulations, rules and directions made or in force thereunder.Chapter I
ESTABLISHMENT, ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE FORCE
2. Establishment and composition of the Namibian Police Force
3. Command of the Force and functions of the Inspector-General
3A. Powers of the Minister
3B. Removal of Inspector-General
4. Appointment as officers and non-officers and promotion, discharge or demotion of members
5. Granting of commission
The President may from time to time grant under his or her hand or bearing a replica of his or her signature, commission to any member who has been appointed as officer.6. Resignation of officers
7. Discharge of members on account of ill-health
8. Discharge or reduction in rank of members on account of inefficiency
9. Discharge of members on account of long absence without leave
A member who absents himself or herself from his or her official duties without the permission of the Inspector-General for a continuous period exceeding thirty days, shall be deemed to have been discharged from the Force on account of misconduct with effect from the date immediately following upon the last day on which he or she was present at his or her place of duty: Provided that if any member absents himself or herself from his or her official duties without such permission and accepts other employment, he or she shall be deemed to have been so discharged even if he or she has not yet so absented himself or herself for a month: Provided further that if a member deemed to have been so discharged, again reports for duty, the Inspector-General may, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any law, reinstate him or her in his or her former post or appoint him or her to any other post or appointment in the Force on such conditions as the Inspector-General may deem fit, and in that event the period of his or her absence from his or her official duties shall be deemed to have been absence on vacation leave without pay, or leave on such other conditions as the Inspector-General may determine.10. Employment of Force in times of emergency
11. Reserve Police Force
12. Appointment and discharge of temporary and auxiliary members
Chapter II
FUNCTIONS OF FORCE AND POWERS AND DUTIES OF MEMBERS
13. Functions of the Force
The functions of the Force shall be -14. Powers and duties of members
15. Right of entry in case of fire
Any member may, without the consent of any person, break into and enter upon any premises being or appearing to be on fire, or any premises or land adjoining or adjacent thereto, and may do everything necessary to extinguish such fire, or for protecting such premises or land or for rescuing any person or property thereon from such fire.16. Traffic barriers and cordons
Chapter III
DISCIPLINE
17. Contravention of Act by members
Any member who contravenes or fails to comply with any provision of this Act or any order issued in terms of this Act, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding R2 000 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 6 months or to both such fine and such imprisonment.18. Disciplinary proceedings against members
19. ***
[section 19 deleted by Act 3 of 1999]20. Powers of person conducting disciplinary proceedings
21. Representation at disciplinary proceedings or enquiry
At any disciplinary proceedings or enquiry held in terms of this Act the member in respect of whom the proceedings or enquiry is held, may be assisted and represented by a legal practitioner as defined in section 1 of the Legal Practitioners Act, 1995 (Act No. 33 of 1995).[Section 21 is amended by Act 3 of 1999. There are changes to the heading which are not indicated by amendment markings. The Legal Practitioners Act is Act 15 of 1995, not Act 33 of 1995.]22. Members absolved from prosecution under other laws after trial under this Act
Nothing in this Act contained shall be construed as preventing a member from being prosecuted other than under the provisions of this Act in all cases in which he or she would be liable to be so prosecuted, but no member who has been acquitted or convicted of any offence under this Act, shall be liable to be again tried for any offence arising from the same facts and circumstances.23. Suspension of members
24. Salary, allowances, privileges and benefits of suspended member
Chapter IV
GENERAL
25. Remuneration of members and conditions of service of certain members
26. Salary or allowance may not be assigned or attached
A member shall not, without the approval of the Inspector-General, assign any salary or allowance payable to him or her in terms of this Act, or any portion thereof, and such salary, allowance or portion thereof shall not be liable to be seized or attached under or by virtue of any judgement or order of any court, other than a garnishee order, nor shall the same pass under or by virtue of any order made for the sequestration of the estate of any such member.27. Members to place all their time at disposal of State
28. Missing members
29. Reward for extraordinary diligence or devotion
The Inspector-General may, with the approval of the Minister, award to any person who is or was a member, for extraordinary diligence or devotion in the performance of his or her duties as such member, such monetary or other reward as he or she considers appropriate in the circumstances.30. Establishment of decorations and medals for members
The President may establish and introduce decorations and medals, as well as bars, clasps and ribbons in respect of such decorations and medals, which may be awarded by him or her, subject to such conditions as may be prescribed, to any person who is or was a member in respect of his or her services as such member or to any person who has rendered exceptional services to the Force.31. Offences in respect of decorations and medals
Any person who wears or uses any decoration, medal, bar, clasp or ribbon referred to in section 31, unless he or she is the person to whom such decoration, medal, bar, clasp or ribbon was awarded or has been bequeathed, or who, without the written permission of the Inspector-General uses such decoration, medal, bar, clasp or ribbon, or who wears or uses anything so closely resembling any such decoration, medal, bar, clasp or ribbon as to be calculated to deceive, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding R4 000 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 12 months or to both such fine and such imprisonment.32. False representations as to association with Force
Any person who, without the approval of the Minister, in connection with any activity carried on by him or her takes, assumes, uses or in any manner publishes any name, description, title or symbol indicating or conveying or purporting to indicate or to convey or calculated or likely to lead other persons to believe or infer that such activity is carried on under or by virtue of the provisions of this Act or under the patronage of the Force, or is in any manner associated or connected with the Force, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding R4 000 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 12 months or to both such fine and such imprisonment.33. Offences in connection with members and membership of Force
Any person -34. Wearing of uniforms, badges or buttons of the Force
Any person who wears any uniform, distinctive badge or button of the Force or anything so closely resembling any such uniform, badge or button as to be calculated to deceive, shall, unless -35. Interference with members
36. Exemption from tolls
37. Exemption of police clubs from certain taxes, duties and fees
38. Non-liability for acts done under irregular warrant
39. Prescription of actions, notification of proceedings, cause of action, and service of certain process
40. Limitation of liability of the State and members
If any person is conveyed in or makes use of any vehicle, aircraft or vessel which is the property of the State and which is used by or on behalf of the Force, the State or any member shall not be liable to such person or his or her spouse, parent, child or other dependant for any loss or damage resulting from any bodily injury, loss of life or loss of or damage to property caused by or arising out of or in any way connected with the conveyance of such person in, or the use of such vehicle, aircraft or vessel, unless such person is so conveyed or makes use thereof in or in the interest of the performance of the functions of the State: Provided that the provisions of this section shall not affect the liability of a member who wilfully causes the said loss or damage.41. Delegation of powers, duties and functions
42. Regulations
43. President may enter into agreements
The President or the Minister, authorized thereto by the President, may enter into agreements with the Head of State or Minister or other person responsible for the police force of a foreign state in regard to co-operation and mutual aid between the Force and the police force of that state.43A. Criminal Statistics
43B. Police Advisory Board
43C. Municipal Police Service
44. Application of Act
This Act shall apply to all members, whether such members are serving within or outside Namibia, and if it is necessary to enforce this Act outside Namibia, any sentence, fine or penalty pronounced or imposed for the purpose of such enforcement shall be as valid and effective as if it had been pronounced or imposed in Namibia.45. Repeal or amendment of laws, and savings
46. Interpretation of laws
Subject to the provisions of this Act, any reference in any law in force at the commencement of this Act to -47. Short title
This Act shall be called the Police Act, 1990.History of this document
21 July 2023
Amended by
Police Amendment Act, 2023
Read this version
28 December 2005 this version
Amended by
General Law Amendment Act, 2005
03 July 2001
Amended by
Police Amendment Act, 2001
31 March 1999
Amended by
Police Amendment Act, 1999
03 December 1990
Commenced
26 November 1990
Assented to
Cited documents 4
Act 4
1. | Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 | 1942 citations |
2. | Prevention and Combating of Terrorist and Proliferation Activities Act, 2014 | 155 citations |
3. | Financial Intelligence Act, 2012 | 62 citations |
4. | Explosives Act, 1956 | 20 citations |
Documents citing this one 242
Gazette 100
Judgment 92
Act 26
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2. | Labour Act, 2007 | 622 citations |
3. | Combating of Domestic Violence Act, 2003 | 386 citations |
4. | Prevention of Organised Crime Act, 2004 | 364 citations |
5. | Road Traffic and Transport Act, 1999 | 315 citations |
6. | Public Service Act, 1995 | 308 citations |
7. | Immigration Control Act, 1993 | 250 citations |
8. | Arms and Ammunition Act, 1996 | 174 citations |
9. | Prevention and Combating of Terrorist and Proliferation Activities Act, 2014 | 155 citations |
10. | Correctional Service Act, 2012 | 116 citations |
Proclamation 13
Government Notice 10
Law Reform Report 1
1. | Report on the Domestication of the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment |
Subsidiary legislation
Title
|
Date
|
|
---|---|---|
Regulations relating to the Award of Decorations and Medals to Members of the Namibian Police Force, 2003 | Government Notice 124 of 2003 | 15 November 2017 |
General Regulations, 1994 | Government Notice 167 of 1994 | 15 November 2017 |
Municipal Police Services Regulations, 2002 | Government Notice 184 of 2002 | 16 October 2002 |