What Police does
Enforce criminal law including licensing conditions (e.g. alcohol, entertainment), knife sales restrictions, and age-restricted product sales. Work with trading standards on enforcement operations.
Generic code for UK police forces. Licensing enforcement typically involves the local police licensing team.
Contact Police
- Phone
- 101
Legal framework
Legislation that Police directly enforces.
Primary legislation
Children and Young Persons Act 1933 (opens in a new tab)
House to House Charitable Collections Act (Northern Ireland) 1952
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
The Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Northern Ireland) Order 1985
Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 1996
Crime and Disorder Act 1998
Antisocial Behaviour (Scotland) Act 2004
Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011
HTESA 2015
Serious Crime Act 2015
Secondary legislation
Licensing Act 2003 (Fees) Regulations 2005
The Criminal Justice Act 1988 (Offensive Weapons) (Amendment, Surrender and Compensation) (England and Wales) Order 2025
Related legislation
Legislation connected to Police’s remit but not directly enforced — establishing Acts, amendments, referenced legislation, and context.