Public Order (Preservation) Act 1958 · Updated to 1 Apr 2013 · Part III · Powers for Maintenance of Public Order
20. Powers of members of armed forces
Feedback & supportAny commander of any armed forces and any member of the armed forces under his command may when engaged on duty connected with the maintenance or restoration of public order, exercise any of the powers conferred upon a police officer by paragraphs 4(b) and 5(1)(b) and subsection 5(2), section 6, subsections 8(2) and (3), 10(1), 15(1), 17(1) and section 18 in like manner as if references in these sections to a police officer were references to a member of the armed forces of equivalent rank.
police officer
"police officer" includes a volunteer reserve police officer and auxiliary police officer appointed in accordance with any written law for the time being in force;
The provisions of Chapter IV of the Criminal Procedure Code shall apply to a member of the armed forces exercising powers under subsection (1) in like manner as they apply to a police officer.
For the purposes of subsection (1)—
"commander of any armed forces" means a commissioned officer for the time being in command of members of the armed forces in the proclaimed area;
a commissioned officer of any armed forces shall be deemed to be of equivalent rank to a police officer above the rank of Sergeant and a Sergeant or Petty officer of any armed forces shall be deemed to be of equivalent rank to a police officer of the rank of Sergeant.