Under Section 52 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 , the Policing Board must issue and from time to time revise a Code of Ethics for the PSNI. The first Code of Ethics was brought into force in February 2003. The Code lays down standards of conduct and practice for police officers, making them aware of their rights and obligations under the Human Rights Act 1998. In March 2003, the Code of Ethics became the disciplinary code for the PSNI.
In February 2006, three years after its introduction, the Policing Board, in accordance with its statutory discretion, agreed to revise the PSNI Code of Ethics. The Policing Board will issue the revised Code in 2007.