The doctrine is based largely on the traditional office of constable; an historical legacy in British common-law from which all officers derive their primary obligations and powers. The Police Act of 1964 sought to provide a clearer definition of the duties and responsibilities of police officers. However, this author maintains that the wording of the statute lacks specificity, is ill-defined, and leaves room for recurring debate by making the extent to which a police authority can influence operational law enforcement decisionmaking a matter for negotiation at the local level. To date, the case law has appeared to establish a tradition of judicial support for the independence doctrine, while begging the question of what happens when the chief constable and central government disagree.