The Police (Promotion) (Amendment) Regulations 1991

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Police (Promotion) (Amendment) Regulations 1991 and shall come into force on 1st October 1991.

(2) In these Regulations “the principal Regulations” means the Police (Promotion) Regulations 1979(1) and “the Schedule” means the Schedule to those Regulations.

Definitions in principal Regulations

2.  Regulation 3(1) of the principal Regulations is amended–

(a) in the definition of “examination agency”, by substituting for the words “Local Government Training Board” the words “Local Government Management Board”;

(b) in the definition of “qualifying examination for promotion to the rank of sergeant” and “qualifying examination for promotion to the rank of inspector”, by substituting for the words “have the meanings respectively assigned to them by paragraph 1(1)” the words “mean the qualifying examinations for promotion to those ranks described in paragraph 1”; and

(c) by deleting the definition of “special course”.

Qualification for promotion

3.  Regulation 4 of the principal Regulations is amended by inserting after paragraph (3)–

“(4) Previous service within regulation 12(1)(a) to (d) or (2)(a) to (c) which constituted probationary service in the force or constabulary in question shall count for the purposes of paragraph (1)(c) above.”.

Accelerated promotion courses

4.  The principal Regulations are amended by substituting for regulations 9 to 11–

“Accelerated promotion courses

9.— (1) In this regulation “APC(S)” means a course for the time being recognised by the Secretary of State for the purposes of this regulation as the accelerated promotion course for sergeants and “APC(I)” means a course so recognised as the accelerated promotion course for inspectors; in this paragraph “course” means a course of training entailing periods of residence at the Police Staff College and beginning after 30th September 1991.

(2) A constable who–

(a) is qualified under regulation 4 for promotion to the rank of sergeant, and

(b) is selected to attend APC(S),

shall be promoted to the rank of sergeant on the first day of his attendance.

(3) A period spent attending APC(S)–

(a) counts as service in the rank of sergeant for the purposes of regulation 4(2)(b), but

(b) to the extent that it is spent in residence at the Police Staff College, does not count as probationary service in that rank for the purposes of regulation 7.

(4) A sergeant who–

(a) is qualified under regulation 4 for promotion to the rank of inspector, and

(b) is selected to attend APC(I),

shall be promoted to the rank of inspector on the first day of his attendance but shall be on probation in that rank until he has completed one year’s service in it.

(5) Promotion under paragraph (2) or (4)–

(a) shall take place whether or not there is a vacancy in the authorised establishment for the rank in question, and

(b) does not affect any existing or subsequent vacancy unless the person promoted is designated to fill it.”.

Recognition of certain constabulary promotion examinations

5.  Regulation 12(2) of the principal Regulations is amended by substituting for the words after “in question,” the words

“has at any time, including a time before 1st October 1991, obtained a pass in an examination which at that time constituted–

(i) for the purposes of regulation 4(1)(a), the qualifying examination for promotion to the rank of sergeant, or

(ii) for the purposes of regulation 4(2)(a), the qualifying examination for promotion to the rank of inspector,

shall be deemed to have obtained a pass in the qualifying examination for promotion to the rank in question for the purposes of these Regulations.”.

Qualifying examinations

6.—(1) Paragraph 1 of the Schedule is amended by substituting for sub-paragraph (1)–

“(1) The qualifying examinations referred to in this Schedule are examinations in police subjects, held under arrangements approved by the examinations board, on syllabuses prepared by the examinations board in consultation with the examination agency.

(1A) Each of the qualifying examinations comprises–

(a) Part I, consisting of a written paper, and

(b) Part II, consisting of practical tests,

and Part II of a qualifying examination may be taken only if a pass has been obtained in Part I.

(1B) There shall be held in 1991 Part I of the qualifying examination for promotion to the rank of inspector, and in each year after 1991–

(a) each Part of the qualifying examination for promotion to the rank of inspector, and

(b) each Part of the qualifying examination for promotion to the rank of sergeant.”.

(2) Paragraph 2 of the Schedule is amended–

(a) in sub-paragraph (a), by substituting for the words after “obtain a pass” the words “in any Part of a qualifying examination”; and

(b) in sub-paragraph (b), by substituting for the words after “in which” the words “a person who has failed in Part II of a qualifying examination may attempt it a second time without again obtaining a pass in Part I”.

(3) Paragraph 3 of the Schedule is amended by inserting after the word “papers” the words “and practical tests”.

(4) Paragraph 5 of the Schedule is amended by substituting for sub-paragraphs (1) and (2)–

“(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2A), a constable who will before 1st December in any year have completed 2 years' service and have either–

(a) completed his probationary service, or

(b) completed the required period of probation following a previous appoint ment in his present or any other police force,

is eligible to take Part I of the qualifying examination for promotion to the rank of sergeant in that year.

(2) Subject to sub-paragraph (2A), a member of a police force who on 1st July in any year holds the rank of sergeant, otherwise than on temporary promotion under regulation 8(1), is eligible to take Part I of the qualifying examination for promotion to the rank of inspector in that year.

(2A) A member of a police force who has at any time, including a time before 1st October 1991, obtained a pass in an examination which at that time constituted–

(a) for the purposes of regulation 4(1)(a), the qualifying examination for promotion to the rank of sergeant, or

(b) for the purposes of regulation 4(2)(a), the qualifying examination for promotion to the rank of inspector,

is not eligible to take Part I of the qualifying examination for promotion to the rank in question.”.

(5) Paragraph 6 of the Schedule is amended by deleting the words after “agency”.

(6) The Schedule is further amended by deleting paragraph 7.

Transitional provisions

7.  The Schedule to these Regulations has effect with respect to transitional matters in connection with the coming into force of these Regulations.

Home Office

Kenneth Baker

One of Her Majesty’s Principal Secretaries of State

1st September 1991