Arrangement of first interview
5.—(1) If the reporting officer decides to require a member to attend a first interview, he shall—
(a)send a notice in writing to the member concerned—
(i)requiring him to attend, at a specified time and place, an interview with the reporting officer or, if the member concerned so requests but subject to paragraph (4), the countersigning officer;
(ii)stating the reasons why the interview is required; and
(iii)informing him that he may be accompanied and represented at the interview by a member of a police force selected by him; and
(b)send a copy of the notice to the countersigning officer.
(2) A member who receives a notice pursuant to paragraph (1) may, not later than 7 days (or such longer period as the reporting officer may permit when sending the notice in terms of paragraph (1)(a)) after the date on which the notice was sent to him, request by notice in writing to the reporting officer that the interview be conducted by the countersigning officer.
(3) If the reporting officer receives notification in terms of paragraph (2), he shall, subject to paragraph (4), arrange for the interview to be conducted by the countersigning officer.
(4) In any case where it is not reasonably practicable for the countersigning officer to conduct the first interview, another member of the same or higher rank may conduct the interview in his place.