The chief constable of a police force shall be liable in reparation in respect of any wrongful act or omission on the part of any constable under his general direction in the performance or purported performance of his functions in like manner as a master is so liable in respect of a wrongful act or omission on the part of his servant in the course of the servant’s employment.

Any proceedings in respect of a claim made by virtue of this section shall be brought against the chief constable for the time being or, in the case of a vacancy in that office, against the person for the time being performing the functions of the chief constable; and references in the foregoing provisions of this section to the chief constable shall be construed accordingly.

The police authority may, in such cases and to such extent as they think fit, pay any damages or expenses awarded against a constable of the police force maintained for their area, or any constable for the time being required to serve with that force by virtue of section 11 of this Act F2or section 141 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, in proceedings arising from any wrongful act or omission on the part of that constable, any expenses incurred and not recovered by him in any such proceedings, and any sum required in connection with the settlement of any claim that has or might have given rise to such proceedings.

Where a member of the public has made a complaint to the chief constable of a police force against a constable of that force the inspectors of constabulary may, at the request of the member of the public, examine the manner in which the chief constable has dealt with the complaint.

Where the inspectors of constabulary have carried out an examination under subsection (1) above, they shall report their findings to the person who made the complaint and send a copy of that report to the chief constable and to the constable against whom the complaint was made; and they may direct the chief constable to reconsider the complaint and may instruct him to have regard, in doing so, to such further information as may have become available (whether or not as a result of the examination) after he dealt with the complaint; but no such direction shall be given as respects so much of the complaint as has been, or is, the subject of proceedings against the constable by virtue of section 26(2A)(a) of this Act.