2.—(1) From 1st January 2000 to 31st March 2000, the chief officer of police of a police force maintained under section 2 of the Police Act 1996(1) for the police area of Essex, Hertfordshire or Surrey may with the agreement of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis provide constables from that force to the metropolitan police force in preparation for the change effected as a result of section 323 of the 1999 Act.
(2) While a constable is provided under this article to the metropolitan police force, he shall be under the direction and control of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, notwithstanding section 10(1) of the Police Act 1996.
(3) The police authority maintaining the metropolitan police force shall pay to the police authority maintaining a police force from which constables are provided under this article such contribution (if any) as may be agreed upon by those police authorities.
(4) This article is without prejudice to any other power of a chief officer of police to provide constables or other assistance to another police force.