20. After paragraph 18(1) insert—
“18A.—(1) This paragraph applies where the Commission determines that there should be an investigation by a police force under the management of the Commission.
(2) The Commission shall—
(a)identify the police force whose force area includes the geographical area to which the subject matter of the complaint, recordable conduct matter or DSI matter most closely relates, and
(b)take steps to obtain the agreement of—
(i)the chief officer of police of that force, and
(ii)the appropriate authority,
to the appointment by the Commission of that force to carry out the investigation.
(3) In the event that no agreement is reached under sub-paragraph (2) the Commission may require the chief officer of police of any police force it considers appropriate to carry out the investigation.
(4) A chief officer of police of a police force who agrees to or is required to carry out an investigation shall, if he has not already done so, appoint a person serving with the police who is a member of that force to investigate that complaint or matter.
(5) Sub-paragraphs (3) to (5) of paragraph 17 shall apply as they apply to an investigation by the appropriate authority which the Commission has determined is one that it should supervise and the references to the appropriate authority in those sub-paragraphs shall be treated as references to the chief officer of police concerned.
(6) An appointment of a person under sub-paragraph (4) or (5) shall be notified by the chief officer of police concerned to the appropriate authority.
(7) The person appointed to investigate the complaint or matter shall, in relation to that investigation, be under the direction and control of the Commission.”.
Paragraph 18 was amended by paragraph 16 of Schedule 12 to 2005 c. 15.