The Police (Amendment) Regulations 2013

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Police Regulations 2003 to implement recommendations 3, 16, 17 and 18 of the Independent Review of Police Officer and Staff Remuneration and Conditions: Final Report(1).

Those recommendations were as follows:

Recommendation 3 – From April 2013, an additional qualification should be added to the list required for appointment to a police force in regulation 10 of the Police Regulations 2003. Candidates eligible for appointment to a police force should have either a Level 3 qualification, or a police qualification which is recognised by the sector skills council, Skills for Justice, or service as a special constable or service as a police community support officer (or another staff role which the chief officer is satisfied provides appropriate experience). The chief officer should have a discretion in relation to which of these criteria should apply to applicants for entry to his force.

Recommendation 16 – Provision should be made in police regulations to enable police officers to be seconded to organisations outside policing for a period not exceeding five years.

Recommendation 17 – The Police Regulations 2003 should be amended to provide for the return to the police service of former non-probationary officers at the rank they last held. There should be no right of return and there must be a suitable vacancy. Return after more than five years should not be allowed other than in exceptional circumstances.

Recommendation 18 – The Police Regulations 2003 should be amended to provide that returning officers should be subject to a probationary period of six months.

(1)

Cm. 8325.