10.—(1) The relevant authority may, subject to the provisions of this regulation, suspend the officer concerned from membership of the MDP.
(2) An officer who is suspended under this regulation remains an MDP officer for the purposes of these Regulations.
(3) The relevant authority may not suspend an MDP officer under this regulation unless the following conditions (“the suspension conditions”) are satisfied—
(a)having considered temporary redeployment to alternative duties or an alternative location as an alternative to suspension, the relevant authority has determined that such redeployment is not appropriate in all the circumstances of the case, and
(b)it appears to the relevant authority that either—
(i)the effective investigation of the case may be prejudiced unless the officer concerned is so suspended, or
(ii)having regard to the nature of the allegation and any other relevant considerations, the public interest requires that the officer should be so suspended.
(4) The relevant authority may exercise the power to suspend the officer concerned under this regulation at any time beginning with the day on which these Regulations first apply in respect of the officer in accordance with regulation 3 and ending with the date on which—
(a)it is decided that the conduct of the officer should not be referred to misconduct proceedings or an accelerated misconduct hearing, or
(b)such proceedings have concluded.
(5) The relevant authority may suspend the officer concerned with effect from the date and time of notification which must be given either—
(a)in writing with a summary of the reasons, or
(b)orally, in which case the relevant authority must confirm the suspension in writing with a summary of the reasons before the end of 3 working days beginning with the first working day after the suspension.
(6) The officer concerned (or the officer’s police friend) may make representations against suspension to the relevant authority—
(a)before the end of 7 working days beginning with the first working day after being suspended;
(b)at any time during the suspension if the officer reasonably believes that circumstances relevant to the suspension conditions have changed.
(7) The relevant authority must review the suspension conditions—
(a)on receipt of any representations under paragraph (6);
(b)if there has been no previous review, before the end of 4 weeks beginning with the first working day after the suspension;
(c)in any other case—
(i)when it becomes aware that circumstances relevant to the suspension conditions may have changed (whether by means of representations made under paragraph (6)(b) or otherwise), or
(ii)before the end of 4 weeks beginning with the first working day after the previous review.
(8) Where, following a review under paragraph (7), the suspension conditions remain satisfied and the relevant authority decides the suspension should continue, it must, before the end of 3 working days beginning with the day after the review, so notify the officer concerned in writing with a summary of the reasons.
(9) Where the officer concerned is suspended under this regulation, the officer must remain so suspended until whichever of the following occurs first—
(a)the relevant authority decides, following a review, that the suspension conditions are no longer satisfied, or
(b)either of the events mentioned in paragraph (4)(a) and (b).
(10) In a case investigated under paragraph 18 or 19 of Schedule 3 to the 2002 Act(1) or section 54(2), (3)(a) or section 55(3), (5) or (6) of the 1998 Act(2), the relevant authority must consult with the Director General or, as the case may be, the Ombudsman—
(a)in deciding whether or not to suspend the officer concerned under this regulation, and
(b)in deciding, following a review, whether or not to end a suspension under this regulation.
Paragraphs 18 of the 2002 Act was amended by paragraph 18, 19, 56 of Schedule 5 to the Policing and Crime Act 2017 (c. 3). Paragraph 19 of that Act was also amended by paragraph 56 of Schedule 5 to that Act. There are other amendments to those provisions which are not relevant to these Regulations.
Section 55 of the 1998 Act was amended by paragraph 23 of Schedule 6 to the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 (c. 32), s. 34(4) of the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 (c. 46), s. 6(3) of the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2004 and S.I. 2010/976.