15.—(1) For the purposes of this Part, the holding of the office of constable otherwise than as a police officer shall be treated as employment—
(a)by the chief officer of police as respects any act done by him in relation to that office or a holder of it;
(b)by the policing authority as respects any act done by it in relation to that office or the holder of it.
(2) For the purposes of regulation 26 (liability of employers and principals)—
(a)the holding of the office of constable otherwise than as a police officer shall be treated as employment by the chief officer of police (and as not being employment by any other person); and
(b)anything done by a person holding such an office in the performance, or purported performance, of his functions shall be treated as done in the course of that employment.
(3) There shall be paid out of the police fund—
(a)any compensation, damages or costs awarded against a chief officer of police in any proceedings brought against him under these Regulations, and any costs incurred by him in any such proceedings so far as not recovered by him in the proceedings; and
(b)any sum required by a chief officer of police for the settlement of any claim made against him under these Regulations if the settlement is approved by the police authority.
(4) A police authority may, in such cases and to such extent as appear to it to be appropriate, pay out of the police fund—
(a)any compensation, damages or costs awarded in proceedings under these Regulations against a person under the direction and control of the chief officer of police;
(b)any costs incurred and not recovered by such a person in such proceedings; and
(c)any sum required in connection with the settlement of a claim that has or might have given rise to such proceedings.
(5) A police authority may make arrangements for the legal representation of any person under the direction and control of the chief officer of police in any proceedings mentioned in paragraph (4).
(6) Subject to paragraph (8), in this regulation—
“chief officer of police” means the person who has the direction and control of the body of constables in question;
“police authority” means the authority by which members of the body of constables are paid;
“police fund” means money provided by the authority by which the members of the body of constables are paid.
(7) Nothing in paragraphs (3) to (6) applies in relation to the police.
(8) In relation to a constable of a force who is not under the direction and control of the chief officer of police for that force, references in this regulation to the chief officer of police are references to the chief officer of the force under whose direction and control he is, and references in this regulation to the police authority are references to the relevant police authority for that force.
(9) This regulation is subject to regulation 16 (Serious Organised Crime Agency).