The Police (Performance and Attendance) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016

Procedure on receipt of notice of third stage meeting

32.—(1) Before the end of—

(a) 20 working days beginning with the first working day after the date on which a notice has been given to the member concerned under regulation 27 or 29; or

(b) where that period is extended by the panel chair for exceptional circumstances, such extended period,

the member concerned shall comply with paragraphs (2) and (3).

(2) The member concerned shall provide to the appropriate authority—

(a) written notice of whether or not he accepts that his performance or attendance has been unsatisfactory or that he has been grossly incompetent, as the case may be;

(b) where he accepts that his performance or attendance has been unsatisfactory or that he has been grossly incompetent, any written submission he wishes to make in mitigation;

(c) where he does not accept that his performance or attendance has been unsatisfactory or that he has been grossly incompetent, or where he disputes all or part of the matters referred to in the notice given under regulation 27 or 29, written notice of—

(i) the matters he disputes and his account of the relevant events; and

(ii) any arguments on points of law he wishes to be considered by the panel.

(3) The member concerned shall provide the appropriate authority and the panel with a copy of any document he intends to rely on at the third stage meeting.

(4) Before the end of 3 working days beginning with the first working day after the date on which the member concerned has complied with paragraph (2), the senior manager and the member concerned shall each supply to the other a list of proposed witnesses or give notice that they do not have any proposed witnesses; and any list of proposed witnesses shall include brief details of the evidence that each witness is able to adduce.

(5) Where there are proposed witnesses, the member concerned shall, if reasonably practicable, agree a list of proposed witnesses with the senior manager.

(6) Where no list of proposed witnesses is agreed under paragraph (5), the member concerned shall supply to the appropriate authority his list of proposed witnesses.