Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1976

53 Application of Act to the police

(1) For the purposes of this Act the holding of the office of constable shall be treated as employment—

(a) by the chief officer of police as respects any act done by him in relation to a constable or that office ;

(b) by the police authority as respects any act done by them in relation to a constable or that office.

(2) There shall be defrayed as expenses of the police authority—

(a) any damages or costs awarded against a chief officer of police in any proceedings under this Act, any costs incurred by him in any such proceedings so far as not recovered by him in the proceedings, and any costs incurred by him in connection with any investigation under this Act so far as not defrayed by sums paid by the Agency under Schedule 5, paragraph 11 ; and

(b) any sum required by a chief officer of police in connection with the settlement of any complaint made or action brought against him under this Act, if the settlement is approved by the police authority.

(3) Any proceedings under this Act which, by virtue of subsection (1), would lie against a chief officer of police shall be brought against the chief officer of police for the time being or, in the case of a vacancy in that office, against the person for the time being performing the functions of that office; and references in subsections (2) and (4) to the chief officer of police shall be construed accordingly.

(4) The police authority may make arrangements for the legal representation of the chief officer of police in any investigation or proceedings under this Act.

(5) This section applies to a police cadet and appointment as a police cadet as it applies to a constable and the office of constable.

(6) In this section—

• " chief officer of police "—

  (a)

  in relation to a person appointed, or an appointment falling to be made, to the police; force or as a police cadet in relation to that force, means the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary,

  (b)

  in relation to any other person or appointment means the officer who has the direction and control of the body of constables or cadets in question;

• " police authority "—

  (a)

  in relation to a person appointed, or an appointment falling to be made, to the police force or as a police cadet in relation to that force, means the Police Authority for Northern Ireland,

  (b)

  in relation to any other person or appointment, means the authority by whom the person in question is, or on appointment would be, paid ;

• " police cadet " means any person appointed to undergo training with a view to becoming a constable ;

• " police force " has the same meaning as in the [1970 c. 9 (N.I.).] Police Act (Northern Ireland) 1970.