The Police (Conduct) Regulations 2004

Persons conducting the hearing: officers other than senior officers

19.—(1) Subject to paragraph (5), where a case concerning an officer other than a senior officer is referred to a hearing it shall be heard by three police officers appointed by the chief officer concerned who shall not be interested parties.

(2) Subject to regulation 33, one such officer shall be of at least the rank of assistant chief constable or, where the officer concerned is a member of the City of London or metropolitan police force, of at least the rank of commander, who shall be the presiding officer.

(3) Subject to paragraph (4), the presiding officer shall be assisted by two police officers of at least the rank of superintendent.

(4) Where the officer concerned is a superintendent or a chief superintendent, the presiding officer shall be assisted by two officers of the rank of assistant chief constable or, if the assisting officers are members of the City of London or metropolitan police force, of at least the rank of commander, who shall, unless the officer concerned is a member of the metropolitan police force, be from a different force or forces from the officer concerned.

(5) In a case where the hearing arises from a complaint or conduct matter which has been the subject of an investigation under paragraph 17, 18 or 19 of Schedule 3 to the 2002 Act, paragraph (3) shall not apply and the presiding officer shall be assisted by two persons of whom one is a police officer of at least the rank of superintendent (or, if the officer concerned is a superintendent or chief superintendent, of at least the rank of an assisting officer under paragraph (4)) and the other is a person selected by the police authority for the force concerned from a list of candidates maintained by that authority.

(6) A reference in this regulation to a member of a police force shall include a reference to a special constable appointed for the area of that force.