Section 51 – Prohibition on employment of police
75.This section re-enacts section 32 of the 1947 Act and provides that a relevant authority may not employ a police constable as a fire‑fighter. If an off-duty constable was employed by a relevant authority, for example as a fire‑fighter on the retained duty system and available for response by pager call, difficulties may arise at the scene of a fire or other emergency due to confusion over which employer has the primary claim on the constable’s services.