# The Police (Conduct) Regulations 2004, Regulation 3: Interpretation


(1) In these Regulations—
“appropriate authority” means—
(a) where the officer concerned is a senior officer of any police force, the police authority for the force’s area;
(b) where the officer concerned is a senior officer of the National Crime Squad, the Service Authority for that Squad;
(c) in any other case, the chief officer of the police officer’s force;
“appropriate officer” means—
(a) where the officer concerned is a member of the metropolitan police force or the City of London police force or a special constable appointed for the area of one of those forces, a police officer of at least the rank of commander in that police force;
(b) in any other case, a police officer of at least the rank of assistant chief constable;
“appropriate standard” means the standard set out in the Code of Conduct;
“conduct matter” means any matter which is not and has not been the subject of a complaint but in the case of which there is an indication (whether from the circumstances or otherwise) that a person serving with the police may have—
(a) committed a criminal offence; or
(b) behaved in a manner which would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings.
“Code of Conduct” means the code of conduct contained in Schedule 1;
“the Commission” means the Independent Police Complaints Commission;
“the officer concerned” means the police officer in relation to whose conduct there has been a report, complaint or allegation;
“officer other than a senior officer” means a police officer below the rank of senior officer;
“police officer” means a member of a police force or a special constable;
“senior officer” means a chief constable, a deputy chief constable or an assistant chief constable or, in the case of the City of London and metropolitan police forces, a member of the force in question of or above the rank of commander;
“supervising officer” means a police officer appointed under regulation 7 to supervise the investigation of a case;
“the 1996 Act” means the Police Act 1996; and
“the 2002 Act” means the Police Reform Act 2002.
(2) In these Regulations—
(a) a reference to a police force shall include a reference to the National Crime Squad;
(b) a reference to a police authority shall include a reference to the Service Authority for that Squad; and
(c) a reference to a chief officer shall include a reference to the Director General of that Squad.
(3) In the following regulations—
(a) a reference to an officer other than a senior officer shall include a reference to a special constable, regardless of the rank or grade he holds;
(b) any special constable of a rank or grade equivalent to or above the rank of chief superintendent shall be treated as if he were a chief superintendent.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2004/645/regulation/3 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/police-conduct-regulations-2004/regulation-3
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.