Regulation 14 Probationary service in the rank of constable
This regulation applies to a member of a police force appointed in the rank of constable other than such a member who transferred to the force from another police force, having completed the required period of probation therein.
A member of a police force to whom this regulation applies shall, unless paragraph (3) applies to his case, be on probation for the first 2 years of his service as a constable in that police force following his last appointment thereto or for such longer period as the chief officer of police, with the approval of the Secretary of State, determines in the circumstances of a particular case:
Provided that where, in the opinion of the chief officer of police, the said period of probation was seriously interrupted by a period of absence from duty by reason of injury or illness, the chief officer of police may at his discretion extend the period of probation for such longer period not exceeding 12 months as he determines in the circumstances of that particular case.
A member of a police force to whom this regulation applies who has served on probation for a period of not less than a year following a previous appointment to that or any other police force shall be on probation for the first year of his service as a constable in the police force first mentioned in this paragraph following his last appointment thereto or for such longer period as the chief officer of police, with the approval of the Secretary of State, determines in the circumstances of a particular case:
Provided that the chief officer of police may at his discretion—
reduce the period of probation, so however that the reduced period, when aggregated with the previous period of probation, shall not be less than 2 years, or
dispense with the period of probation, if the member, following his previous appointment, completed the required period of probation in the force in question.
For the purposes of this regulation—
in reckoning service, any period of unpaid leave shall be disregarded;
in the case of a university scholar, in reckoning service his period of study shall be disregarded;
in the case of a member who has been statutorily transferred from one force to some other force, his service in those two forces shall be treated as if it were service in the same police force;
in the case of a member of a police force who has been transferred thereto from an aerodrome constabulary by an order under section 30 of the Aviation Security Act 1982, his service in that constabulary shall be treated as if it were service in that police force.
In its application to the metropolitan police force this regulation shall have effect as if “chief officer”included an assistant commissioner of police.