Equality Act 2010

43 Interpretation

(1) This section applies for the purposes of section 42.

(2) “Chief officer” means—

(a) in relation to an appointment under a relevant Act, the chief officer of police for the police force to which the appointment relates;

(b) in relation to any other appointment, the person under whose direction and control the body of constables or other persons to which the appointment relates is;

(c) in relation to a constable or other person under the direction and control of a chief officer of police, that chief officer of police;

(d) in relation to any other constable or any other person, the person under whose direction and control the constable or other person is.

(3) “Responsible authority” means—

(a) in relation to an appointment under a relevant Act, the police authority that maintains the police force to which the appointment relates;

(b) in relation to any other appointment, the person by whom a person would (if appointed) be paid;

(c) in relation to a constable or other person under the direction and control of a chief officer of police, the police authority that maintains the police force for which that chief officer is the chief officer of police;

(d) in relation to any other constable or any other person, the person by whom the constable or other person is paid.

(4) “Police cadet” means a person appointed to undergo training with a view to becoming a constable.

(5) “SOCA” means the Serious Organised Crime Agency; and a reference to a constable at SOCA is a reference to a constable seconded to it to serve as a member of its staff.

(6) “SPSA” means the Scottish Police Services Authority; and a reference to a constable at SPSA is a reference to a constable—

(a) seconded to it to serve as a member of its staff, and

(b) not at SCDEA.

(7) “SCDEA” means the Scottish Crime and Drugs Enforcement Agency; and a reference to a constable at SCDEA is a reference to a constable who is a police member of it by virtue of paragraph 7(2)(a) or (b) of Schedule 2 to the Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2006 (asp 10) (secondment).

(8) For the purposes of this section, the relevant Acts are—

(a) the Metropolitan Police Act 1829;

(b) the City of London Police Act 1839;

(c) the Police (Scotland) Act 1967;

(d) the Police Act 1996.

(9) A reference in subsection (2) or (3) to a chief officer of police includes, in relation to Scotland, a reference to a chief constable.