Section 140: Appointment of chief officers of police
402.Subsections (1) to (3) amend the requirement in the 2011 Act that to be eligible to be appointed as a chief constable a person must have served as a police constable in the UK. The section provides that, as an alternative, a person can have served as a police officer in an approved overseas police force, at an approved rank. Subsections (4) to (6) make an equivalent change to the 2011 Act in respect of the appointment of the Metropolitan Police Commissioner.
403.The section also places a duty on the College of Policing to make recommendations to the Secretary of State on the designation of approved countries, police forces and ranks, service in which would be deemed suitable experience for someone taking on the role of chief constable in England or Wales. Any such designation would be made by the Secretary of State by way of regulations (subject to the negative resolution procedure). It is expected that the College will take into account the direction set out in the Independent Review of Police Officer and Staff Remuneration and Conditions that only countries that have a common law jurisdiction and practice “policing by consent” will be suitable for designation.
