The Police Federation (England and Wales) Regulations 2017

PART 2Membership and voluntary subscriptions

Membership of the Federation

4.—(1) Each of the following is eligible to be a member of the Federation—

(a)a member of a police force in England and Wales below the rank of superintendent;

(b)a police cadet undergoing training with a view to becoming a member of a police force in England and Wales.

(2) A person who is eligible to be a member of the Federation may opt to join it by joining the relevant Federation branch at any time after joining a police force in England and Wales or starting that person’s cadet training with a view to becoming a member of that force.

(3) A person who joins the Federation under paragraph (2) may at any time after so joining opt to pay voluntary subscriptions to the Federation.

(4) A member of the Federation is entitled, on giving not less than one month’s notice to the branch secretary of that member’s Federation branch, to terminate that member’s membership of that branch and the Federation, but a shorter period of notice may be given where the Federation agrees to this.

Effect of paying voluntary subscriptions

5.—(1) A member of the Federation who pays voluntary subscriptions is entitled to the provision of advice and representation by the Federation in accordance with any conditions set out in Federation rules in relation to the specified matters mentioned in paragraph (2).

(2) The specified matters are—

(a)disciplinary proceedings under the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2012(1);

(b)unsatisfactory performance procedures under the Police (Performance) Regulations 2012(2);

(c)complaints or other matters falling within section 12 of the Police Reform Act 2002(3);

(d)complaints relating to police cadets in training.

New members

6.—(1) The Federation must—

(a)notify each new member of a police force below the rank of superintendent, and each new police cadet in training with a view to becoming a member of a police force, that the member or cadet may opt to join the Federation;

(b)notify each member of a police force below the rank of superintendent, and each police cadet in training with a view to becoming a member of a police force, who wishes to join the Federation that—

(i)the member or cadet may opt to pay voluntary subscriptions to the Federation, and

(ii)the payment of such subscriptions will entitle the member or cadet to the provision of advice and representation by the Federation in accordance with any conditions set out in Federation rules in relation to the specified matters mentioned in regulation 5(2).

(2) The notifications required under paragraph (1) must be given as soon as reasonably practicable, and for notifications under paragraph (1)(a), within one month after the date on which any Federation body learns of the new member or police cadet.

(3) Nothing in this regulation requires the Federation—

(a)to notify existing members of the Federation that they may opt to join the Federation, or

(b)to notify existing members of the Federation who are already paying voluntary subscriptions to the Federation that they may opt to pay such subscriptions.

(4) For the purposes of paragraph (3), an “existing member” is a person who is already a member of the Federation when these Regulations come into force.