Police Suspension
& Restricted Duties
Suspension takes a police officer off duty and out of the office of constable while an allegation is investigated, with pay and without any finding of guilt (Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020, regulation 11). Below: who can suspend you, the pay rule and its exceptions, your review dates, how long suspensions really last, your rights, and how restricted duties differ.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 3 October 2026 · England and Wales
A suspended police officer has been removed from the office of constable, and from membership of the force, while an allegation against them is dealt with (Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020, regulations 2(1) and 11). It is a precautionary, neutral step, not a punishment: the officer cannot use police powers or work, but remains a police officer for the conduct process, is still bound by the Standards of Professional Behaviour and must be paid. Suspension is not a finding of guilt and is not one of the four disciplinary sanctions.
Restricted duties are different: the officer keeps working and keeps their powers, but in another role or location or with limits, and the force must consider this before it suspends anyone.
A “restricted officer” or “officer on restricted duties” is still at work. In police HR the phrase usually means an officer on limited duties under regulation 22 of the Police Regulations 2003: recuperative duties after injury or illness, adjusted duties with workplace adjustments, or management restricted duties, which apply where the chief constable has lost confidence in the officer continuing in their current post but misconduct or criminal proceedings are not warranted. See the comparison below.
Suspended meaning: the quick-answer table
The ten things people most often need to know, each with the rule it comes from. Regulation numbers refer to the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 as amended to 13 July 2026 unless stated. The sections below explain each one.
| Question | Answer | Where the rule is |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Removal from the office of constable and from membership of the force while an allegation is dealt with. A precautionary step to protect the investigation or the public interest | Reg 2(1); reg 11(1) and (4) |
| What it is not | Not a sanction, not dismissal and not a finding of guilt. The only disciplinary actions are a written warning, final written warning, reduction in rank and dismissal without notice | Reg 2(1); Home Office guidance para 5.20 |
| Pay | Must be with pay, at the rate you would get if not suspended, including relevant allowances. Exceptions: time in custody after conviction, or absent with whereabouts unknown | Reg 11(3); guidance para 5.30; Police Regulations 2003 Sch 2 |
| Who decides | The appropriate authority: your chief officer (the PCC or equivalent for a chief officer). If delegated, the decision must be authorised by an officer above chief superintendent | Reg 2(1), (3), (4) |
| The test | The investigation may be prejudiced unless you are suspended, or the public interest otherwise requires it. Redeployment must be considered first | Reg 11(4) and (5) |
| Notice | Written reasons, or oral notice confirmed in writing with reasons within 3 working days | Reg 11(6) |
| Your first challenge | Representations within 7 working days, and at any time if circumstances change | Reg 11A(1) |
| Reviews | Within 12 weeks, then at least every 12 weeks (every 4 weeks if the allegation reached the force before 13 July 2026) | Reg 11A(2); old reg 11(8) |
| How long | No maximum. Median suspension ending in 2024/25: 273 days; 62% under a year | Reg 11(7); Home Office statistics |
| Still bound by | The Standards of Professional Behaviour and any reasonable conditions the force sets | Guidance paras 5.21 and 5.29 |
What suspension means in law
The Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 define “suspend” as suspending an officer from the office of constable and, for a member of a police force, from membership of the force (regulation 2(1)). A suspended officer still “remains a police officer” for the purposes of the Conduct Regulations and the Vetting Regulations (regulation 11(2)), and regulation 3 of the Police Regulations 2003 says a “member of a police force” includes a member suspended under the Conduct Regulations. The Home Office statutory guidance (paragraph 5.21) puts it this way: the officer ceases to hold the office and membership save for the purposes of misconduct proceedings and as a matter of employment law.
- You cannot act as a constable. Suspension takes away the office of constable, so you cannot use police powers or perform duties.
- You are still bound by the Standards of Professional Behaviour. The Home Office guidance says the force can impose reasonable conditions, for example restricting access to police premises or police social functions.
- It is not a sanction. The disciplinary actions in the regulations are a written warning, a final written warning, reduction in rank and dismissal without notice. Suspension is none of these, and the Home Office guidance says it “has no bearing on any indication of guilt”.
- It is precautionary. The only lawful reasons are to protect the investigation or because the public interest requires it (regulation 11(4)). It says nothing about how strong the evidence is, or what the outcome will be.
- It can also happen under the vetting rules. The regulations also recognise suspension under the Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025, which is a separate process (see vetting below).
- Special constables can be suspended from the office of constable too; the “membership of the force” part of the definition applies only to regular officers (regulation 2(1)).
This page covers police officers in England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own conduct regulations, and searches such as “can a DSP suspend an SHO” relate to rank titles used in other countries’ police services, whose rules we do not cover.
The suspension test: when a force can, and must, suspend
Since 13 July 2026, regulation 11(1) says the appropriate authority must suspend if it is satisfied the “suspension condition” is met and you are not already suspended. The suspension condition (regulation 11(4)) is that:
- the effective investigation of the case may be prejudiced unless you are suspended; or
- the public interest otherwise requires that you should be suspended.
When deciding whether the condition is met, the force must consider whether temporary redeployment to alternative duties or an alternative location is an appropriate alternative to suspension in all the circumstances (regulation 11(5)). So redeployment is part of the test, not an afterthought.
The old test, for allegations before 13 July 2026, was framed the other way round: the force may suspend only if, having considered redeployment, it decided redeployment was not appropriate, and it appeared that the investigation may be prejudiced or that, having regard to the nature of the allegation and any other relevant considerations, the public interest required suspension (old regulation 11(4)). The Home Office guidance written for that version says suspension “will be the exception” (paragraph 5.20); that wording has not been updated for the 2026 duty to suspend.
For arrests and charges for listed offences or domestic abuse, the regulations go further and say the public interest requires suspension unless there are exceptional circumstances. Those rules are set out in the 2026 rules section.
Restricted duties, limited duties and “restricted officers”
“Restricted duties” is used loosely for several different things. None of them is suspension, because in each case the officer is still working.
| Status | What it means | Where the rule is |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | Removed from the office of constable and from duty. Paid. Reviewed on a fixed cycle | Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020, regs 11 to 11H |
| Redeployment (often called “restricted duties” in a misconduct case) | You keep working and keep your powers, but in a different role or location, sometimes with limits. The force must consider this before suspending | Conduct Regulations reg 11(5); Home Office guidance para 5.23 |
| Management restricted duties | Used where confidential information or serious concerns call your suitability for your current post into question, criminal or misconduct proceedings are not warranted, and the chief constable has lost confidence in you continuing in that role | Police Regulations 2003 reg 22; Annex EE determination; Home Office limited duties guidance (2015) |
| Recuperative duties | Temporary duties after an injury, illness or medical incident while you prepare to return to full duties | Police Regulations 2003 reg 22; Annex EE |
| Adjusted duties | Longer-term duties with workplace adjustments (including reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010) where you attend regularly and work your full hours | Police Regulations 2003 regs 22 and 28A; Annex EE |
In a misconduct case, the relevant alternative is temporary redeployment to alternative duties or an alternative location. The appropriate authority must consider it before deciding the suspension condition is met (regulation 11(5)). The Home Office guidance says you should be told why you are being moved, and this should be confirmed in writing.
Recuperative and adjusted duties are health-related, not disciplinary. Regulation 28A of the Police Regulations 2003 lets the Home Secretary set a pay reduction for some officers on adjusted duties; ask your Federation representative how the current determination applies to you, as we have not checked it for this page. Suspension carries no such reduction.
Suspension vs restricted duties vs “special measures”
People searching for what has happened to an officer often meet three phrases. Here they are side by side.
| Suspension | Redeployment or restricted duties (conduct case) | Management restricted duties | “Special measures” | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still working? | No | Yes, in another role or location | Yes, in another post | Not a duty status (see below) |
| Still hold the office of constable? | No, except for the conduct process | Yes | Yes | Not applicable |
| Pay | Full pay, subject to the custody and absence exceptions (reg 11(3); Sch 2) | Normal pay for the work you do | Normal pay (the reg 28A reduction applies only to some adjusted duties) | Not applicable |
| Overtime | None, because you are not working | Normal rules apply to the work you do | Normal rules apply to the work you do | Not applicable |
| Legal basis | Conduct Regs regs 11 to 11H; Vetting Regs regs 13 and 13A | Conduct Regs reg 11(5): an alternative the force must consider | Police Regs 2003 reg 22(1)(h) and (5); Annex EE | Usually a confusion with “special procedures” or “special conditions” |
| Fixed reviews in the regulations? | Yes: 12 weeks (4 weeks for older allegations) | No fixed cycle in the Conduct Regulations | None in the regulations; see the Annex EE determination and force policy | Not applicable |
| Is it a sanction? | No | No | No: it applies where proceedings are not warranted | No |
We found no provision in the conduct, vetting or police regulations that puts an individual officer on “special measures”. The phrase usually comes from one of these:
- Special procedures: the rules that apply when a complaint investigation indicates an officer may have committed a criminal offence or behaved in a way that would justify disciplinary proceedings, and to any investigation of a recordable conduct matter about an officer (Police Reform Act 2002, Schedule 3, paragraph 19A). This is a type of investigation, not a duty status.
- Special conditions: the test for sending a gross misconduct case straight to an accelerated hearing: enough written evidence to establish gross misconduct on the balance of probabilities, and a public interest in the officer leaving without delay (Conduct Regulations, regulation 49(2)). See accelerated hearings.
- A whole force moved into the inspectorate’s enhanced monitoring, which news reports often call “special measures”. That is about a force’s performance, not an individual officer.
The new suspension rules from 13 July 2026
The Police (Conduct and Vetting etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/653) replaced regulation 11 with regulations 11 to 11H and added a Schedule 3 list of offences. The explanatory note says the aim includes clarifying that there is a duty to suspend where it is in the public interest.
| Situation | Rule | Regulation |
|---|---|---|
| Any conduct case where the suspension condition is met | The appropriate authority must suspend (previously it may). It must still consider redeployment to other duties or another location first | Reg 11(1) and (5) |
| Under criminal investigation and the conduct assessed as gross misconduct | Must decide whether the suspension condition is met within 3 working days | Reg 11B |
| Arrested, or interviewed under caution, for a listed offence (sexual offences, stalking, controlling or coercive behaviour, forced marriage, FGM, indecent images of children and others in Schedule 3) | Public interest requires suspension unless there are exceptional circumstances. Decision within 3 working days (8 if it needs chief officer sign-off). A decision not to suspend must be authorised by the chief officer (assistant commissioner or above in the Met) and reported to the PCC or equivalent | Regs 11C, 11D, 2(4ZA), Sch 3 |
| Arrested or interviewed under caution for another offence where the force assesses the conduct as domestic abuse | Treated the same as a listed offence | Reg 11E |
| Charged with a listed offence | Automatic or mandatory suspension that lasts until the charge is dropped or you are found not guilty. No review of the suspension itself | Reg 11F |
| Charged with another offence and the force assesses the conduct as domestic abuse | Mandatory suspension, with a one-off right to make representations against the domestic abuse assessment within 7 working days | Regs 11G, 11H |
“Relevant offence” means a Schedule 3 offence or an attempt or conspiracy to commit one (regulation 11C(5)). A “domestic abuse assessment” is the force’s assessment that your conduct, if proved, would amount to domestic abuse within section 1 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (regulation 11E(4)). Where you were already suspended under the Vetting Regulations when charged with a listed offence, the suspension continues under regulation 11F (regulation 11F(2)(c)).
Under regulation 27 of SI 2026/653, the new rules do not apply to an allegation that came to the attention of the force, the PCC or the IOPC before 13 July 2026, or to a linked later allegation while the older one is still being handled under the old rules (unless the IOPC orders a re-investigation or applies the new rules to an old case). Under the old regulation 11 the force may suspend only if redeployment is not appropriate and either the investigation may be prejudiced or the public interest requires it, and it must review the suspension at least every 4 weeks.
A constable is arrested in August 2026 on suspicion of a stalking offence, a listed offence. The force must decide within 3 working days whether the suspension condition is met, and the public interest requires suspension unless there are exceptional circumstances. If the constable is later charged, suspension becomes automatic and lasts until the charge is dropped or they are acquitted. If the same arrest had come to the force’s attention in June 2026, the old, discretionary rules would apply.
Who can suspend a police officer, and at what rank
- The appropriate authority, which is the chief officer of your force for most officers. For a chief officer or acting chief officer it is the local policing body: the PCC, MOPAC for the Met Commissioner, or the Common Council for the City of London Commissioner (regulation 2(1)).
- Delegation. A chief officer can delegate conduct functions to an officer of at least the rank of inspector, or a police staff member of similar seniority (regulation 2(3)).
- But a senior officer must authorise the suspension decision. Where the function is delegated, a decision under regulation 11 or 11A on whether the suspension condition is met must be authorised by a “senior officer”, defined as an officer above the rank of chief superintendent (regulations 2(1) and 2(4)). In practice that means an assistant chief constable or above (commander or above in the Met and City of London). The decision can be communicated to you by an appropriate manager (Home Office guidance paragraph 5.28).
- Listed offence cases: a decision not to suspend must be authorised by the chief officer, or an assistant commissioner or above in the Met (regulation 2(4ZA)), and reported to the PCC, police and crime panel, MOPAC or Home Secretary depending on who the appropriate authority is (regulation 11D).
- IOPC cases: where the IOPC is directing or carrying out the investigation, the force must consult the IOPC Director General before deciding (regulation 11(8)) and before deciding on a review (regulation 11A(4)). The decision stays with the force. See IOPC investigations.
- Vetting cases: under the Vetting Regulations the decision belongs to the vetting authority (regulation 13 of the Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025).
You must be told in writing with a summary of the reasons, or orally with written confirmation within 3 working days (regulation 11(6)). The guidance adds that where suspension is on public interest grounds, those grounds should be clearly explained so far as possible (paragraph 5.24).
Are suspended police officers paid?
Yes. Suspension under the Conduct Regulations “must be with pay” (regulation 11(3), applied to automatic and mandatory suspension by regulations 11F(5) and 11G(6)). Suspension under the Vetting Regulations must also be with pay (regulation 13(3)). The Home Office statutory guidance says the rate of pay, including relevant allowances, is what you would receive if not suspended, and that this includes an allowance for temporary promotion.
The Police Regulations 2003 (Schedule 2) set out exceptions:
- No pay for any period you are detained in prison under a sentence, or in custody between conviction and sentence.
- No pay for any period you are absent from duty and your whereabouts are unknown to the chief officer.
- Allowances under Part 6 of the Police Regulations are limited during suspension to those in Schedule 3 or set by the Home Secretary (Schedule 2, paragraph 2, and regulation 37).
You cannot earn overtime while suspended because you are not working. The Home Office guidance says you can take annual leave with the appropriate authority’s permission, which should not be unreasonably withheld.
Schedule 2, paragraph 3 provides for withheld pay and allowances to be paid back from the date of suspension in some cases where you return to duty, but its wording (“charged with a disciplinary offence”) dates from an older conduct system, so ask your representative how it would apply to you.
Suspension timeline: the dates to diary
For an ordinary suspension under regulation 11, for an allegation that reached the force on or after 13 July 2026. “Working day” excludes weekends, Christmas Day, Good Friday and bank holidays in England and Wales (regulation 2(1)). Periods run from the first working day after the event.
| When | What happens | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Day 0 | You are told you are suspended. Suspension starts from the date and time of notification | Reg 11(6) |
| Within 3 working days of oral notice | Written confirmation with a summary of the reasons, if you were told orally | Reg 11(6)(b) |
| Within 7 working days | Your window to make representations against the suspension (you or your police friend). The force must review on receipt | Reg 11A(1)(a), (2)(a) |
| Within 3 working days of any review that keeps you suspended | Written notice with a summary of the reasons | Reg 11A(3) |
| By 12 weeks | First review, if there has been no earlier one (4 weeks for allegations before 13 July 2026) | Reg 11A(2)(b); old reg 11(8)(b) |
| Every 12 weeks after that | Further reviews, plus a review whenever the force learns circumstances may have changed | Reg 11A(2)(c) |
| At any time | Further representations if you reasonably believe circumstances relevant to the suspension condition have changed | Reg 11A(1)(b) |
| End | Suspension lifted on review, a decision of no case to answer or no proceedings, the end of proceedings, or a switch to automatic or mandatory suspension on charge | Reg 11(7) |
Different clocks: after an arrest or interview under caution for a listed offence or domestic abuse, the force has 3 working days (8 if a chief officer must sign off not suspending) to decide (regulations 11C and 11E). On charge with a listed offence, you must be notified that you are suspended before the end of the first working day after the suspension (regulation 11F(3) and (4)). On mandatory suspension for a domestic abuse charge, you have 7 working days to make representations against the domestic abuse assessment (regulation 11H(1)).
How long suspension lasts and how often it is reviewed
There is no maximum length of suspension in the regulations. Under the current regulation 11, suspension continues until the first of these:
- after a review, the appropriate authority is no longer satisfied the suspension condition is met;
- it is decided you have no case to answer, or that you will not be referred to misconduct proceedings or an accelerated hearing;
- misconduct proceedings have concluded; or
- you are charged and suspension continues under the automatic or mandatory rules instead.
Reviews (regulation 11A): the first review must take place within 12 weeks of the first working day after suspension, then within 12 weeks of each previous review, and also whenever the force becomes aware circumstances may have changed or receives your representations. If the suspension continues after a review, you must be told in writing with reasons within 3 working days. For allegations before 13 July 2026, reviews are at least every 4 weeks.
Suspension on charge for a listed offence (regulation 11F) is not reviewed in the same way. It continues until the charge is discontinued or you are found not guilty. Mandatory suspension for a domestic abuse charge (regulation 11G) ends if the force withdraws its domestic abuse assessment after your representations, if the charge is dropped or you are acquitted, or on a no-case or no-proceedings decision or the end of proceedings (regulation 11G(7)).
The Home Office guidance (paragraph 7.4) says investigations into officers who are suspended or on limited duties should be carried out as efficiently as possible, given the impact on them. For the time limits that apply to the investigation itself, see how long misconduct investigations take.
How many officers are suspended, and for how long
The Home Office published national suspension figures for the first time in its police misconduct statistics for the year ending 31 March 2025 (published 22 January 2026). These cover suspensions under the old rules, with 4-weekly reviews; the July 2026 duty to suspend is too recent to show up yet. A separate count of suspended officers appears in the annual police workforce statistics, most recently for 31 March 2026 (published 22 July 2026).
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Open suspensions of police officers, 31 March 2025 | 923 (941 a year earlier, down 2%) | Police misconduct statistics, year ending 31 March 2025, ch. 8 |
| New suspensions started in 2024/25 | 726 | As above |
| Suspensions that ended in 2024/25 | 744 | As above |
| Median length of suspensions ending in 2024/25 | 273 calendar days | As above |
| Share lasting under 1 year / under 2 years | 62% / 87% | As above |
| Officers (FTE) on long-term absence because suspended, 31 March 2026 | 749, or 11.2% of all officers on long-term absence | Police workforce, 31 March 2026, ch. 12 |
| Same measure, 31 March 2025 | 750 | Police workforce, 31 March 2025, ch. 11 |
| Share of suspended long-term absentees who were male, 31 March 2026 | 89.0% (men are 63.2% of all officers) | Police workforce, 31 March 2026, table 12.1 |
- The misconduct figures count suspensions in calendar days, and the Home Office notes that some end dates were not recorded.
- The workforce figure counts only officers absent for more than 28 days at 31 March, on a full-time equivalent basis, in the 43 territorial forces, so it is lower than the misconduct count.
- The Home Office says direct comparisons between the two series should be made with caution because of recording differences.
Put simply: in 2024/25 a typical suspension that ended had lasted about nine months, most ended within a year, and around one in eight lasted two years or more.
Your rights when suspended
- To be told why. Written notice with a summary of the reasons, or oral notice confirmed in writing within 3 working days (regulation 11(6)).
- To make representations, yourself or through your police friend, within 7 working days and whenever you reasonably believe circumstances have changed (regulation 11A(1)).
- To regular reviews and written reasons each time the suspension is continued (regulation 11A(2) and (3)).
- To be paid at your normal rate, subject to the narrow exceptions (regulation 11(3); Schedule 2).
- To a police friend and representation. You can choose a police friend under regulation 7, and your staff association (the Police Federation for chief inspectors and below) can advise you. See Federation representation and legal support.
- To welfare support. The Home Office guidance says chief constables have a duty of care for officers’ welfare during investigations and misconduct proceedings, and that an officer should be able to contact their line manager, HR, occupational health or a nominated welfare contact (paragraphs 5.51 and 5.52).
- To annual leave, with permission that should not be unreasonably withheld (paragraph 5.32).
- To keep a temporary promotion and its allowance where circumstances are otherwise unchanged (paragraph 5.31).
For your wider rights during the investigation, including the regulation 17 notice and interviews, see police officer under investigation: your rights.
Can suspension be challenged?
- Representations within 7 working days. You or your police friend can make representations against suspension within 7 working days beginning with the first working day after you are suspended (regulation 11A(1)(a)).
- Representations at any time if you reasonably believe circumstances relevant to the suspension condition have changed (regulation 11A(1)(b)). The force must review on receipt.
- Domestic abuse cases on charge: a one-off right to make representations against the domestic abuse assessment within 7 working days (regulation 11H).
- Vetting suspensions: the same 7-working-day and changed-circumstances rights, with 12-weekly reviews (Vetting Regulations 2025, regulation 13A).
- Beyond the regulations: there is no tribunal appeal against suspension in the Conduct Regulations. Any wider legal challenge needs specialist advice from your Federation or staff association and a solicitor.
Useful points for representations: whether redeployment was properly considered, whether the reasons given match the suspension condition, and what has changed since the last decision. This is general information; your representative can advise on your own case.
What you can and cannot do while suspended
The regulations say little about day-to-day life on suspension. Most practical restrictions come from conditions the force sets, which the Home Office guidance (paragraph 5.29) says must be reasonable in the circumstances. Read your notice carefully and ask for anything unclear in writing.
- Police powers and warrant card. You cannot act as a constable. The guidance treats producing a warrant card as putting yourself on duty (paragraph 2.21). We found no national rule listing what must be handed in; whether you return your warrant card, kit or IT access is set by your force, and your notice or conditions should say.
- Police premises, colleagues and social functions. The force can restrict access to police premises or police social functions (paragraph 5.29). Be cautious about discussing the case with colleagues who may be witnesses; ask your representative.
- Other work. The business interest rules still apply. If you have or propose a business interest, including any other employment for hire or gain, you must immediately give written notice to the chief officer, and the force must tell you within 28 days whether it is compatible with remaining a member; you can appeal to the chief officer within 10 days (Police Regulations 2003, regulations 7 to 9). The guidance says you should not take up an interest that has been refused (paragraph 2.22).
- Annual leave and travel. Annual leave needs the appropriate authority’s permission, which should not be unreasonably withheld, and normal carry-over limits apply (paragraph 5.32). We found no national rule on travelling abroad; check your suspension conditions, and any bail conditions if you have been arrested.
- Social media and public comment. The Standards of Professional Behaviour still apply. See social media and off-duty conduct.
- Resigning or retiring. The Home Office guidance says officers under investigation may give notice to resign or retire, but where the allegation is gross misconduct the case can continue against them as a former officer, and they can be placed on the advisory list. See can I resign before a misconduct hearing?
- Welfare. Suspension can be isolating; the guidance recognises that people under investigation can feel isolated and vulnerable (paragraph 5.52). Ask your force who your welfare contact is, and use your Federation or staff association, the support in our welfare hub and the police mental health support directory.
Pension, promotion, vetting and transfers
- Pension. Suspension does not end your employment or scheme membership, and you continue to be paid. We found no pension regulation dealing with suspension specifically, so ask your pension administrator to confirm how contributions and any unpaid period are treated. If suspension ends in dismissal, see what happens to your pension if you are dismissed. To see your own figures under each outcome, use the Police Pension Exit Report.
- Temporary promotion. The Home Office guidance says temporary promotion should not be rescinded solely because you are under investigation. Other promotion processes are set by force policy, so check yours and see promotion and misconduct.
- Vetting suspension. If your force’s vetting authority is assessing whether to withdraw your vetting clearance, it must suspend you, with pay, where the withdrawal assessment may be prejudiced or the public interest requires it, after considering redeployment; reviews follow the same 12-week cycle (Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025, regulations 13 and 13A). See failing vetting as a serving officer.
- Vetting after the case. If you are subject to a misconduct meeting or hearing and not dismissed, the vetting authority must assess whether you may no longer be suitable to hold clearance or whether conditions should change (Vetting Regulations, regulation 5A(3), from 13 July 2026).
- Transfers. Since 13 July 2026 a transferring officer cannot be appointed by the new force unless that force’s vetting authority has granted clearance no more than 6 months before appointment (Vetting Regulations, regulation 5C(2)). For what the College of Policing’s vetting guidance says about transferring while under investigation, see transferring with live misconduct.
- If the case ends in dismissal. Pay stops from the date the dismissal is notified, and you are reported for the police barred list. See misconduct sanctions and the barred list.
Worked scenarios
Illustrative examples, not real cases, to show how the rules fit together. They do not predict what will happen in any case.
Common myths
- “Suspended means guilty.” No. It is not a sanction and the Home Office guidance says it has no bearing on any indication of guilt.
- “Suspension is a punishment.” No. The four disciplinary actions are listed in regulation 2(1); suspension is not one of them. Its only lawful purposes are protecting the investigation or the public interest.
- “Suspended means sacked.” No. You remain a police officer for the conduct process and a member of the force under the Police Regulations, and you are paid. Only a hearing can dismiss you.
- “Suspension is unpaid.” No. It must be with pay, subject to the custody and absence exceptions.
- “A restricted officer is suspended.” No. Restricted or limited duties mean you are still working.
- “Suspension is always a last resort.” Redeployment must still be considered, but since 13 July 2026 the force must suspend where the suspension condition is met, and for listed offences the public interest requires suspension unless there are exceptional circumstances.
- “It is reviewed every month.” Only for allegations before 13 July 2026 (at least every 4 weeks). New cases are reviewed at least every 12 weeks, and sooner if circumstances change.
- “Suspension can only last a year.” There is no maximum. In 2024/25, 13% of suspensions that ended had lasted two years or more.
- “You cannot challenge it.” You can make representations within 7 working days and whenever circumstances change, and the force must review.
What to do if you are suspended
- Contact your Federation or staff association representative straight away. The 7-working-day window for representations starts the first working day after suspension.
- Keep the written notice and reasons. Check which rules apply: when did the allegation first reach the force (before or after 13 July 2026)?
- Ask what conditions apply to you (premises, contact with colleagues, equipment, warrant card, travel) and who your welfare contact is.
- Diary the review dates (12 weeks, or 4 weeks under the old rules) and ask for the written outcome of each review.
- Check your payslip: your pay and relevant allowances should continue at the normal rate.
- Do not take on other work or discuss the case publicly without advice.
Questions to ask your representative
General information only. Your representative can apply these to your case:
- Which version of regulation 11 applies to me, given when the allegation first reached the force?
- Was the decision authorised by an officer above chief superintendent, and do the written reasons match the suspension condition?
- Was redeployment genuinely considered, and is there a role I could do instead?
- Should we make representations now, within the 7 working days, or wait for something to change?
- When is my next review due, and what will the force be looking at?
- Is any allowance missing from my pay, and does any Schedule 2 exception apply?
- What conditions am I under, and can any of them be relaxed (premises, contact, travel, other work)?
- If the IOPC is involved, has the force consulted it as required?
- What does this mean for my vetting, a temporary promotion or a planned transfer?
Being suspended is stressful. Confidential support is listed in the police mental health support directory.
What we could not verify
- Updated Home Office statutory guidance on the July 2026 suspension rules. The version we read is 1.0 from February 2020, still the version on GOV.UK on 3 October 2026; where it conflicts with the current regulations, the regulations apply.
- The current Home Office determination on adjusted-duties pay under regulation 28A and whether the 2015 limited duties guidance has been replaced.
- How pension schemes treat any unpaid period during suspension, and whether pay increments continue while suspended. We found no rule specific to either.
- How Schedule 2, paragraph 3 of the Police Regulations 2003 (repayment of withheld pay) applies under the 2020 conduct regime, since it still uses older wording.
- Any national rule on returning warrant cards or equipment, contact with colleagues or travel abroad while suspended. We found none; these appear to be set by force conditions.
- Suspension figures since the July 2026 changes. The latest Home Office misconduct figures cover the year to 31 March 2025, before the duty to suspend.
- The inspectorate’s own description of its enhanced monitoring process, as its website blocked our reader; we rely on the general description only.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does suspended mean in the police?
It means the officer has been removed from the office of constable, and from membership of the force, while an allegation is dealt with (Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020, regulation 2(1)). They cannot use police powers or work, but they remain a police officer for the purposes of the conduct process and are paid (regulation 11(2) and (3)). It is a precautionary step, not a sanction or a finding of guilt.
Are suspended police officers paid in full?
Yes. Regulation 11(3) says suspension must be with pay, and the Home Office statutory guidance (paragraph 5.30) says the rate, including relevant allowances and any temporary promotion allowance, is what you would get if you were not suspended. You cannot earn overtime because you are not working, and Schedule 2 to the Police Regulations 2003 limits some allowances during suspension.
Can a police officer be suspended without pay?
Not under the conduct or vetting rules in England and Wales: suspension must be with pay (Conduct Regulations regulation 11(3); Vetting Regulations 2025 regulation 13(3)). The only exceptions in Schedule 2 to the Police Regulations 2003 are any period in prison under sentence or in custody between conviction and sentence, and any period absent from duty with your whereabouts unknown to the chief officer. Pay stops altogether if you are dismissed.
How long can a police officer be suspended?
There is no maximum. Suspension continues until a review finds the suspension condition is no longer met, the officer is found to have no case to answer or is not referred to proceedings, or the proceedings end (regulation 11(7)). Home Office figures for 2024/25 show a median suspension of 273 days, with 62% ending within a year and 13% lasting two years or more.
How often must a police suspension be reviewed?
Under regulation 11A, the first review must happen within 12 weeks of suspension, then within 12 weeks of each previous review, and whenever the force becomes aware circumstances may have changed or receives representations. For allegations that reached the force before 13 July 2026, the old rule of a review at least every 4 weeks still applies. Suspension on charge for a listed offence is not reviewed in this way.
Who can suspend a police officer, and at what rank?
The appropriate authority, which is the chief officer of the force (or the police and crime commissioner or equivalent where the officer is the chief officer). The chief officer may delegate to an inspector or above, but the decision on whether the suspension condition is met must be authorised by a senior officer, meaning a rank above chief superintendent (regulation 2(3) and (4)). Ranks such as DSP or SHO belong to other countries' police services, whose rules this page does not cover.
Does suspension mean the officer is guilty?
No. The Home Office statutory guidance (paragraph 5.20) says suspension must not prejudge the outcome of the investigation and has no bearing on any indication of guilt. It is not one of the disciplinary actions listed in regulation 2(1): written warning, final written warning, reduction in rank and dismissal without notice.
Is restricted duties the same as suspension?
No. On restricted duties or redeployment you keep working and keep your powers, in a different role, location or with limits; the force must consider redeployment before suspending (regulation 11(5)). A 'restricted officer' usually means an officer on limited duties under regulation 22 of the Police Regulations 2003: recuperative, adjusted or management restricted duties. Suspended officers do not work at all.
Can I challenge my suspension?
You or your police friend can make representations within 7 working days of being suspended, and at any time if you reasonably believe the circumstances have changed (regulation 11A(1)). The force must then review it and, if it keeps you suspended, tell you in writing with reasons within 3 working days. The regulations provide no tribunal appeal against suspension, so take advice from your Federation representative or a solicitor on anything further.
What changed about police suspension in July 2026?
From 13 July 2026 the Police (Conduct and Vetting etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 created a duty to suspend where the suspension condition is met, a presumption of suspension on arrest for listed offences (such as sexual offences and stalking) or domestic abuse, automatic or mandatory suspension on charge for those offences, and 12-weekly rather than 4-weekly reviews. Allegations that reached the force before 13 July 2026 stay under the old rules (SI 2026/653, regulation 27).
Can I take annual leave, go abroad or do other work while suspended?
The Home Office guidance (paragraph 5.32) says suspended officers can take annual leave with the appropriate authority's permission, which should not be unreasonably withheld. We found no national rule on travel abroad, so check the conditions in your suspension notice and any bail conditions. For other work, the business interest rules in regulations 7 to 9 of the Police Regulations 2003 still apply, so give written notice to the force first.
Does suspension affect my pension, promotion or a transfer?
Suspension does not end your employment or scheme membership, and you continue to be paid; we found no pension regulation that deals with suspension specifically. Temporary promotion should not be rescinded solely because you are under investigation (guidance paragraph 5.31), but new promotion and transfer decisions depend on force policy and, for transfers, on the receiving force granting vetting clearance (Vetting Regulations 2025, regulation 5C).
Sources and how we checked them
Rules on this page come from the revised regulations on legislation.gov.uk and Home Office publications, read on 3 October 2026. Spotted something out of date? See our corrections policy.
- The Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 (SI 2020/4), latest revised version, regulations 2, 11 to 11H and 49 and Schedule 3 — Definitions of suspend, appropriate authority and senior officer, delegation and authorisation (reg 2(3), (4), (4ZA)), duty to suspend, suspension condition, redeployment, reviews, listed offences, automatic and mandatory suspension, special conditions for accelerated hearings.
- The Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020, regulation 11 as it stood on 12 July 2026 — The previous rule ("may" suspend, two suspension conditions, reviews every 4 weeks) that still governs older allegations.
- The Police (Conduct and Vetting etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/653), as made — In force 13 July 2026. Explanatory note summarising the suspension changes; regulation 27 transitional provisions.
- The Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/502), latest revised version, regulations 5A, 5C, 13 and 13A — Suspension during a vetting withdrawal assessment (with pay, 12-week reviews), vetting review after misconduct proceedings, transfers.
- The Police Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/527), latest revised version: regulation 3 (interpretation), regulations 7 to 9, 22, 24, 28A, 37 and Schedule 2 — Suspended members remain members; business interests; limited duties; pay and allowances during suspension.
- Police Reform Act 2002, Schedule 3, paragraph 19A — Investigations subject to special procedures, which are sometimes confused with suspension or restrictions.
- Home Office, Conduct, Efficiency and Effectiveness: Statutory Guidance on Professional Standards, Performance and Integrity in Policing (version 1.0, February 2020), paragraphs 2.22, 5.20 to 5.38 and 5.48 to 5.54 — Suspension is not an indication of guilt, conditions on suspended officers, pay including allowances, temporary promotion, annual leave, resignation, welfare and duty of care. Pre-dates the July 2026 changes.
- Home Office, Police misconduct, England and Wales: year ending 31 March 2025 (published 22 January 2026), chapter 8 — Open, new and concluded suspensions and suspension length.
- Home Office, Police workforce, England and Wales: 31 March 2026 (published 22 July 2026), chapter 12 — Officers on long-term absence because of suspension, and the split by sex.
- Home Office Circular 010/2015: changes to the management of limited duties — Annex EE determination: recuperative, adjusted and management restricted duties.
- Guidance to support changes to the management of police officers on limited duties (interim version 1.3, 2015) — Definitions of recuperative, adjusted and management restricted duties.
On this topic elsewhere
Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent reference site, not a law firm or representative body. This page is general information, not legal advice. Suspension decisions turn on the facts of each case and on the version of the regulations that applies to it. If you are suspended or facing suspension, speak to your Police Federation or staff association representative or a solicitor. Details apply to England and Wales and are as checked on 3 October 2026.