My child’s school was unexpectedly closed for the day & he was sent home, I couldn’t arrange childcare, do I have to use annual leave or time out of the book to care for him?

A police officer may take time off because of the unexpected disruption or termination of arrangements for the care of a dependant, or to deal with an incident which involves a child of the member and which occurs unexpectedly in a period during which an educational establishment, which the child attends, is responsible for him/her. 

Leave taken as time off for dependants shall be treated as duty, but does not apply unless the member tells his/her chief officer the reason for his/her absence as soon as reasonably practicable. Best practice would be to inform a line supervisor of your circumstances ASAP after you become aware of it. 

A “dependant” means, in relation to a member of a police force: 

1. a) spouse b) a child c) a parent d) a person who lives in the same household as the member, otherwise than by reason of being his employee, tenant, lodger or boarder 

This also covers when a dependant falls ill, gives birth or is injured or assaulted or in consequence of the death of a dependant.