UK Police Glossary
Over 1025 police acronyms, abbreviations and terms explained — from PACE and PEQF to AFO and NPCC. An essential reference for recruits, officers and anyone who wants to understand UK policing.
What are the main UK police acronyms and terms?
UK policing uses a dense set of acronyms drawn from legislation, organisation, specialist roles, ranks and training. The most common include PACE (Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984), APP (Authorised Professional Practice from the College of Policing), NDM (National Decision Model), CVF (Competency and Values Framework), AFO (Authorised Firearms Officer), BWV (Body-Worn Video), IOPC (Independent Office for Police Conduct), NPCC (National Police Chiefs’ Council), HMICFRS (His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services), PFEW (Police Federation of England and Wales), NPPF (National Police Promotion Framework), PIP (Professionalising Investigation Programme) and MAPPA (Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements). The full index below is paginated 50 terms per page, or browse by category or use the search box to jump straight to a term.
Police Glossary
A searchable reference of common police acronyms, abbreviations, and terms used across UK policing.
52 terms found
Authorised Firearms Officer
A police officer who has been trained and authorised to carry and use firearms during operational duties.
Automatic Number Plate Recognition
Camera technology that reads vehicle registration plates to check against databases for stolen vehicles, wanted persons, and intelligence.
Authorised Professional Practice
The official source of policing practice guidance published by the College of Policing, covering all areas of operational and professional policing.
Armed Response Vehicle
A police vehicle crewed by Authorised Firearms Officers, deployed to incidents involving firearms or other serious threats.
Basic Command Unit
A geographical area of policing within a force, typically commanded by a Chief Superintendent. Some forces use alternative terms such as Local Policing Area.
Body-Worn Video
A small camera worn on an officer's uniform to record interactions with the public, used as evidence and to improve accountability.
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear
Specialist response capability for incidents involving hazardous materials or weapons of mass destruction.
Criminal Investigation Department
The detective branch of a police force responsible for investigating serious and complex crimes.
Crown Prosecution Service
The independent body responsible for prosecuting criminal cases investigated by the police and other agencies in England and Wales.
Competency and Values Framework
The national framework published by the College of Policing setting out the behaviours, competencies, and values expected of all police officers and staff.
Detective Constable
A constable-rank officer who has passed the National Investigators Exam and works in a detective role investigating crime.
Degree Holder Entry Programme
A two-year police entry route for applicants who already hold a degree in any subject. One of the three PEQF entry routes.
Detective Inspector
An inspector-rank officer serving in a detective role, typically managing a team of detective sergeants and constables.
Detective Sergeant
A sergeant-rank officer working in a detective capacity, supervising detective constables and managing investigations.
Family Liaison Officer
A trained officer deployed to support bereaved families during major investigations, acting as a key link between the family and the investigation team.
His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services
The independent body that inspects and reports on the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces and fire services in England and Wales.
Independent Office for Police Conduct
The body responsible for overseeing the police complaints system and investigating the most serious matters involving the police in England and Wales.
Incident Response Vehicle
A marked police vehicle used by response officers to attend emergency calls and incidents.
Job-Related Fitness Test
A physical fitness assessment that applicants and serving officers must pass, including elements such as the bleep test and dynamic strength tests.
Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements
A framework for managing dangerous offenders in the community, involving police, prison, and probation services working together.
Major Investigation Team
A specialist team of detectives responsible for investigating the most serious crimes, including murder, kidnap, and other major offences.
Management of Police Information
The national guidance and standards for how police forces collect, record, evaluate, share, and dispose of information.
National Crime Agency
The UK law enforcement agency that leads the fight against serious and organised crime, including human trafficking, drug trafficking, and cybercrime.
National Decision Model
The primary decision-making framework used by UK police. A six-stage model that helps officers make and record proportionate decisions.
National Investigators Exam
The examination officers must pass to become accredited detectives under PIP Level 2, covering criminal law, evidence, and investigative procedures.
National Police Air Service
The centralised police aviation service providing helicopter and fixed-wing support to all forces across England and Wales.
National Police Chiefs Council
The body that brings together chief police officers to coordinate operations, reform, and develop policing nationally.
National Police Promotion Framework
The framework governing the promotion process for police officers from constable to superintendent, including examinations and work-based assessment.
Objective Structured Performance Related Examination
The former name for the police promotion examinations (Part I legal exam and Part II role-play assessment), now replaced by the NPPF process.
Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
The primary legislation governing police powers of stop and search, arrest, detention, investigation, and the treatment of detained persons.
Police and Crime Commissioner
An elected official responsible for securing efficient and effective policing within their force area, setting the police budget, and holding the Chief Constable to account.
Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship
A three-year police entry route where new officers earn a degree in Professional Policing Practice while training on the job. The most common PEQF entry route.
Police Community Support Officer
A non-warranted member of police staff with limited powers who provides a visible policing presence and supports community engagement.
Police Education Qualifications Framework
The national framework introduced by the College of Policing setting out the entry routes and educational requirements for becoming a police officer.
Police Federation of England and Wales
The staff association representing police officers from the rank of constable to chief inspector on pay, conditions, and welfare matters.
Professionalising Investigation Programme
The national programme that sets the standards and accreditation levels for criminal investigators, from PIP Level 1 (patrol) to PIP Level 4 (strategic).
Police National Computer
The national database holding records on people (convictions, wanted/missing), vehicles, and property. Accessible to all UK forces.
Police National Database
A national intelligence database allowing forces to share and access intelligence, custody records, and crime reports across force boundaries.
Personal Protective Equipment
The equipment issued to officers for personal safety, including body armour, handcuffs, PAVA spray, baton, and in some cases, Taser.
Police Remuneration Review Body
The independent body that makes recommendations to the government on pay and conditions for police officers up to and including the rank of chief superintendent.
Police Superintendents' Association of England and Wales
The staff association representing officers at the ranks of superintendent and chief superintendent in England and Wales, on pay, conditions, welfare and professional development matters. The Scottish and Northern Irish equivalents (ASPS and PSAoNI) operate separately.
Police Support Unit
A trained unit of officers equipped for public order deployments, typically consisting of one inspector, three sergeants, and a number of constables with specialist equipment.
Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act
The legislation governing the use of covert surveillance, informants, and interception of communications by law enforcement agencies.
Roads Policing Unit
A specialist unit focused on road safety, traffic enforcement, collision investigation, and the policing of the road network.
Specialist Firearms Officer
An officer with advanced firearms training beyond standard AFO, deployed to the most high-risk firearms operations including counter-terrorism.
Sergeant & Inspector Promotion & Progression
The process and pathway for officers seeking promotion from constable to sergeant or sergeant to inspector under the NPPF.
Senior Investigating Officer
The officer in overall charge of a major crime investigation, typically a detective chief inspector or detective superintendent with PIP Level 3 accreditation.
Safer Neighbourhood Team
A local policing team dedicated to a specific area, focused on community engagement, problem-solving, and addressing neighbourhood priorities.
Conducted Energy Device
A less-lethal device that fires electrodes to temporarily incapacitate a subject. Only specially trained officers are authorised to carry Taser.
Territorial Support Group
A specialist public order unit (primarily associated with the Metropolitan Police) providing a mobile reserve for public order, crime operations, and major events.
Unsatisfactory Performance Procedure
The formal procedure for managing police officers whose performance falls below the expected standard, involving stages of improvement action and review.
Volunteer Police Cadet
A young person aged 13-17 who volunteers with the police, gaining experience and contributing to community projects.
Browse All Glossary Terms
The complete index — 1025 UK policing acronyms and terms, 50 per page.
- 4P approachAPPStandards
- A strategic framework to pursue suspects, prepare for crime, protect potential victims, and prevent engagement in criminal activities.
- Absolute dischargeAPPStandards
- A discharge where no penalty is imposed.
- account freezing orderAPPStandards
- A civil application to freeze an account with intent for forfeiture.
- account monitoring orderAPPStandards
- An order that requires financial institutions to provide current transactional activity.
- Account monitoring ordersAPPStandards
- Orders that provide live intelligence on a suspect’s bank accounts for up to ninety days.
- AccountabilityAPPStandards
- The obligation of police to explain their actions and decisions during operations.
- Accredited financial investigator (AFI)APPStandards
- Members of police staff who have attended the same course as FIs and have received accreditation.
- ACCT planAPPStandards
- Assessment and Care in Custody and Teamwork plan for individuals at risk of self-harm or suicide.
- Achieving Best Evidence (ABE)APPStandards
- A protocol guiding effective interviewing for child victims to produce clear evidence for court.
- AcquittalAPPStandards
- A formal decision that someone is not guilty of a criminal charge.
- ACRO Criminal Records OfficeAPPStandards
- The national police unit responsible for exchanging criminal conviction information.
- Action conditionAPPStandards
- A1 - Covert development, A2 - Covert use, A3 - Overt use
- Active listening skillsAPPStandards
- Communication techniques that emphasize understanding and engagement with an individual's needs.
- Active Risk Management System (ARMS)APPStandards
- A framework used for assessing and managing risk concerning offenders.
- acute behavioural disturbance (ABD)APPStandards
- A medical emergency characterized by severe agitation and potential violence.
- AdjudicationAPPStandards
- A human assessment of an alert generated by the LFR application by an LFR engagement officer to decide whether to engage further with the individual matched to a watchlist image.
- AdministratorAPPStandards
- A specially trained person who has access rights to the LFR application, in order to optimise and maintain its operational capability.
- AdmissibilityAPPStandards
- The court's decision on whether evidence can be included, is often dependent on various legal standards and specifications.
- Adult CautionAPPStandards
- A formal warning for adults admitting minor offences.
- Adult Conditional CautionAPPStandards
- A caution with conditions attached for adult offenders which includes reparative and rehabilitative measures.
- AdversarialAPPStandards
- The court sits in independent arbitration between the prosecution and the defence.
- Adverse IncidentAPPStandards
- An event that has the potential to cause harm or injury but is successfully mitigated.
- ADVOKATEADVOKATEAPPStandards
- A mnemonic to help remember key factors in eyewitness identification.
- Agency primacyAPPStandards
- Determination of which agency holds primary responsibility during a review.
- AirwaveAPPStandards
- A digital radio service used by emergency services in the UK for interoperability.
- AlertAPPStandards
- A notification generated by the LFR application when a facial image from the video stream returns a comparison score above the threshold.
- AlgorithmAPPStandards
- Clearly specified mathematical processes for computation.
- Algorithmic transparencyAPPStandards
- The extent to which an organization makes the workings of its algorithms accessible and understandable to the public and interested stakeholders.
- Alpha victimAPPStandards
- A victim who is complicit in the exploitation of others, often out of survival and not out of choice.
- Ante MortemAPPStandards
- Information collected before death regarding an individual's physical characteristics or personal history used to aid identification.
- Ante Mortem informationAPPStandards
- Information gathered prior to death to assist in identifying deceased individuals.
- AntemortemAPPStandards
- Processes related to identifying the victim prior to death, including collecting evidence.
- APP on Mental HealthAPPStandards
- The module that supersedes previous guidance on mental ill health and learning disabilities.
- Application accuracyAPPStandards
- Application accuracy can be considered to consist of the combined LFR technology accuracy and the human in the loop decision-making process.
- Appropriate AdultAPPStandards
- An adult designated to support a child or young person in police custody.
- Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP)APPStandards
- Formerly known as an approved social worker, responsible for conducting assessments regarding hospital detention.
- Armed policing strategic threat and risk assessment (APSTRA)APPStandards
- Available via Knowledge Hub.
- ARVArmed Response VehicleSpecialist Roles
- A police vehicle crewed by Authorised Firearms Officers, deployed to incidents involving firearms or other serious threats.
- Armed response vehicles (ARV)APPStandards
- Vehicles equipped for armed policing operations.
- Article 2 ECHRAPPStandards
- European Convention on Human Rights placing a positive duty on the state to investigate any death caused by state agents.
- Article 2 of the ECHRAPPStandards
- The European Convention on Human Rights article stipulating the duty to investigate deaths caused by state action.