Skip to content

Covert policing

Covert policing — Authorised Professional Practice

All topics

Summary

This page provides guidance on covert-related activities within policing, focusing on two main modules: undercover policing and assisting offender debriefing. It serves as an essential resource for officers involved in covert operations, outlining the best practices and considerations necessary for effective execution of these duties. The content aims to assist law enforcement personnel in understanding the legal and operational frameworks that govern covert activities.

Key principles

  • 1Understand the legal framework surrounding covert policing.
  • 2Utilize best practices for undercover operations.
  • 3Implement effective debriefing processes for offenders.

Full guidance

This page is from APP, the official source of professional practice for policing.

There are currently two modules of APP that sit within the covert area of policing:

Do not provide personal information such as your name or email address in the feedback form. Read our privacy policy for more information on how we use this data

What is the reason for your answer?

Reproduced from the College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice under the Open Government Licence v3.0, as captured on 2026-06-27. APP is amended over time — check the source link below for the current version. This is a reference, not operational authorisation.

APP is the authoritative source for UK policing practice and is updated over time. For the current, official version — including any operational detail not reproduced here — go direct.

Read the full APP guidance

Source: College of Policing — Authorised Professional Practice · Crown copyright, licensed under Open Government Licence v3.0. Summary fetched 2026-06-27.