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Undercover policing

Covert policing — Authorised Professional Practice

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Summary

Undercover policing is a vital component of law enforcement, aimed at protecting the public. This guidance from the College of Policing, developed with the National Undercover Working Group, outlines the updated Authorised Professional Practice (APP) on undercover operations, reflecting lessons learned from the Undercover Policing Inquiry. The documentation emphasizes the importance of comprehensive training and adherence to legal frameworks to ensure that undercover officers operate effectively while safeguarding the rights and wellbeing of individuals they engage with.

Key principles

  • 1Support the critical role of undercover policing.
  • 2Incorporate lessons learned from the Undercover Policing Inquiry.
  • 3Ensure effectiveness while safeguarding rights.

Full guidance

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

To support the critical role of undercover policing in protecting the public, the College of Policing and National Undercover Working Group have worked closely to develop comprehensive updated APP.

This incorporates lessons learned so far from the Undercover Policing Inquiry(opens an external website in the same tab) .

See the latest version College of Policing (2021) APP on undercover policing (PDF) .

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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.