Skip to content

Detainee care

Detention and custody — Authorised Professional Practice

All topics

Summary

This section of the Authorised Professional Practice (APP) covers the care of detainees in police custody, emphasizing their rights and the statutory framework established by the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE). It includes guidance on the treatment of detainees including those with mental health issues, children and young persons, and individual needs. The section also notes the College of Policing's APP on Mental Health, which has replaced previous guidance on mental ill health and learning disabilities. The document aims to ensure that officers understand their responsibilities towards detainees, particularly in relation to their care and rights during detention.

Key principles

  • 1Ensure the dignity and welfare of detainees is maintained.
  • 2Adhere to statutory frameworks and codes of practice regarding detainee care.
  • 3Recognize and respond to the individual needs of detainees, particularly vulnerable groups.

Defined terms

Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE)
Sets out the statutory framework for custodial care and the rights and entitlements of a detainee in police custody.
APP on Mental Health
The module that supersedes previous guidance on mental ill health and learning disabilities.
Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO)
An organization that previously provided guidance on police practices.
Department of Health
Government department providing health-related guidance.

Full guidance

Arrest and detention, use of force, detainee care, including children and young persons, risk assessment and buildings and facilities

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

Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) Code of Practice C(opens an external website in the same tab) sets out the statutory framework for custodial care and the rights and entitlements of a detainee in police custody.

The College of Policing has now published APP on Mental Health . This module wholly supersedes and replaces:

APP on Mental ill health and learning disabilities (within APP on Detention and custody). This document was decommissioned on 10 October 2016. * Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and Department of Health (2010) guidance on responding to people with mental ill health or learning disabilities. This document was decommissioned on 3 August 2016.

for information on protections for people with mental ill health in detention.

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.