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Authorised Professional Practice

Operations — Authorised Professional Practice

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Summary

The Authorised Professional Practice (APP) on Operations serves as a comprehensive resource for UK police officers, outlining essential aspects of command and control structures, interoperability, and operational planning. It emphasizes the integration of various components necessary for effective policing, including operational review, briefing and debriefing practices, and the necessity of adhering to legal frameworks while executing police duties. The APP includes references to legislative documents and guidelines that govern police operations, ensuring officers are well-informed about their responsibilities. The information is designed to enhance operational effectiveness and foster a collaborative approach among agencies involved in public safety.

Key principles

  • 1Adherence to command and control structures
  • 2Importance of interoperability during operations
  • 3Comprehensive operational planning is essential
  • 4Continuous review and improvement of practices
  • 5Effective communication through briefing and debriefing

Defined terms

ACPO
Association of Chief Police Officers
JESIP
Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles
NPCC
National Police Chiefs' Council
HSE
Health and Safety Executive
IPCC
Independent Police Complaints Commission

Full guidance

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

The authorised professional practice (APP) on Operations contains references to the following.

HM Government (2005) Emergency Response and Recovery – Non-Statutory Guidance to Complement Emergency Preparedness (not hyperlinked)

[Jordan v UK \[2003\] 37 EHRR 2(opens an external website in the same tab)](http://www.bailii.org/eu/cases/ECHR/2001/327.html)

[R (ex parte Amin) v Secretary of State for the Home Department \[2003\] UKHL 5(opens an external website in the same tab)](http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKHL/2003/51.html)

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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.