Skip to content

Risk Reference Material

Risk — Authorised Professional Practice

All topics

Summary

This page serves as an overview of the College of Policing's Authorised Professional Practice (APP) concerning risk. It outlines ten principles related to taking and reviewing risk in policing, providing a key resource for officers navigating risk assessment and management. The page includes references to essential legislation and significant judgments relevant to risk and decision-making in policing. Notably, this includes the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, Data Protection Act 1998, Freedom of Information Act 2000, and the Human Rights Act 1998, among other legal references which officers should be aware of when addressing risk-related situations.

Key principles

  • 1Understand the context of risk in policing
  • 2Recognise the importance of calculated decision-making
  • 3Review risk assessments regularly
  • 4Incorporate legal frameworks into risk management
  • 5Prioritize communication and transparency in risk processes
  • 6Engage community and stakeholder perspectives
  • 7Ensure accountability in decision-making around risk

Full guidance

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

Carson D and Bain A. (2008). Professional Risk and Working with People: Decision-Making in Health, Social Care and Criminal Justice (not hyperlinked) * Chief Constable of the Hertfordshire Police v Van Colle \[2008\] UKHL 50 (not hyperlinked)

re E (a child) (AP) (Appellant) (Northern Ireland) \[2008\] UKHL 66 (not hyperlinked) * re Officer L \[2007\] UKHL 36 (not hyperlinked) * Sir Ronnie Flanagan (2007) Review of Policing – Interim Report (not hyperlinked)

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.