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Legal quick reference guides

Stop and Search — Authorised Professional Practice

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Summary

This page provides guidance on the legal framework surrounding stop and search encounters in the UK policing context. It emphasizes the necessity of having a legal basis for conducting a stop and search and the importance of applying these powers lawfully. Officers are reminded to adhere to the Code of Ethics and the National Decision Model throughout the process. The guidance categorizes the principles of stop and search into fairness, legality, professional conduct, and transparency, illustrating how each aspect contributes to effective and accountable policing.

Key principles

  • 1Stop and search encounters must be fair, legal, professional, and transparent.
  • 2Officers must have a legal basis for conducting a stop and search.
  • 3Legal application of powers should align with the Code of Ethics and the National Decision Model.

Defined terms

Code of Ethics
The principles that guide police conduct and decision-making.
National Decision Model
A structured framework to support decision-making in policing.

Full guidance

Definition of a fair and effective stop and search encounter, how and why stop and search encounters should be fair, legal, professional and transparent

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

You can only lawfully stop and search a person if you have a legal basis for doing so in the particular circumstances. You must also apply that power in a legal way. As with all decision making, the officer must have due regard to the Code of Ethics and the national decision model throughout.

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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.