Disclosure Manual: Chapter 3 - Roles and Responsibilities
Plain-English digest of CPS prosecution guidance.
AI-generated summary — not verbatim. This is a plain-English digest, not the official CPS text. It may omit detail or fall out of date. Do not rely on it for a charging decision — read the full guidance on cps.gov.uk and check the current legislation.
This guidance outlines the roles and responsibilities of officers involved in criminal investigations under the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act (CPIA). It details the duties of the Officer in Charge (OIC), investigators, and disclosure officers to ensure compliance with statutory duties, maintain proper procedures for evidence handling, and emphasize the importance of communication and training among officers. Key elements include the need for thorough inquiry and proper management of potentially relevant material throughout the investigation process.
Key points
- The Chief Officer must ensure proper arrangements for recording investigative roles.
- The OIC is responsible for ensuring all reasonable inquiries are pursued.
- Disclosure officers must be adequately trained and competent.
- All relevant material must be retained and recorded adequately.
- Clear hierarchies for disclosure officers must be established to avoid conflicts of interest.
- OICs must ensure cooperation with the disclosure officer during the investigation.
This is a factual digest of guidance published by the Crown Prosecution Service. Digested 2026-07-15. BlueLineHub is independent and not affiliated with the CPS.