Officer Operational Reference

Stop and Search

The statutory stop-and-search powers, the GOWISELY requirements, what can and cannot be reasonable grounds, strip-search limits and recording — an officer quick-reference cited to legislation and PACE Code A.

Powers of Entry

The statutory and common law powers of entry to premises — with and without a warrant — for arrest, search after arrest, life-threatening emergencies and welfare/mental-health situations, an officer quick-reference cited to PACE 1984 and related legislation.

PACE Codes of Practice

The PACE 1984 Codes of Practice as covered in the officer reference: GOWISELY and stop-and-search powers (Code A), search of premises and powers of entry (Code B), detention rights and custody time limits (Code C), identification procedures (Code D), and the IDCOPPLAN arrest necessity criteria (Code G) — cited to legislation and the PACE Codes of Practice.

Arrest & Custody

The arrest, custody-booking and evidence-continuity checklist — the caution wording, the necessity requirement, a detainee's rights and the PACE clock — an officer quick-reference cited to PACE 1984.

Bail & Release

Pre-charge bail time limits, released under investigation (RUI), post-charge bail and the conditions and breach procedures that apply — an officer quick-reference cited to PACE 1984 and the Bail Act 1976, as reformed by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.

Custody Procedures — Deep Dive

The PACE detention clock, detainee rights and who can delay them, what the custody record must contain, appropriate adults, juvenile provisions, fitness to detain and interview, pre-charge bail and RUI, charging tests, strip and intimate search, and deaths in custody — an officer quick-reference.

Public Order

The Public Order Act 1986 offences from riot to harassment, the powers to impose conditions on processions and assemblies, PSU deployment levels, the lawfulness and requirements for containment ("kettling"), and officer safety equipment — an officer quick-reference cited to legislation and APP guidance.

Anti-Social Behaviour Powers

The civil and criminal ASB powers available to officers — Community Protection Warnings and Notices, Public Spaces Protection Orders, closure notices and orders, dispersal powers, the Community Trigger, civil injunctions and Criminal Behaviour Orders — cited to the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

Drink & Drug Driving

Roadside testing, station procedure, the England & Wales and Scotland legal limits, the s.5A specified-drug-limit offence and the s.7(6) failure-to-provide offence — an officer quick-reference cited to the Road Traffic Act 1988.

Road Traffic Collision Response

Scene safety, casualty and evidence priorities, the s.170 stop-and-report duty, preliminary breath testing, fatal collision protocols, evidence preservation, and the HO/RT1 producer form — an officer quick-reference for RTC response.

Response & Pursuit Driving

Driving levels and training, the RTRA 1984 s.87 speed-limit exemption, the trained-police-driver standard for dangerous and careless driving under RTA 1988 s.2A/s.3ZA, TPAC and pursuit authorisation, and officer responsibilities — an officer quick-reference.

Taser / CED

The Axon TASER 7 conducted energy device (CED) — what a CED is and how it works, the authorisation and training pathway, deployment decisions under the National Decision Model, red-dot versus full-deployment recording, post-deployment medical duties and IOPC notification — an officer quick-reference cited to the general law on use of force and College of Policing guidance.

Use of Force

The National Decision Model, the legal framework for use of force (Criminal Law Act 1967 s.3, PACE 1984 s.117, common law and Article 2 ECHR), the force options ladder, key principles and reporting requirements — an officer quick-reference.

The Caution & Special Warnings

The exact wording of the police caution, the voluntary-attendance caution, the rights read by the custody officer, and the s.36/37 CJPOA 1994 modified caution (special warning) for failure to account for objects, marks or presence — verbatim scripts for officers, cited to the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 and the PACE Codes of Practice.

Giving Evidence in Court

A complete guide for police officers giving evidence — court structure, taking the oath or affirmation, examination-in-chief, cross-examination, handling hostile defence counsel, exhibits and refreshing memory, court etiquette, and common mistakes to avoid.

Statement Writing (MG11)

How to structure and write an admissible MG11 witness statement — first person past tense rules, what to include and exclude, common mistakes, court admissibility, and writing under pressure using ADVOKATE.

PEACE Interview Model

The five-stage PEACE interview framework, the standard caution given verbatim, special warnings under CJPOA 1994 s.36/s.37, the limits on adverse inference, and PACE Code C/E/F rules on legal advisers, appropriate adults and recording — an officer quick-reference.

Out of Court Disposals

A guide to out-of-court disposals (OOCDs) — Community Resolution, Simple Caution, Conditional Caution, youth disposals, cannabis warnings and Penalty Notices for Disorder — with the decision-making framework, recording obligations and common pitfalls, cited to legislation.

Mental Health Act — Police Powers

The s.136 and s.135 Mental Health Act 1983 powers, Place of Safety requirements, the 24-hour detention time limit, officer responsibilities and de-escalation practice — an officer quick-reference cited to legislation.

Missing Persons (MISPER)

Risk grading, high-risk indicators, initial actions, the power to enter premises to save life, police protection for a child at risk, investigation stages, and found-safe procedures for missing person enquiries — an officer quick-reference.

Stalking & Harassment

Harassment and stalking offences under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, Stalking Protection Orders, digital stalking, S-DASH risk assessment, and victim safety — an officer quick-reference cited to legislation.

Hate Crime

The five monitored strands, perception-based recording, the statutory sentence uplift, evidence gathering, community impact and third-party reporting channels for hate crime — an officer quick-reference cited to legislation.

Knife Crime & Offensive Weapons

The offensive-weapon and bladed-article offences, the stop-and-search powers used against them, scene management, victim first aid, and county lines exploitation indicators — an officer quick-reference.

Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking

A guide for police officers on identifying modern slavery, understanding the National Referral Mechanism, and fulfilling First Responder duties under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Domestic Abuse

DASH risk assessment, coercive control under s.76 Serious Crime Act 2015, positive-action evidence-led prosecution, Clare's Law (DVDS), MARAC and DVPN/DVPO safety planning, and safeguarding children in domestic abuse cases — an officer quick-reference cited to legislation.

Child Safeguarding

The core child safeguarding procedures for a police officer — recognising the four categories of abuse, the FGM mandatory reporting duty, Sarah's Law (CSODS), strategy discussions, MASH referrals and Operation Encompass — an officer quick-reference cited to legislation where a specific provision applies.

Disclosure of Unused Material

Your duty to record, retain, review, and reveal material under the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 — used and unused material, MG6C/D/E schedules, third-party material, PII and the common disclosure failures that collapse cases.

Achieving Best Evidence (ABE) Interviews

The Achieving Best Evidence (ABE) framework for interviewing vulnerable and intimidated witnesses — who qualifies, the four interview phases, and the special measures available at court, cited to the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999.

Surveillance & RIPA

The RIPA 2000 and IPA 2016 surveillance framework — directed and intrusive surveillance, CHIS (informant) management, communications data acquisition and the necessity and proportionality test — an officer quick-reference cited to legislation.

Digital Evidence

Device seizure lawful basis, the NPCC good-practice principles, cloud and social media evidence, mobile phone downloads, forensic imaging, triage versus full examination, and digital disclosure duties — an officer quick-reference.

Body-Worn Video — Evidential Standards

When BWV activation is mandatory, when recording is restricted, evidential continuity and chain of custody, retention periods, disclosure obligations under CPIA 1996, redaction, officer rights, and BWV processing under DPA 2018 Part 3 — an officer quick-reference.

County Lines & Gangs

The county lines model, exploitation indicators, child criminal exploitation and the NRM, cuckooing and closure powers, key legislation, multi-agency response, and disruption tactics — an officer quick-reference.

Fraud & Cyber Crime

Action Fraud and NFIB referral routes, common fraud typologies, cyber crime basics, cryptocurrency evidence handling, the Computer Misuse Act 1990 offences, device seizure powers, and digital evidence preservation — an officer quick-reference.

Counter-Terrorism Awareness

ACT reporting, hostile reconnaissance signs, JTAC/MI5 threat levels, marauding attack response (Run Hide Tell / Locate Contain Evacuate), the HOT protocol for suspicious packages, the Prevent duty and Channel programme, and Schedule 7 port powers — an officer quick-reference.

Wildlife & Rural Crime

The wildlife and rural crime offences, the search and seizure powers under each Act, the hare-coursing regime introduced by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, partnership contacts, and scene evidence preservation — an officer quick-reference.

Legislation Quick Reference

A quick-reference index of the 13 Acts an officer reaches for most — PACE, Theft Act, Misuse of Drugs Act, Public Order Act, Road Traffic Act, Sexual Offences Act, Domestic Abuse Act, Firearms Act, Terrorism Act and more — with key sections grouped by category and linked to legislation.gov.uk.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

The nine Equality Act 2010 protected characteristics, lawful positive action versus unlawful positive discrimination, the public sector equality duty, and EDI considerations in policing — menopause, neurodiversity, race, LGBT+, PPE, and disability.