Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) codes of practice

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Overview

This page covers the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) and the accompanying PACE codes of practice, which establish the powers of the police to combat crimes while protecting the rights of the public.

PACE codes of practice

PACE sets out to strike the right balance between the powers of the police and the rights and freedoms of the public. Maintaining that balance is a central element of PACE.

The PACE codes of practice cover:

stop and search
arrest
detention
investigation
identification
interviewing detainees

Current versions of the codes

Code	Subjects covered
颁辞诲别听础听2023	Exercise by police officers of statutory powers to search a person or a vehicle without first making an arrest and the need for a police officer to make a record of a stop or encounter
颁辞诲别听叠听2023	Police powers to search premises and to seize and retain property found on premises and persons
颁辞诲别听颁听2023	Requirements for the detention, treatment and questioning of suspects not related to terrorism in police custody by police officers. Includes the requirement to explain a person鈥檚 rights while detained and the requirement to explain the rights of a person who has not been arrested that apply to a voluntary interview.
颁辞诲别听顿听2023	Main methods used by the police to identify people in connection with the investigation of offences and the keeping of accurate and reliable criminal records
颁辞诲别听贰听2018	Audio recording of interviews with suspects in the police station
颁辞诲别听贵听2018	Visual recording with sound of interviews with suspects - there is no statutory requirement on police officers to visually record interviews, but the contents of this code should be considered if an interviewing officer decides to make a visual recording with sound of an interview with a suspect
颁辞诲别听骋听2012	Powers of arrest under section 24 the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 as amended by section 110 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005
颁辞诲别听贬听2023	Requirements for the detention, treatment and questioning of suspects related to terrorism in police custody by police officers. Includes the requirement to explain a person鈥檚 rights while detained in connection with terrorism
Code I 2023	Detention, treatment and questioning by police of persons in detention under section 27 of, and Schedule 6 to, the National Security Act 2023

The latest version of the College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice on detention and custody is published on the College of Policing website under Authorised Professional Practice in the detention and custody section

Previous versions

Previous versions of the codes are shown below, by the date they came into force.

Code A

Code B

Code C

Code D

Code E

Code F

Code G

1 January 2006

Code H

Consultations

Read previous consultations which contributed to the development of revised codes.

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