Latest changes to APP

Significant changes made to the wording throughout the entirety of the section. There has been inclusion and removal of sections to reflect the National Security Act 2023. 

Changes were made to the advice documents:

• Advice for investigators
• Advice to police responders

These changes were the removal of a line about distinguishing harassment from stalking by considering if there is a dispute at the centre of it. Also a change to the wording within the investigators' advice, to state risk assessment and first response, to refer to risk identification.  

Control, restraints and searches > Principles of using force in custody. 

• Link to Faculty of Forensic and Legal medicine (FFLM) guidance on managing ABD in custody was out of date and replaced with updated link. Title of document in APP also amended to match the title of the linked document. 
• Updated link - ABD-Guidelines-on-Management-in-Police-Custody-Oct-2022.pdf (fflm.ac.uk)

Control, restraints and searches > The prone position and positional asphyxia

• Link to 'common principles for safer restraint' was out of date and new link updated. 
• Updated link - Common Principles for Safer Restraint - FFLM

Appropriate adult section:

Deleted: 'The YJB and National Appropriate Adult Network have also published joint guidance and advice on appropriate adult services'.'

Replaced with: 'Also see the Youth Justice Board’s (YJB) National Standards for Youth Justice Services.

For further information about standards and training for all schemes see the National Appropriate Adult Network.' 

External links have also been included 

Updated links for PPST guidance on page to updated guidance on College Learn as per email request from Jess Turner

Updated link to PPST Guidance on college learn as link guide had been updated.

Under the section titled Candidates and Campaigners section, the following paragraph was added in 'Forces should also note that s30 Elections Act 2022 introduces ‘disqualification orders’. These may apply against any individual who is convicted of an intimidatory criminal offence motivated by hostility towards a candidate, future candidate or campaigner or holder of a relevant elective office (note: schedule 9 of the Elections Act 2022 presents specific relevant offences). A disqualification order is imposed by the courts and prevents the convicted individual from standing for election, being elected to, or holding a relevant elective office for a period of five years. Investigators should, therefore, consider motivation when investigating any offences listed in schedule 9 against candidates and campaigners'. 

Also in the first paragraph under Candidates and Campaigners, the third sentence was replaced with 'Products, including Welsh language versions, are also available from the electoral Commission', and the fourth sentence was deleted.

Under the sub-heading 'Threshold Test' - deleted last sentence in the second to last paragraph. 'The charging decision should be recorded on the MG3/3A forms. Also deleted the bullet 'the Complete list of MG forms' underneath the heading 'Preparing a file of evidence.' The MG forms have been replaced by CPS guidance (DG6/NFS).

Part of welfare of the detainee, underneath the subheading Choking - a link out to FFLM endorsed guidance fixed. It was taking people to an archived version. The link was deleted, title changed to reflect wording on the new document and correct link added.

Under the 'Legal framework' heading, a link to the the NPCC (2022) document 'National Strategy for Police Custody' has been added to the bullet point list.

Under the 'Healthcare professionals' heading, the link to the 2003 Home Office Circular was out of date. This has been deleted and replaced with a link to FFLM's (2024) document 'The Role of the Healthcare Professional'. The citation was changed to reflect this also.