SI on Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (Codes of Practice) (Revision of Codes A, B, C, D and H and New Code I) Order 2023

I was a member of the Committee scrutinising the draft Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (Codes of Practice) (Revision of Codes A, B, C, D and H and New Code I) Order 2023 on 30 November 2023 bringing into force revised codes of practice issued under section 66 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE).

Updates to Code A cover the statutory powers of stop and search and requirements to record public encounters by police officers and staff.

Code B covers the police powers to search premises and to seize and retain property found on premises and persons and to seize and retain property found on premises and persons, to reflect the search and seizure powers contained in Schedule 2 of the National Security Act (NS Act).

An addition to Code C covers the requirements for the detention, treatment and questioning of suspects, to make clear that Code does not apply to a detained person arrested under section 27 of the NS Act, which will instead be covered by new Code 1.

Code D set out the methods used by the police to identify people in connection with the investigation of offences and the keeping of accurate and reliable criminal records.

Code H covers the requirements for the detention, treatment, and questioning of suspects related to terrorism in police custody by police officers, to reflect that any time a person has spent in detention under separate powers will be accounted for when calculating the maximum period of detention following an arrest under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000.