These are a few notes explaining police terms and abbreviations found in my books, often used by police officers.
ABH
Actual Bodily Harm. Assault causing a physical injury.
ANPR – Automatic Number Plate Recognition. Either fixed or mobile cameras that pick up and record the number plates of passing vehicles and look them up on police databases. When a vehicle of interest passes the camera, it can set off an alert, e.g. a car with no insurance, or a van belonging to someone who is wanted.
CHIS – Covert Human Intelligence Source. Someone who works undercover supplying information about illegal activity to the police.
CID
Criminal Investigation Department.
FLO – Family Liaison Officer. They support families who are victims of crime with sensitivity and compassion. They provide information for families and are also active investigators.
GBH
Grievous Bodily Harm. Assault causing serious injury. Most often includes broken bones, serious wounding, sensory loss, or disfigurement.
Misper
A missing person.
MO
Modus operandi is a Latin term meaning a pattern of behaviour or methods describing how similar crimes are committed.
NPAS – National Police Air Service. Calling out NPAS means requesting a police helicopter.
PACE
Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 – A major part of the legal framework establishing police powers. In these books, PACE mainly refers to sections covering the Codes Of Practice, which outline the rights of people when they are taken into custody.
PWITS
Possession with intent to supply. Most commonly, this is the offence 0f possessing a controlled substance (usually drugs), intending to sell them to users. Also, the person arrested for this offence could have a quantity of drugs split into individual deals, more than for personal use. In addition, they can have large amounts of cash on them and sometimes weighing scales.
Section 18 (PACE) Search
This is a search of someone’s premises when they are held in custody for an offence that may mean them appearing before a jury (indictable offence). Also, the search has to be for something relating to the offence they were arrested for.
SIO – Senior Investigating Officer. Senior detective heading up a case.
SOCO
Scenes of crime officer. These are highly trained civilians working for the police who gather forensic evidence at crime scenes, e.g. fingerprints and DNA samples. Alternatively, sometimes called CSI, a crime scene investigator.
VDRS – Vehicle Defect Rectification Scheme. Gives 14 days to fix a minor vehicle defect. No further action is taken if proof of repair is shown.
VRM – Vehicle Registration Mark, the number plate on a car or motorcycle.
Police Ranks
DC – Detective Constable PC – Police constable
DS – Detective Sergeant PS – Police sergeant
DI – Detective Inspector
DCI – Detective Chief Inspector
DSI – Detective Superintendent
DCS – Detective Chief Superintendent