Change of https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/service-police-codes-of-practice

Change description : 2026-07-07 11:11:00: Adding placeholder for codes of practice [Guidance and regulation]

Showing diff : ..2026-07-07 10:11:34.434649029 +00:00

Guidance

Service police codes of practice

Codes of practice for regulating service police powers and investigatory procedures.

Documents

Service police codes of practice

Details

The codes have been issued by the Secretary of State under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. They regulate service police powers and procedures in the investigation of offences, setting down safeguards and protections for members of the service community.

The codes provide a statement of the rights of the individual and the powers of the Service Police. Copies of the service police codes of practice are available in all service police stations. The revised codes come into effect on 10 July 2017 and the previous edition dated 19 March 2015 will cease to have effect.

This policy, last published in 2017, is currently undergoing significant revisions. It was produced prior to the decision of the Supreme Court in the ‘For Women Scotland’ case as to the correct definition of sex for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010. 

Work is currently ongoing across all Government departments to consider the implications of this judgment and other relevant legal rulings and guidance, and to determine appropriate updates to departmental policies.  MOD is acting in tandem with those other Government departments to reflect these legal developments, and this policy will be revised soon. 

Until that work is complete, users are advised to consider enquiries on trans issues on a case-by-case basis and to seek advice from the appropriate single Service legal advisors in the first instance.

Updates to this page

Published 3 November 2020
Last updated 7 July 2026 Show all updates
  1. Adding placeholder for codes of practice

  2. First published.

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Update history

2026-07-07 11:11
Adding placeholder for codes of practice