This section has been included to assist you interpreting the abbreviations that you are likely to come across in our Publication Scheme. Not all of the below listed abbreviations can be found in the classes of information, but may relate to the wider policing arena.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
| AA |
Automobile Association |
| AAIB |
Air Accident Investigation Branch |
| ABH |
Actual Bodily Harm |
| ABI |
Association of British Insurers |
| AC |
Alternating Current |
| ACCOLC |
Access Over-Load Control |
| ACC'O |
Assistant Chief Constable (Operations) |
| ACPO |
Association of Chief Police Officers |
| ACPORP |
Association of Chief Police Officers Road Policing Committee |
| ACR |
Automated Crime Recording |
| ADAS |
Agricultural Development and Advisory Service |
| ADP |
Automatic Data Processing |
| A&E |
Accident and Emergency |
| AEAC |
Atomic Energy Authority Constabulary |
| AFO |
Authorised Firearms Officer |
| AFR |
Automatic Fingerprint Recognition |
| AGR |
Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor |
| AIDS |
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome |
| AIU |
Accident Investigation Unit |
| ANPR |
Automatic Number Plate Recognition |
| APA |
Association of Police Authorities |
| ARV |
Armed Response Vehicle |
| ASBO |
Anti-Social Behaviour Order |
| ASP |
(Police baton) |
| ASU |
Air Support Unit or Admin Support Unit |
| ASW |
Approved Social Worker |
| ATC |
Air Traffic Control |
| ATS |
Automated Traffic Signal |
| AV |
Anti-Virus |
B
| BA |
British Airways |
| BAPCO |
British Association of Public Safety Communication Officers |
| BAPS |
Business and Property Services |
| BBC |
British Broadcasting Corporation |
| BCU |
Basic Command Unit |
| BLEVE |
Boiling Liquid Expansion Vapour Explosion |
| BNFL |
British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. |
| BST |
British Summer Time |
| BT |
British Telecom |
| BTP |
British Transport Police |
| BVPI |
Best Value Performance Indicator |
C
| CAA |
Civil Aviation Authority |
| CBE |
Commander of the (Order of the) British Empire |
| CBRN |
Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear |
| CCTV |
Closed Circuit Television |
| CD |
Compact Disc |
| CDO |
Civilian Detention Officer |
| CESG |
Communication-Electronics Security Group |
| CHIS |
Covert Human Intelligence Source |
| CICB |
Criminal Injuries Compensation Board |
| CID |
Criminal Investigation Department |
| CIMAH |
Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards |
| CJA |
Criminal Justice Act |
| CJIT |
Criminal Justice Information Technology |
| CJS |
Criminal Justice System |
| CJX |
Criminal Justice Network see also PNN2 |
| CMS |
Casefile Management System |
| COI |
Central Office of Information |
| COMAH |
Control of Major Accident Hazards |
| COSHH |
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health regulations |
| CPA |
Crime Pattern Analysis or Child Protection Agency |
| CPIA |
Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 |
| CPS |
Crown Prosecution Service |
| CRO |
Criminal Records Office |
| CROP |
Covert Rural Observation Point |
| CRPPU |
Crime Reduction Programmes and Partnerships Unit (Home Office)) |
| CRUSE |
(Voluntary organisation for the counselling of the bereaved) |
| CS |
(Incapacitating Spray) |
| CSA |
Chief Scientific Advisor |
| CSP |
Community Security Policy |
| CTO |
Central Ticket Office |
| CVRS |
Contract Vehicle Recovery Scheme |
| CVU |
Commercial Vehicle Unit |
| CYP |
Children and Young Persons |
D
| DCC |
Deputy Chief Constable |
| DCC |
Durham County Council |
| DCI |
Detective Chief Inspector |
| DDI |
Direct Dial Inward |
| DEFRA |
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |
| DI |
Detective Inspector |
| DNA |
Deoxyribonucleic Acid |
| DOB |
Date of Birth |
| DPO |
Data Protection Officer |
| DPP |
Director of Public Prosecutions |
| DSS |
Department of Social Security |
| DTLR |
Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions |
| DV |
Developed Vetting |
| DVC |
Domestic Violence Co-ordinator |
| DVLA |
Driving Vehicle Licensing Authority |
| DVLC |
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre |
E
| EAH |
Early Administrative Hearing |
| EBU |
European Broadcasting Union |
| EC |
European Community |
| ECHR |
European Convention on Human Rights |
| EEA |
European Economic Area |
| EEC |
European Economic Community |
| EHO |
Environmental Health Officer |
| EMDS |
Electronic Messaging Delivery Service |
| EO |
Equal Opportunities |
| EPSRC |
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council |
| ESRC |
Economic and Social Research Council |
| ETA |
Expected Time of Arrival |
F
| FBI |
Federal Bureau of Investigations |
| FBO |
Football Banning Order |
| FBOA |
Football Banning Order Authority |
| FCO |
Foreign and Commonwealth Office |
| FCP |
Forward Control Point |
| FIB |
Force Intelligence Bureau was Force Identification Bureau |
| FIO |
Field Intelligence Officer |
| FISP |
Force Information Security Policy |
| FIU |
Force Intelligence Unit |
| FLO |
Football Liaison Officer or Family Liaison Officer |
| FLO(T) |
Family Liaison Officer (Traffic) |
| FPN |
Fixed Penalty Notice |
| FSS |
Forensic Science Service |
| FSSL |
Forensic Science Service Laboratory |
| F/T |
Full-time |
G
| GBH |
Grievous Bodily Harm |
| GP |
General Practitioner |
| GMT |
Greenwich Mean Time |
| GONE |
Government Office for the North East |
| GPMS |
Government Protective Marking Scheme |
| GSM |
(Mobile phone standard in Europe) |
H
| HA |
Highways Agency |
| HAZCHEM |
Hazardous Chemicals |
| HGV |
Heavy Goods Vehicle |
| HMCE |
Her Majesty's Customs and Excise |
| HMIC |
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary |
| HMP |
Her Majesty's Prison |
| HMSO |
Her Majesty's Stationary Office |
| HO |
Home Office |
| HOLAB |
Home Office Laboratory form |
HOLMES /
HOLMES II |
(Computer system for major incidents) |
| HOPD |
Home Office Prison Department |
| HOPF |
Home Office Police Force |
| HQ |
Headquarters |
| HSE |
Health and Safety Executive |
I
| ICT |
Information and Communications Technology |
| ID |
Identification |
| IED |
Improvised Explosive Device |
| IIMARCH |
Information, Intention, Method, Administration, Risk assessment, Communication & Human rights |
| IND |
Immigration and Nationality Directorate |
| IO |
Investigating Officer |
| IOW |
Isle of Wight |
| IPA |
International Police Association |
| IPTF |
International Police Task Force |
| IPU |
International Police Unit |
| ISO |
Information Security Officer |
| IT |
Information Technology |
| ITV |
Independent Television |
J
| JBB |
Joint Branch Board |
| JCC |
Joint Central Committee |
| JNCC |
Joint Negotiating and Consultative Committee |
L
M
| MAPPP |
Multi Agency Public Protection Panel |
| MBE |
Member of the (Order of the) British Empire |
| MCA |
Maritime & Coastguard Agency |
| MCIT |
Major Crime Investigation Team |
| MDP |
Ministry of Defence Police |
| MID |
Motor Insurance Database |
| MISPER |
Missing Person |
| MO |
Modus Operandi |
| MOD |
Ministry of Defence |
| MODACE |
Management of Disaster and Civil Emergency |
| MOT |
Ministry of Transport test |
| MP |
Member of Parliament |
N
| NACRO |
National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders |
| NAFIS |
National Automated Fingerprint Identification System |
| NAI |
Non-Accidental Injury |
| NAIR |
National Arrangements for Incidents involving Radioactivity |
| NASS |
National Asylum Support Service |
| NATO |
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation |
| NCEC |
National Chemical Emergency Centre |
| NCF |
National Crime Faculty |
| NCIS |
National Criminal Intelligence Service |
| NCPE |
National Centre for Policing Excellence |
| NCS |
National Crime Squad |
| NFA |
No Further Action |
| NFIU |
National Football Intelligence Unit |
| NHS |
National Health Service |
| NHTCU |
National High Tech Crime Unit |
| NI |
National Insurance |
| NPP |
National Policing Plan |
| NSPCC |
National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children |
| NSPIS |
National Strategy for Police Information Systems |
| NSY |
New Scotland Yard |
| NVC |
Non Verbal Communication |
O
| OIC |
Officer in Charge or Officer in the Case |
| OJEC |
Official Journal of the European Communities |
| OS |
Ordinance Survey |
| OSC |
Office of the Surveillance Commissioners or Off-site Support Centre |
| OSCE |
Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe |
P
| PA |
Public Address (system) |
| PACE |
Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 |
| PAYE |
Pay as You Earn |
| PC |
Police Constable |
| PCA |
Police Complaints Authority |
| PCRG |
Policing and Crime Reduction Group (Home Office) |
| PDP |
Professional Development Profile |
| PDR |
Personal Development Review |
| PEACE |
Prepare/planning, Engage & explain, Account. Closure, Evaluation - interview process |
| PII |
Public Interest Immunity |
| PIN |
Personal Identification Number |
| PIO |
Public Information Office or Principle Investigating Officer |
| PIR |
Police Initial Recruitment |
| PITO |
Police Information Technology Organisation |
| PM |
Post Mortem |
| PMAS |
Police Mutual Assurance Society |
| PNB |
Police Negotiating Board or Pocket Note Book |
| PNC |
Police National Computer |
| PNN2 |
Criminal Justice Network See Also CJX |
| POLNET |
(Pre-Windows IT network) |
| POLSA |
Police Search Advisor |
| POT |
Public Order Training or Prevention of Terrorism |
| PPAF |
Policing Performance Assessment Framework |
| PPE |
Personal Protective Equipment |
| PSDB |
Police Scientific Development Branch (Home Office) |
| PSU |
Police Standards Unit (Home Office) |
Q
| QGM |
Queen's Gallantry Medal |
| QPM |
Queen's Police Medal |
R
| RAC |
Royal Automobile Club |
| RAF |
Royal Air Force |
| RDS |
Research Development and Statistics |
| RIDDOR |
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations |
| RIPA |
Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act |
| ROSPA |
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents |
| ROTI |
Record of Taped Interview |
| ROVI |
Record of Video Interview |
| RSPB |
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds |
| RSPCA |
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals |
| RVP |
Rendezvous Point |
S
| SAMM |
Support After Murder and Manslaughter |
| SAYE |
Save as You Earn |
| SB |
Special Branch |
| SIM |
(Mobile phone card) |
| SIO |
Senior Investigating Officer |
| SLA |
Service Level Agreement |
| SMARTS |
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-framed and Stretching |
| SOCO |
Scenes of Crime Officer |
| SPT |
Strategic Policy Team (Home Office) |
| SSP |
System Security Policy |
| SVS |
Stolen Vehicle Squad |
| SYOPS |
Guidance & Instructions for Information Security |
T
| TCG |
Tasking and Co-ordinating Group |
| TIC |
Taken into Consideration |
| TIE |
Trace, Implicate or Eliminate |
| TU |
Trial Units |
U
| UHF |
Ultra High Frequency |
| UK |
United Kingdom |
| UKCA |
United Kingdom Central Authority |
| UKPIA |
United Kingdom Petroleum Industry Association |
| UN |
United Nations |
| UNISON |
(Civilian staff union) |
| UV |
Ultra-Violet |
V
| VAD |
Vehicle Audit Document |
| VASCAR |
Visual Average Speed Camera And Recorder |
| VAT |
Value Added Tax |
| VDR |
Vehicle Defect Rectification |
| VHS |
Video Home System |
| VIP |
Very Important Person |
| VIPER |
Video Identification Parade Electronic Recording |
| VODS |
Vehicle On-line Descriptive Search |
| VSP |
Victim Personal Statement |
| VRF |
Volunteer Reserve Forces |
| VSS |
Victim Support Scheme |
W
| WDA |
Waste Disposal Authority |
| WRVS |
Women's Royal Volunteer Service |
Y