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Latest changes to APP

Overview of the latest changes to APP.

APP is subject to review (either scheduled or triggered) in consultation with the relevant National Policing Business Area. All amendments go through a review process and further information is available from [email protected]

More detailed changes to APP content may be recorded separately by the the APP team. If you require a copy of APP as it was on a particular date (for example, for an enquiry) please email [email protected]. All requests must be approved by the relevant Policing Standards Manager.

Latest changes to APP

Date Category Guidance Changes
Major investigation and public protection > Domestic abuse Post-arrest management of suspect and casefile
  • Reference to suicide risk in custody plans added in
  • Reference to risk of suicide when Domestic Abuse perpetrators come to the attention of the police added in 
  • Reference to Domestic Abuse injury photos added
  • Reference to APP on Detention and Custody added
  • Update to wording on the use of interpreters section 
  • Wording change from honour based violence to honour based abuse added
  • Home Office 2015 Guidance on Firearms Licencing updated to 2022 version 
  • Reference to APP on Gun Crime added
Major investigation and public protection > Domestic abuse Understanding risk and vulnerability in the context of domestic abuse

Approaches to risk assessment

IDVA link updated.

Penultimate bullet added, commences ‘Known trigger points…’

HBV swapped to HBA.

Changed and added to the text at the end regarding DARA. Added sentence ‘Since this recommendation…’ and ‘Domestic Abuse Risk Assessment…’ DARA learning materials linked to College Learn.

Particular issues affecting certain groups of victims

Deleted ‘For further information’ – link is out of date and no replacements available.

Victims from different cultural backgrounds

‘Violence’ changed to ‘abuse’; HBV changed to HBA – all occurrences.

‘For further information…’ – deleted Resolution link. Changed CPS to updated wording and link. Added signpost and links to Multi-agency statutory guidance for FM, and FM resource pack.

Victims with insecure or uncertain immigration status

2nd paragraph, last line – added ‘They may particularly fear the loss of their children.’

Immigration Rules link corrected.

‘For further information see’ – one source no longer available, deleted this and removed bullets as only one remaining. Updated signposting and link to Women’s Aid resource.

Information sharing with immigration enforcement

First sentence, deleted ‘approved by Chief Constables’ Council on 23 April 2020.’

Male victims

Updated name of charity from Men’s Advice Line to Respect and corrected the link.

Corrected the links for the UK Gold Book; the Mankind Initiative; the Oak Book.

‘For further information see’ – deleted the CPS signpost and link. Added Domestic Abuse Commissioner support signpost and link; Respect Men’s Advice Line signpost and link.

Victims from lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities

HBV changed to HBA.

‘For further information’ – Added signpost and link to APP Victim and witness care. Corrected broken links to the Control Wheel and CPS advice.

‘Organisations that can assist…’ – corrected links to GALOP, Stonewall and Stonewall Scotland.

‘For further information see’ – deleted the first bulleted link and took away bullets. Corrected the remaining signpost and link to Donovan et al. 

Scottish Transgender Alliance link and signpost wording corrected.

ONS signpost wording and link corrected.

Victims with a disability

Inserted the word ‘significantly’ prior to ‘more likely to experience DA’, mid-paragraph. Removed the specific ONS percentages line as this is quickly out of date and fluctuates annually. Updated the ONS link and signpost to their website.

‘See also’ – updated wording and link for CPS. Added ‘The Unseen’ link.

Teenagers and young persons

Paragraph commencing ‘Similarly, if the…’ last sentence – changed wording slightly ‘…schools and charities, such as…’ – deleted ‘Troubled Families’ and included SafeLives and added a link.

Paragraph starts ‘Changes in how people communicate…’ – second sentence, added: ‘This could be’ before directly, for example, by sending abusive or harassing messages or; then added ‘sending or threatening to send intimate images or videos.’

‘For further information see’ – deleted first bulleted link as no longer valid. Added SafeLives and deleted remaining three, as well as bullet format. 

NEW SECTION: Children as victims of domestic abuse

This entire section is new.

Abuse of older people

Added paragraph before the ‘For further information see’ – Starts ‘Section 42’. 

Deleted the paragraph ‘Some useful multi-agency case examples’ – this was previously the last paragraph before the ‘For further information’ part.

‘For further information see’ – deleted Action on Elder Abuse and replaced with Hourglass signpost and link. Deleted CPS. Added policy guidance link to CPS; added APP links to Adults at risk; vulnerable adults; vulnerable adult abuse investigation and safeguarding adults boards.

Children to parent abuse

Removed the last sentence of the first paragraph and replaced with ‘the definition includes those with a parent relationship with the child, so would cover foster parents, for example. 

‘For further resources’ – Family Lives link corrected; Respect signpost and link added; PAARS deleted.

‘For further information see’ – Deleted CPS and Home Office. Changed SafeLives link and signposting and deleted list format. 

Sibling abuse

First paragraph/first sentence took the link off the definition of domestic abuse.

Deleted the next paragraph.

Major investigation and public protection > Domestic abuse Victim safety and support
  • CPS Domestic Abuse Guidelines for Prosecutors changed from Annex D to Annex E
  • Removal of Women's Aid Survival Charter paragraph
  • CPS Guidance on Victims Personal Statement updated
  • CPS Guidance on Special Measures updated 
  • Addition of the section on Contact from Prisoners
  • CPS Guidelines on Withdrawals and Witness Summons
  • Added in reference to updating MARAC when there is a change to individual living within different force area
  • Amendments to the Sanctuary Scheme section - inclusion of SBD, Suzy Lamplugh Trust and National Stalking Helpline
  • Removal of the Paladin National Stalking Advocacy Service reference
  • Reference to Operation Encompass added
Major investigation and public protection > Domestic abuse Call handler and front counter staff response to a domestic abuse incident
  • End of deployment section (last bit before Checklist: Deployment)

Removed: For further information see College of Policing (2015) The Essex Body Worn Video Trial, Owens, Mann and McKenna.

Added: See NPCC Body Worn Video Guidance (2023)

Major investigation and public protection > Domestic abuse First response

Throughout the module, where the abbreviation HBV is used it was swapped to HBA

Body-worn video

Under further information see, the two bullets were deleted and the reference NPCC (2023) Body-Worn Video guidance was added and a new link included.

Why a victim might appear unwilling to engage

Beneath the ‘You might be thinking’ tables, under ‘See also’ the last bullet was deleted and the links updated.

Unsupportive victims and the evidence-led approach

The Joint NPCC and CPS checklist link has been updated.

Under ‘See’ the three checklist links have been corrected.

First accounts and body-worn video

Under ‘See body-worn video’ the link has been updated.

Victim’s views on obtaining a restraining order and victim personal statement

MG5 replaced with ‘case summary’ x 2.

Last paragraph wording insertion: ‘officers must evidence impact on the victim in the initial testimony. It is one of the points to prove for controlling or coercive behaviour. They will be able to make a more detailed…this is a right under the MoJ Code of Practice for Victims’.

Injury photos

Paragraph inserted, comes second after bullets. ‘It is important for officers to be aware of skin tone bias when assessing injuries and requesting photographs of injuries on darker skin. Differences in redness and bruising visibility need to be taken into account when photos are taken. This may require use of a specialist photographer.’

Free national helpline details

Link updated and Women’s Aid removed from the Refuge helpline. Welsh Women’s Aid link updated.

Referrals to voluntary sector support agencies

First paragraph. Deletion of text from ‘the police should’ to ‘explicit consent from the victim to do so.’ Replaced with ‘a victim has the right to access support services, whether or not they choose to report the crime to the police. Officers should be aware of and able to refer victims to appropriate support services, including those by and for minority groups. They should take into consideration any increased risk to the victim that a referral might create.’

Abbreviation in brackets (BME) removed.

Paragraph commencing ‘For information on more specialist services, the Women’s Aid’ – Gold Book link corrected.

Paragraph commencing ‘Officer should ensure not…’ Added the last sentence: ‘Officers should also keep in mind the possibility that a perpetrator may try to find the victim through a missing person’s report.’

NCDV – added last sentence: ‘These services are means tested.’

CPS DA guidelines – changed Annex D to E and corrected the link.

Major investigation and public protection > Domestic abuse First response national decision model (NDM) tool

Corrected a broken link

/app/major-investigation-and-public-protection/domestic-abuse/victim-safety-and-support#keeping-the-victim-informed

Major investigation and public protection > Domestic abuse First response quick reference guide – domestic abuse

7 broken links corrected to internal sections of DA APP.

Major investigation and public protection > Domestic abuse First response supervisor's checklist - domestic abuse

Item 6 changed DASH to DARA

Item 22 on the checklist - amended wording from harassment and stalking to harassment or stalking.

Major investigation and public protection > Domestic abuse Introduction to authorised professional practice on domestic abuse
  • Middle of introduction paragraph: 

Old wording:  It responds to a number of developments in the field of domestic abuse, in particular a new Home Office definition of domestic violence and abuse. The definition recognises…

New wording: It responds to a number of developments in the field of domestic abuse, in particular a new Home Office definition of domestic violence and abuse, and the statutory definition set out in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. These recognise the significance…

  • Under HMIC recommendation 5 section:

ONS link updated to 2016 version and percentage changed from 46% to 44%. Addition of ‘For more information on domestic abuse figures see Domestic abuse in England and Wales overview 2023.’ 

  • Under terminological note section

Code of Practice for Victims of Crime link updated to 2020 version from 2015 version.

Major investigation and public protection > Domestic abuse The role of domestic abuse specialists in supporting investigation and incident management

Minor changes to content under the 'Investigation' heading:

The following sentence has been removed:

Cases categorised as high risk should normally be identified as serious and complex in the force investigation policy.

 

References to MAPPA have been removed, and clarification around LSCBs has been added. 

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