Free police station attendance note template (PDF and Word)

The template I would want a new representative to take to the police station: ten sections, from case details and custody record review to disclosure, advice, interview and outcome. Download it as a PDF to print or as a Word file to edit. No email needed.

What the template covers

1. Case details: client, custody record number, DSCC reference, station, offence, arrest time and the relevant time for the PACE detention clock.
2. Instructions and timeline: when you were instructed, first contact, arrival and departure.
3. Custody record review: rights under sections 56 and 58 of PACE, detention reviews, fitness, vulnerability and appropriate adult, interpreter, searches and samples, welfare.
4. Pre-interview disclosure: who gave it, when, in what form, what was said, what was refused, and whether it was enough to advise.
5. Consultation and advice: the client's instructions, your advice on interview options and possible inferences under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, your reasons, and the client's decision.
6. Interview: times, who was present, caution and any special warning (Code C 10.10 to 10.11), significant statements (Code C 11.4), new material and your interventions.
7. Outcome: no further action, release under investigation, bail, charge or out-of-court disposal, with any conditions and court date.
8. Time recording: travel, waiting, attendance, interview and calls.
9. Follow-up: tasks, letters and notes for whoever picks up the file.
10. Sign-off: who completed it and when.

How I use a template like this

I have been attending police stations as a criminal defence solicitor since 2001. The sections are in the order things happen, so the note builds as the attendance goes on rather than being reconstructed afterwards. Disclosure always comes before the consultation entry, so the advice can be read against what the police had actually told you.

For guidance on each section, see what to include in an attendance note, the attendance note template guide and the worked example notes. New to the topic? Start with what an attendance note is.

Frequently asked questions