What Is a Police Station Representative? — UK Glossary
A police station representative (often called a 'rep') is a person accredited under the Legal Aid Agency's police station accreditation scheme to provide advice and assistance to suspects detained at police stations or attending voluntarily for interview. In England and Wales, representatives are not solicitors but are trained and accredited to advise at the police station.
Detailed explanation
Police station representatives occupy a distinct role in the criminal defence system. They are not solicitors and do not hold a practising certificate, but they are accredited to provide advice and assistance to suspects at the police station under the supervision of a duty solicitor or the firm's nominated supervisor. The accreditation is administered by the Legal Aid Agency and requires passing the Police Station Representatives Accreditation Scheme (PSRAS) assessment.
Representatives handle a significant proportion of police station attendances, particularly out-of-hours and in areas where solicitor availability is limited. They attend custody suites, receive disclosure, consult with clients, attend interviews, and provide post-interview advice. Their work is subject to the same professional standards and record-keeping requirements as solicitors performing the same role.
Probationary representatives — those who have not yet passed the full accreditation — may also attend police stations, but only under direct supervision and in accordance with the Standard Crime Contract requirements. The attendance note must record the representative's accreditation status and the identity of the supervising solicitor.
When practitioners encounter police station representatives
Solicitors encounter representatives as colleagues within their own firm or as freelance representatives contracted to cover police station attendances. Many criminal defence firms rely on a mix of solicitor and representative attendance to manage the 24/7 demands of police station work. Freelance representatives may work for multiple firms and attend stations across a wide geographical area.
From the client's perspective, the representative is the person who provides their legal advice at the police station. The representative's attendance note is the firm's record of the advice given, the work done, and the basis for the billing claim. The supervising solicitor reviews this note as part of their supervisory responsibility.
How police station representatives relate to attendance notes
Representatives create attendance notes in the same way as solicitors. The note must record all the same information: disclosure, consultation, interview, advice, and billing data. Additionally, the note should record the representative's name, accreditation status, and the identity of the supervising solicitor. This information is required by the Standard Crime Contract and is checked during LAA audits.
For freelance representatives working across multiple firms, consistency of record-keeping is a particular challenge. Each firm may have different templates, systems, and expectations. A structured digital tool that produces a consistent attendance note format — regardless of which firm the representative is working for — reduces errors and speeds up the supervisory review.
Key points to record
- Representative's name and accreditation status (full or probationary)
- Supervising solicitor's name
- Firm instructed and matter reference
- Whether the attendance is own-client or duty
- All standard attendance note fields (disclosure, consultation, interview, advice)
- Time breakdown by activity for billing
- Any issues escalated to the supervising solicitor
- Travel details if claiming travel disbursements
Related terms
- Duty solicitor — a solicitor on the rota providing free legal advice
- Attendance note — the record of the police station attendance
- Legal aid attendance note — the attendance note supporting a billing claim
- PACE interview — the formal interview under caution
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a police station representative and a solicitor at the police station?
A solicitor holds a practising certificate issued by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and is qualified to provide legal advice in their own right. A police station representative is accredited under the LAA scheme to provide advice at the police station, but works under the supervision of a solicitor. In terms of what happens at the station — disclosure, consultation, interview attendance, and advice — the role is functionally the same. The distinction is one of qualification and regulatory status. Both create attendance notes and both can claim under legal aid.
Can a police station representative attend court?
Police station representatives are accredited for police station work, not court work. Attending court as an advocate or legal representative requires separate qualification or authorisation. Some representatives also hold other qualifications (such as FILEX or CILEX) that may permit court work, but the police station accreditation alone does not extend to court representation.
How does a freelance representative manage attendance notes across multiple firms?
Freelance representatives often work for several firms, each with different case management systems and templates. This can lead to inconsistency, duplication, and delays in submitting notes. Using a personal digital attendance note tool allows the representative to produce a structured note at the point of attendance and share it with the instructing firm. CustodyNote is designed with freelance representatives in mind, producing consistent notes that meet the requirements of any firm's billing workflow.
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