Police Station Interview Notes: Best Practice for Solicitors and Reps

The interview is the centrepiece of most police station attendances, but interview notes are often the weakest section of the attendance record. This guide covers what to record, how to record it, and what to do when something goes wrong.

For the complete guide to attendance notes, see Police Station Attendance Notes (UK Guide).

Your role during the interview

You are there to protect the client's interests — not to observe passively. During a PACE interview, your responsibilities include:

• Ensuring the caution is properly administered
• Objecting to improper, oppressive, or unfair questions
• Seeking clarification of ambiguous questions
• Requesting breaks where appropriate (Code C 12.8)
• Noting any significant statements or admissions
• Monitoring the client's welfare and fitness to continue

Your interview notes should reflect this active role.

What to record during the interview

Timings

• Interview start time
• Any breaks (with start and end times, and reason)
• Interview end time

These are critical for billing and for verifying compliance with PACE detention time limits.

Officers present

Record the names and ranks of all interviewing officers. If officers rotate during a lengthy interview, note the change.

Recording method

Confirm whether the interview was audio recorded, video recorded, or (rarely) conducted as a written interview. This matters if the recording is later disputed or unavailable.

The substance of the interview

You are not creating a transcript — that is the recording's function. Your note should capture:

• Key areas of questioning (themes, not every question)
• The client's approach (full account, no comment, prepared statement read)
• Any significant admissions or denials
• Questions you considered improper or unfair
• Points where the client appeared confused or distressed

Representations and objections

This is the most important part of your interview notes. If you objected to a question, noted improper conduct, or made representations to the interviewing officer, record:

• What you objected to (the question or conduct)
• The basis for your objection
• The officer's response
• Whether the objection was noted on tape

These entries may support an exclusion application under s.76 or s.78 PACE, or an abuse of process argument, months or years later. If they are not in your attendance note, they effectively did not happen.

Prepared statements

If a prepared statement was read at the start of the interview, note:

• That the statement was read (with the time)
• Whether the client was invited to comment further and declined
• Any follow-up questions and the client's response (or non-response)

No-comment interviews

A no-comment interview is not a reason for a blank interview section. Record:

• That the client declined to comment on all questions
• Any areas where the client was tempted to respond (and your advice during any break)
• The officers' questioning areas — this tells the firm what the investigation is focused on
• Any attempts by officers to persuade the client to comment outside the formal interview

When things go wrong

Improper questions

If an interviewing officer asks a question that is leading, oppressive, or assumes facts not in evidence, intervene and record the intervention. Note the question, your objection, and the outcome.

Client distress

If the client becomes distressed, requests a break, or appears unfit to continue, request a break and record the circumstances. Note whether a healthcare professional was called.

Denial of rights

If you are excluded from the interview room, denied the opportunity to consult before interview, or the interview proceeds in your absence despite your objection, record everything in detail. These notes may be the foundation of an application to exclude the interview.

After the interview

Complete the interview section of your attendance note before moving to the outcome section. Record the end time, confirm the recording details, and note any immediate post-interview exchanges.

Summary

The interview section of your attendance note should demonstrate that you were present, active, and professional. It should capture the timeline, the substance, your interventions, and anything that might matter later. Even a no-comment interview requires a complete record.

For how the interview section fits into the broader attendance note, see Police Station Attendance Notes (UK Guide). For a worked example including interview notes, see Police Station Notes Example.