Police station representation: best practices for solicitors and reps

By Robert Cashman, Solicitor. Published 15 February 2026. Updated 12 October 2026.

Criminal defence solicitor in England and Wales. General guidance on police station work. It isn't legal advice.

A practical overview of effective police station representation, from initial instruction through to outcomes and file handover, for duty solicitors, higher-rights solicitors, and accredited representatives.

The home screen: five workflow tiles cover every type of police-station representation.

Quick Capture: fill what you know from the DSCC call before you leave; the matter is already open when you arrive.

Preparation before arriving at the station

Effective representation starts before you enter the custody suite. Before setting out:

Confirm the custody reference or URN, the client's name, the investigating officer, and the alleged offence(s)
Run a conflict check against your firm's records
Check the DSCC rota details if you're on duty
Ensure your laptop and software are ready. Install Custody Note before your first attendance so you can capture structured notes from the start

Section 5: Disclosure & Evidence. Type, officer, narrative, timestamp, all in one screen.

Disclosure

Request and review disclosure before consulting with your client. Record:

What disclosure was provided and in what form
What was withheld or not yet available
Any objections raised and responses
The time disclosure was received

Thorough disclosure notes strengthen your position if the case proceeds to court or is reviewed on audit.

Section 6: Consultation. Conflict, advice, client understanding and custody-record review, all by tickbox.

Client consultation

The private consultation is where you take instructions and give advice. Best practice includes:

Explaining the allegation and evidence disclosed so far
Advising on rights (silence, legal advice, appropriate adult)
Discussing interview strategy: prepared statement, no comment, full account
Noting any vulnerability, mental health concern, or fitness-to-be-interviewed issue

Section 7: Interview. Quick fill prompts, contemporaneous Now buttons, interview-notes textarea.

During the interview

Your role during the interview is to protect the client's interests:

Object to improper questions
Seek clarification where questions are unclear or unfair
Note key exchanges, admissions, denials, and any concerns about conduct
Ensure PACE codes of practice are observed

Section 8: Outcome. Disposal, next location, next date, further attendance, all in one screen.

Outcomes and post-interview

After the interview, record the outcome: NFA, charge, bail, released under investigation, or further enquiries. Advise the client on next steps.

Complete your attendance note while the details are fresh. Software like Custody Note lets you structure this immediately, offline if necessary, then export a PDF for your firm file and billing workflow.

Section 9: Time Recording & Fees. Departure, return, waiting time, multiple journeys, ready for the LAA claim.

File handover and billing

A good attendance note is the handover document. It should contain everything the fee earner or supervisor needs to continue the matter. Include:

Times: arrival, consultation start, interview start/end, departure
LAA-relevant fields: claim type, travel, waiting, work done
The structured attendance note itself (PDF or digital)

Open Matters: practice-wide visibility on every file, every fee, every outstanding action.

Tools for police station representation

Custody Note is desktop software for Windows and Mac (not Linux or mobile) built specifically for this workflow. It covers PACE custody, voluntary interviews, and telephone advice, with offline support, encryption, PDF export, and LAA billing fields. Start with a Free during beta.