Peter James: Need You Dead

POLACC— Police Accident. A crash involving a police vehicle.

POLSA— Police Search Advisor. A trained and accredited officer who provides advice on where to search for something or someone, and how, in any given circumstance. Will often supervise the teams used in such searches.

PPE— Personal Protective Equipment. Police-issued equipment used to protect officers or to allow them to control suspects. For example, body armour, handcuffs, baton, pepper spray.

PSD— Professional Standards Department. The internal department that investigates allegations of police misconduct, whether from the public or identified within. Separate from the IPCC but works closely with them.

RISE— freedom from domestic abuse charity. Provide support to victims of domestic violence and their children through an IDVA and other services.

RPM dial— Revolutions Per Minute displayed on a dial found in motor vehicles.

RPU— Roads Policing Unit. The new name for the Traffic Division.

RTC— Road Traffic Collision (commonly known as an ‘accident’ by the public, but this term is not used as it implies no one is at fault when usually someone is).

RV Point— Rendezvous Point. The designated location where emergency services meet prior to deploying to the scene of a crime or major incident. Used when it would be too dangerous or unwieldy for everyone to arrive at the scene at the same time in an uncoordinated way.

SCC— Specialist Crime Command. The new name for CID HQ. The department that provides the specialist crime services such as major crime and public protection, and acts as the professional lead for detectives across the force.

SIO— Senior Investigating Officer. Usually a Detective Chief Inspector who is in overall charge of the investigation of a major crime such as murder, kidnap or rape.

SNAFU— Situation Normal, All Fucked Up. This is a military slang expression with the F standing for ‘Fucked’ or ‘Fouled’.

SSU— Specialist Search Unit. The team who provide expert search skills such as searching underwater or in confined places or at height, as well as locations where a high degree of search expertise is required, such as large or complex crime scenes.

TFU— Tactical Firearms Unit. The small, permanently armed department of the police that responds to firearms incidents. They often deploy in ARVs, and also have other specialist capabilities.

TPAC— Tactical Pursuit and Containment. Describes a range of methods for managing and terminating police pursuits, including boxing-in the target vehicle using police cars and, where necessary, causing it to stop by use of controlled collision.

UC— Undercover Officer.

ABC— Assume Nothing, Believe No One, Check Everything. The Senior Investigating Officer’s mantra for maintaining an open and enquiring mindset in investigations.

Beep test —the fitness test all officers are required to pass. It is a multistage aerobic fitness test in which officers must complete twenty-metre shuttle runs in time with the recorded bleeps until the bleeps get too quick for them.

Bosher— the heavy metal handheld ram used to force open doors and allow officers to enter a locked premises or room swiftly and with the advantage of surprise.

Bundle— a fight, or a file of documents prepared and presented at court or to the Crown Prosecution Service for advice.

Copper’s Nose— a police officer’s instinct. The sixth sense which often guides an officer’s suspicions.

Go bag— a pre-prepared bag containing essential equipment. Commonly kept by officers on call who may need to deploy to a scene of a crime or an incident quickly, knowing that they have all they will need with them — within reason!

Golden Hour— the first hour after a crime has been committed or reported when the best chances of seizing evidence and/or identifying witnesses exist.

PC Rain— so called as a good downpour has a greater chance of clearing people, including drunks and criminals, off the street than any number of police officers can!

Policeman’s chair— the location where police officers like to sit in pubs or restaurants when on duty. Usually this is with their back to the wall, giving them a clear view of the main entrance and exit so they can see all the comings and goings and not be taken by surprise.

Q word— short for ‘quiet’. Emergency services personnel never say the word ‘quiet’, as it invariably is a bad omen, causing chaos to reign!

Shit magnet— slang for a police officer who seems to attract trouble and around whom disaster invariably reigns.

Shout— slang for an emergency (999) call. All emergency services use this term.

Slow time— the term given to an investigation or enquiry that has passed its critical stage and can be undertaken at a reduced pace.

Stinger— a device used to impede or stop the movement of a vehicle by puncturing its tyres. Usually used to end a pursuit when deployed by trained officers at the roadside ahead of the target vehicle, causing it to stop quickly yet in a controlled manner.

Stop-stick— another version of a stinger.

Police ranks are consistent across all disciplines and the addition of prefixes such as ‘detective’ (e.g. detective constable) does not affect seniority relative to others of the same rank (e.g. police constable).