Association of Chief Police Officers
A UK-wide professional association that coordinated policing policy and national operational activity from 1948 until its replacement by the National Police Chiefs' Council in 2015.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) was a professional coordination body for senior police leaders in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Established in 1948, it developed from earlier traditions of chief officers meeting to exchange views on policing and gradually became a central forum for creating common operational policies, coordinating national responses and advising government. Although it was widely treated as the collective voice of chief police officers, ACPO did not command local forces and had no statutory power to direct chief constables. Responsibility for policing remained with individual forces and their governing authorities. ACPO's importance grew as policing problems became less local in character. Terrorism, organised crime, cross-border offending, major public disorder, serious flooding, mass gatherings and international emergencies required forces to share intelligence, personnel and tactical approaches. ACPO helped establish common guidance and national structures for these purposes. It designated senior investigating officers for major cases, supported joint investigations and coordinated the movement of police resources during national emergencies. Its work also covered areas such as vehicle crime, criminal records and biometrics, community tensions, wildlife crime, counter-terrorism security and online terrorist material. The organisation was originally described as an informal or club-like association of senior officers. In 1997 it was incorporated as a private company limited by guarantee. This enabled it to employ staff, sign contracts, maintain premises and publish accounts, but the structure also generated sustained criticism. Because ACPO was a private company rather than a public authority, critics argued that it lacked adequate parliamentary and public accountability. The organisation was not the staff association for chief officers; that role belonged to the separate Chief Police Officers' Staff Association. ACPO operated across the police forces of England, Wales and Northern Ireland and included chief officers from local forces, the Metropolitan Police and the City of London Police, together with selected leaders from national and specialist agencies. In March 2010 it had 349 members. It was financed through Home Office grants, commercial income and contributions from police authorities. Financial pressure became acute after a number of police authorities stopped or questioned their contributions during public-sector spending reductions. Reports in 2011 warned that ACPO could run out of money without additional support. Several controversies damaged confidence in the organisation. Its handling of DNA-profile retention was challenged after courts found that the policy for retaining profiles from people who had not been convicted was incompatible with human-rights protections. ACPO also faced criticism over the use of counter-terrorism funding for London accommodation, its oversight of undercover domestic-extremism units and the appearance of its president, Sir Hugh Orde, in a police-style uniform. These disputes reinforced arguments that national policing coordination required a clearer statutory and accountability framework. An independent review led by General Sir Nick Parker reported in 2013 and recommended replacing ACPO with a more transparent and cost-effective body. The National Police Chiefs' Council was subsequently created under a police collaboration agreement made pursuant to section 22A of the Police Act 1996. It replaced ACPO on 1 April 2015, bringing the association's institutional role to an end. Some operational functions and successor arrangements continued through other police bodies, including organisations that had previously been associated with ACPO.
History
British chief police officers had long met informally to discuss common problems before ACPO was established in its recognisable post-war form in 1948. The need for coordination increased as policing moved beyond purely local concerns. Public disorder, terrorism, organised crime, major investigations and the movement of offenders across force boundaries required common approaches and rapid cooperation between chief officers. ACPO initially functioned as a forum in which senior officers exchanged ideas and developed shared positions. Over time it became more influential in representing the collective professional view of policing to central government. It supported national guidance for local forces and helped coordinate responses to major incidents while preserving the legal autonomy of individual chief constables. Its role was therefore influential rather than command-based: it could facilitate agreement and provide expertise, but it could not issue binding instructions to local forces. The riots of 1980–81 illustrated the demand for national tactical consistency. ACPO began preparing the Public Order Manual of Tactical Operations and Related Matters, and forces started training against the resulting guidance in 1983. This was part of a broader transformation in which ACPO moved away from its earlier informal character and became an effective infrastructure for developing common policing doctrine. In 1997 ACPO became a private company limited by guarantee. Incorporation allowed it to employ staff, contract for offices and other services, and maintain more formal financial and administrative arrangements. Its constitutional position remained unusual. It was recognised by government as a consultation partner but was not itself a statutory policing authority, and its private status meant it was initially outside the Freedom of Information Act. That arrangement attracted criticism from campaigners and politicians who believed an organisation influencing national policing policy should be directly accountable to the public. ACPO represented chief officers from the 44 police forces of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, along with relevant senior officers from the Metropolitan Police, City of London Police and selected national and specialist bodies. In March 2010 the association reported 349 members. It coordinated or supported a network of specialist structures. The ACPO Criminal Records Office was created in 2006 to improve the management of criminal records and links with DNA and fingerprint information. The Police National Information and Co-ordination Centre, established in 2003, helped mobilise police resources during national emergencies and major events. Other associated bodies addressed vehicle crime, community tensions, counter-terrorism security, online terrorist content and wildlife crime. Funding became a major institutional problem. ACPO relied on Home Office grants, income from commercial activities and contributions from police authorities. As budgets tightened, some authorities stopped paying and others reconsidered their commitments. In 2011 public reporting suggested that the organisation might become insolvent without additional funding. At the same time, controversies concerning transparency, accommodation financed from counter-terrorism grants, DNA retention and undercover policing weakened its public standing. The DNA controversy was particularly significant. ACPO guidance favoured retaining many DNA profiles, including profiles from people who had not been convicted, unless exceptional circumstances applied. Human-rights litigation concluded that this approach was unlawful. The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 introduced a revised statutory framework, but critics argued that uncertainty remained during ACPO's final years. The undercover-policing controversy involving Mark Kennedy and domestic-extremism investigations led to further scrutiny of ACPO's authorisation and oversight arrangements. The Home Office announced that relevant units would move to the Metropolitan Police, while an inspection examined whether operations had been lawful and proportionate. Separate criticism arose after President Hugh Orde appeared publicly in an ACPO uniform that resembled a police-force uniform, prompting questions about symbolism and accountability. General Sir Nick Parker's 2013 independent review concluded that ACPO should be replaced. The recommended successor was the National Police Chiefs' Council, established through a section 22A Police Act 1996 collaboration agreement. The NPCC replaced ACPO on 1 April 2015. ACPO was consequently dissolved, while several functions and specialist bodies associated with its work continued under successor organisations or police-force control.
- 2015
ACPO is replaced by the National Police Chiefs' Council
[1]The NPCC begins operating on 1 April, ending ACPO's institutional role.
- 2013
Parker Review recommends a successor body
[1]An independent review recommends replacing ACPO with a more transparent and cost-effective national chiefs' organisation.
- 2011
DNA-retention guidance is ruled unlawful
[1]UK and European human-rights judgments reject the legality of ACPO's approach to retaining profiles from unconvicted people.
- 2010
ACPO membership reaches 349
[1]The association reports 349 members drawn from chief-officer ranks and related national and specialist policing organisations.
- 2006
ACPO Criminal Records Office is created
[1]The office is established to improve operational management of criminal-record information and associated biometric data.
- 2003
Police National Information and Co-ordination Centre is established
[1]ACPO creates a national mechanism for mobilising police resources during emergencies, major investigations and other events requiring cross-force support.
- 1997
ACPO incorporates as a private company limited by guarantee
[1]Incorporation gives ACPO the ability to employ staff, enter contracts and publish accounts while retaining its non-statutory coordination role.
- 1983
Common public-order tactical guidance enters force training
[1]Following the public disorder of 1980–81, police forces begin training in tactics developed through ACPO's public-order manual.
- 1948
ACPO is established
[1]The Association of Chief Police Officers is formed as a forum for chief officers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to share policy and operational experience.
Products and positioning
A national professional and coordination body for UK chief police officers, positioned between local police forces and central government as a source of common policy, operational coordination and strategic policing advice.
National police coordination · 2003
Police National Information and Co-ordination Centre
Established by ACPO in 2003, this centre coordinated the national mobilisation of police personnel and capabilities during emergencies, major public events, serious flooding, terrorist incidents and overseas crises affecting UK nationals. It worked alongside central-government emergency coordination arrangements and used police-force contributions and seconded staff.
Criminal records and biometrics · 2006
ACPO Criminal Records Office
Created in 2006 to address weaknesses in the national management of criminal-record information, the office supported links between records and biometric material such as DNA and fingerprints. It also issued police certificates used in certain immigration and visa applications. The organisation continued after ACPO under Hampshire Constabulary control.
Counter-terrorism · 2010
Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit
Set up in 2010 and operated by the Metropolitan Police, the unit focused on identifying and seeking removal of unlawful terrorist material online, particularly material hosted in the United Kingdom. ACPO supported its role in national counter-terrorism coordination and discussions with internet companies.
Counter-terrorism security advice
National Counter Terrorism Security Office
A Home Office-funded body reporting to ACPO that advised government and organisations on counter-terrorism security policy and protective measures.
Specialist crime intelligence
National Wildlife Crime Unit
A national unit associated with ACPO that collected intelligence on wildlife crime and supplied analytical and investigative assistance to police and other enforcement agencies.
Controversies
2011
DNA database retention controversy
ACPO's guidance on retaining DNA profiles from people not convicted of offences was challenged in human-rights litigation. The policy's exceptional-circumstances test was found unlawful, contributing to criticism of ACPO's influence over sensitive national policing policy.
2011
Oversight of undercover domestic-extremism operations
The Mark Kennedy affair and the collapse of a related prosecution triggered scrutiny of ACPO's control and authorisation of undercover units. The Home Office announced that three units would be transferred to the Metropolitan Police, and an inspection examined whether operations were lawful and proportionate.
2011
Criticism over presidential uniform
President Hugh Orde was criticised after appearing in a dark blue police-style uniform bearing ACPO insignia. Commentators and senior officers argued that the clothing closely resembled a force uniform and raised questions about its purpose and symbolism.
2010
London accommodation funded through counter-terrorism grants
ACPO was criticised over reports that approximately £1.6 million a year in government anti-terrorism grant funding supported as many as 80 central London apartments, many of which were allegedly unoccupied for much of the time. The organisation said it reviewed the arrangement and intended to reduce the number of apartments.
Brand decisions
2013
Acceptance of replacement by a new chiefs' councilStrategyBackground
The Parker Review identified transparency, governance and cost-effectiveness problems in ACPO's model.
Action taken
A successor organisation, the National Police Chiefs' Council, was created through a section 22A Police Act 1996 collaboration agreement.
Aftermath
The NPCC replaced ACPO on 1 April 2015 and ACPO was dissolved.
2011
Reduction of London apartment provisionStrategyBackground
Reports questioned whether counter-terrorism grant money was being used efficiently to rent a large number of London apartments that were frequently empty.
Action taken
ACPO reviewed the policy and stated that it would reduce the number of apartments.
Aftermath
The episode contributed to wider scrutiny of ACPO's finances and governance.
Reported annual accommodation expenditure. Approximately £1.6 million (2010)
1997
Incorporation as a company limited by guaranteeStrategyBackground
ACPO's expanding coordination and administrative responsibilities required a structure capable of employing staff, signing contracts and maintaining formal accounts.
Action taken
The association incorporated as a private company limited by guarantee rather than adopting charitable or statutory status.
Aftermath
The new structure supported operational growth but intensified criticism that ACPO was insufficiently accountable because it was not directly subject to public-authority rules.
Recent events
- 2015
National Police Chiefs' Council replaces ACPO[1]
Leadership change · Other
The National Police Chiefs' Council began operating on 1 April 2015 under a police collaboration agreement, bringing ACPO's existence to an end.
- 2013
Parker Review recommends replacing ACPO[1]
Leadership change
An independent review led by General Sir Nick Parker recommended that ACPO be replaced by a body with stronger transparency, clearer governance and better cost effectiveness.
- 2011
ACPO faces possible funding shortfall[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
Reports warned that ACPO could run out of money after some police authorities withdrew funding and others hesitated to continue contributions during public-sector budget reductions.
- 2011
ACPO becomes subject to Freedom of Information requests[1]
Regulation
After prolonged criticism of its private-company status and limited transparency, ACPO became open to Freedom of Information requests from November 2011.
- 2011
Court rulings challenge ACPO DNA-retention guidance[1]
Lawsuit · Regulation
The Supreme Court found ACPO's approach to retaining DNA profiles from unconvicted people unlawful following European human-rights judgments concerning the retention of biometric data.
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