I recently attended a wedding abroad with a large group of people I did not know and spent a large chunk of the holiday trying to explain what I did for a living. It was interesting to see the varied responses from the Community nurse who was empathetic about the long hours and lack of funding for a crumbling system to the more usual, ‘how do you represent someone you know is Guilty?’. What came out of the majority of conversations is that people simply had never given any thought to the role of a legal representative or the importance of knowing where to turn should you ever need one.

The whole experience made me think of the Friends episode where Rachel and Monica lose their flat over the question ‘What is Chandler Bing’s job?’ and it make me think about whether my nearest and dearest knew exactly what I did for a job. After a few texts, thankfully the majority had some understanding of what I did (although my sister still had the view that I represented criminals and im still not convinced by why my mum felt the need to put ‘arrested’ in apostrophes!).  What was probably more telling was my 12 year old daughter and my partners 5yr old sons view that I ‘go to work all the time’

So, I thought it best to break down what exactly we do and why you would need a ‘Police Station Rep’

What is a police station representative?

A Police Station Rep (also known as a Police Station Representative or Police Station Reps) is a legal representative hired by a firm of Criminal Solicitors  to help a client who is being questioned by the police on suspicion of committing a crime.

They will have some sort of legal qualification. To work as a Police Station Representative – “Police Station Rep” – they must currently be ” accredited.” You must either have a criminal law certification, such as a law degree, or pass a criminal law exam. Before taking the Practical Test, you must submit a portfolio of police station attendances proving your knowledge and practise.

If you are self-employed like I am, you can be instructed by numerous firms across the Country. We work long hours as a police station representative. Interviews with the police can happen at any time of day or night. Custody suites at police stations are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year, including holidays and Christmas. As a police station representative, your advise could be the difference between your client receiving no further action from the police or receiving a significant prison sentence.

Taking a proactive strategy throughout the investigation stage of a case is critical.   The importance of an interview under Caution cannot be overstated, but work frequently begins after the police interview. A good representative will always try to resolve an investigation without the need for a criminal prosecution. Our expertise has earned us a reputation for taking a strategic approach, engaging with investigators throughout and making a mix of formal and informal representations to police and prosecutors to ensure that the risk of prosecution is kept to a minimum.

We routinely attend interviews under Caution, particularly voluntary interviews arranged with the police. We will always seek early disclosure of allegations against our client so that we can prepare meticulously for the interview. The most successful techniques will be used in the police station as a result of this. When clients are released under investigation, we’ll carefully consider ways to make sure the investigation reaches it most successful outcome.

If you have been asked to attend a voluntary interview or are currently ‘under investigation’ and not sure what is happening please contact peter@policestationrepresentation.co.uk or call 01244722776. Alternatively you can contact us through the website www1.policestationrepresentation.co.uk