PACE Code A • Stop and search

GOWISELY police meaning

Stop and search — information the officer must give (PACE s2 / Code A). A quick, source-backed reference for the UK policing mnemonic GOWISELY.

Short answer

Recited before any s1 PACE (or s23 Misuse of Drugs Act etc.) stop and search so the required information is given to the person searched. Failure to comply can render the search unlawful and evidence liable to exclusion.

Legal anchor: PACE 1984 s2(2)-(3); PACE Code A para 3.8

GOWISELY
PACE 1984 s2(2)-(3); PACE Code A para 3.8
GGrounds for the search
OObject and purpose of the search (what is being searched for)
WWarrant card (must be shown if the officer is not in uniform)
IIdentity of the officer (name)
SStation to which the officer is attached
EEntitlement to a copy of the search record
LLegal power being used for the search
YYou are detained for the purpose of a search

When officers use it

Recited before any s1 PACE (or s23 Misuse of Drugs Act etc.) stop and search so the required information is given to the person searched. Failure to comply can render the search unlawful and evidence liable to exclusion.

Practical point: the mnemonic is a memory aid, not the test. Decisions still turn on the live facts and the underlying law (PACE 1984 s2(2)-(3); PACE Code A para 3.8) — record your rationale, not just the letters.

Variants and spellings

Sometimes written GO-WISELY (MoD Police lesson plan) or 'GO WISELY'. The MDP material notes the order of delivery does not matter, only that all elements are clearly given.

Why Section includes this

Section is a fast UK police reference app for officers and student officers: offences, points to prove, PACE powers and the standard mnemonics in one offline place. Every entry in the app — including this one — was verified against the sources listed below.

What does GOWISELY stand for?

G = Grounds for the search, O = Object and purpose of the search, W = Warrant card, I = Identity of the officer, S = Station to which the officer is attached, E = Entitlement to a copy of the search record, L = Legal power being used for the search, Y = You are detained for the purpose of a search.

Is GOWISELY a law?

No — it is a memory aid used in UK police training. The underlying framework is PACE 1984 s2(2)-(3); PACE Code A para 3.8.

Are there variants of GOWISELY?

Sometimes written GO-WISELY (MoD Police lesson plan) or 'GO WISELY'. The MDP material notes the order of delivery does not matter, only that all elements are clearly given.

Sources

SHACKS — Reasonable grounds for suspicion (stop and search) IDCOPPLAN — Arrest necessity criteria ('ID COP PLAN') — PACE s24 / Code G PLAN — Justifying use of force / interference with rights (Human Rights Act)

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