SectionUK police reference apps compared
Officers, specials and student officers in England and Wales have several police law apps to choose from. This page sets out what four of them say they offer, taken from each app's own App Store or Google Play listing on 8 November 2026. Where a listing does not mention something, the table says so; that does not mean the app lacks it.
Who wrote this: this page is published by Section, one of the apps compared. We have kept to what each listing says and linked every listing so you can check it yourself.
Side by side
| What the listing says | Section | Pocket Sergeant | Pocket Toolkit | Police Powers & Offences UK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platforms | iPhone. Not on Android yet. | iPhone and iPad; Android (as "Pocket Sgt - UK Police Guide") | iPhone and iPad | iPhone and iPad |
| Price | Free. Optional Section Pro: £0.99 a month or £9.99 a year. | Free. Optional subscription: £1.99 a month. | Free. Optional Pocket Toolkit Pro: £9.99, which lists "Remove ads". | £6.99 to buy. "No in-app purchases". |
| Offences | 1,200+ offences | "approximately 1000 criminal offences" | No count given in the listing | "a catalogue of 150 offences" |
| Points to prove | Yes: "offence wording, points to prove, defences and key cases" | Not stated in the listing. It says: "Assess charges: Know when there's sufficient evidence to charge a suspect" | Not stated in the listing | Yes: "elements, points to prove, mode of trial, maximum penalty" |
| CJS offence codes | Yes: "Search offences, legislation and CJS codes" | Yes: "CJS Codes for most offences" | Yes: "Search offences by category, act, CJS code or name" | Not stated in the listing |
| PACE Codes of Practice | Yes: "Browse PACE Codes of Practice" | Yes: "PDFs including the PACE Codes of Practice" | Not stated in the listing. It says: "View brief legislation snippets of police powers" | Yes: "PACE 1984 and Codes A–H" |
| Police mnemonics | Yes: "practical police mnemonics" | Not stated in the listing | Not stated as mnemonics; it lists arrest necessity and the NDM | Yes: "mnemonics, the phonetic alphabet" |
| Works offline | Yes: "offline-first" | Not stated in the listing | Yes: "offline capable" | Yes: "fully offline" |
| Other tools | Custody timing and other on-shift tools; Pro adds plain-English offence finding and a statement drafting aid | Statement-writing checklists, contact directory, self-care section, what3words; the subscription adds Pocket Sergeant AI, TOR and PND codes, case file help and vehicle checks | PND and TOR codes, contact information, vehicle tax and MOT checks, DASH checklist, what3words; Pro adds a shift planner, favourites, themes and more | "900+ practice questions", caution texts, road traffic and interactive tools |
| UK App Store rating (8 November 2026) | 5.0 from 1 rating | App Store 4.7 from 2.7k ratings; Google Play 3.2 from 1.83k reviews | 4.9 from 702 ratings | Not enough ratings to show |
The apps in brief
Section
iPhone. Not on Android yet.. Free. Optional Section Pro: £0.99 a month or £9.99 a year. Offences: 1,200+ offences. Listing: App Store.
Pocket Sergeant
iPhone and iPad; Android (as "Pocket Sgt - UK Police Guide"). Free. Optional subscription: £1.99 a month. Offences: "approximately 1000 criminal offences". Listing: App Store and Google Play.
Pocket Toolkit
iPhone and iPad. Free. Optional Pocket Toolkit Pro: £9.99, which lists "Remove ads". Offences: No count given in the listing. Listing: App Store.
Police Powers & Offences UK
iPhone and iPad. £6.99 to buy. "No in-app purchases". Offences: "a catalogue of 150 offences". Listing: App Store.
How we checked
We read each app's UK App Store listing, and the Google Play listing where one exists, on 8 November 2026. Prices, ratings and features change, so check the listing before you choose. The iPlod police pocket guide was not available on the UK App Store when we checked, so it is not included. Section's own facts come from this website and its App Store listing. For more on Section, see UK police offences, the PACE Codes A to H guide and Section for student officers.
Common questions
What is the best UK police reference app?
It depends on what you need. Section is free on iPhone with 1,200+ offences, points to prove, CJS codes, PACE and mnemonics offline. Pocket Sergeant has by far the most ratings, with about 1,000 offences, CJS codes and PACE PDFs on iPhone and Android, and an optional £1.99 monthly subscription. Pocket Toolkit is a free, offline-capable utility app with offence search by CJS code. Police Powers & Offences UK is a £6.99 one-off purchase with 150 offences, points to prove and practice questions.
Which UK police apps are free?
Section, Pocket Sergeant and Pocket Toolkit are free to download, each with optional paid extras. Police Powers & Offences UK costs £6.99 once.
Which UK police apps work offline?
The listings for Section, Pocket Toolkit and Police Powers & Offences UK say they work offline. The Pocket Sergeant listing does not say either way.
Which police reference apps are on Android?
Of the apps on this page, Pocket Sergeant has a Google Play listing (Pocket Sgt - UK Police Guide). Section is on iPhone only at the moment.
Section is an independent study and reference aid for England and Wales. It is not legal advice or official operational guidance. Last reviewed 8 November 2026.
Section is free on iPhone: 1,200+ offences with points to prove, CJS codes, PACE and mnemonics, ready offline.
Download Section free