Checked 21 October 2026. The syllabus is the 2027 edition of the manuals, used for both 2027 sittings. The March 2026 breakdown describes one past paper only; the College says it should not be used to predict a future one.
The sergeants' exam has a short syllabus statement and a long syllabus. The short one is three areas: crime, evidence and procedure, and general police duties. The long one is every chapter of the three 2027 Blackstone's Police Manuals, which are, in the handbook's words, "the only official resource endorsed by the College of Policing". This guide lists what is in each area, shows how one real paper (March 2026) spread its questions, and shows where road policing sits. ProSyllabus is an independent study site, not part of the College of Policing or any police force.
The rule that defines the syllabus
The handbook is precise: "Examination questions are drawn solely from the contents of these manuals." And: "Candidates will be examined on the law and procedure only as it appears in the 2027 edition of the Blackstone's Police Manuals. Candidates are advised not to rely on previous editions, which may contain out-of-date material."
That is also the answer to the question of a legislation cut-off date: the cut-off is the 2027 edition itself. "Any changes to legislation or case law following publication of the 2027 edition will only be included in the examination paper under exceptional circumstances and only if suitable prior notification is given." Any updates or supplements would be made available on the College's website and distributed to all force examinations officers.
Three areas, not four: road policing is part of General Police Duties
- The 2027 handbook names three areas, and Appendix A lists three volumes: Crime, Evidence and Procedure, and General Police Duties.
- Road policing is chapters 3.19 to 3.22 of the General Police Duties volume: road policing definitions and principles, key police powers relating to road policing, offences involving standards of driving, and drink, drugs and driving.
- So there is no separate road policing manual or area to buy or revise for the 2027 exams.
The three manuals, chapter by chapter
Appendix A of the 2027 handbook lists 47 chapters. All are examinable for the sergeants' exam; chapter 1.8, Weapons, is for the sergeants' exam only.
| Volume | Chapters |
|---|---|
| 1. Crime (17 chapters) | Mens rea; actus reus; incomplete offences; general defences; homicide; misuse of drugs; firearms and gun crime; weapons (sergeants only); racially and religiously aggravated offences; non-fatal offences against the person; deprivation of liberty; sexual offences; sexual offences against children and people with a mental disorder; child protection; theft and related offences; fraud; criminal damage |
| 2. Evidence and Procedure (8 chapters) | Instituting criminal proceedings, summons and warrants; bail; court procedure and witnesses; exclusion of admissible evidence; disclosure of evidence; detention and treatment of persons (PACE Code C); identification (PACE Code D); interviews (PACE Codes C, E and F) |
| 3. General Police Duties (22 chapters) | Stop and search; entry, search and seizure; powers of arrest; mental disorder; land and premises; alcohol; injunctions, orders and powers; processions, assemblies and protests; public order offences; football matches; domestic violence and abuse; hatred, harassment and stalking; information and communications; administration of justice; terrorism; diversity, equality and inclusion; complaints and misconduct; unsatisfactory performance and attendance; road policing definitions; road policing powers; standards of driving; drink, drugs and driving |
The same manuals serve the inspectors' exam. In the handbook's words, "Although the syllabus content is similar in many respects for both ranks, some rank specific areas are different", and for sergeants the visible difference in the chapter list is chapter 1.8, Weapons, which only the sergeants' exam covers.
Two handbook rules change how you read those chapters. First, "Candidates will not be examined on their ability to simply recall information that is contained solely within the tables in the Blackstone's Police Manuals." Second, PACE codes are an exception to skimming: "where the text directly refers to a paragraph of one of the Codes of Practice to the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, candidates will be expected to know the relevant provision(s) of that Code."
How the March 2026 paper split its questions
The College has published a subject area breakdown for the March 2026 sergeants' exam: one line per marked question. It lists 140 marked questions, and notes that 10 were removed (6 crime, 3 evidence and procedure, 1 general police duties). Adding them back gives the full paper:
| Area | Marked questions | Removed in marking | On the paper | Share of 150 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime | 60 | 6 | 66 | 44% |
| Evidence and procedure | 31 | 3 | 34 | 23% |
| General police duties | 49 | 1 | 50 | 33% |
| Total | 140 | 10 | 150 | 100% |
Marked questions in the College of Policing's March 2026 subject area breakdown, plus the questions it says were removed from each area. One past paper only.
Two cautions from the College itself. The breakdown "is only useful and valid for the March 2026 NPPF sergeants' exam. It should not be used to try to work out what will be tested in future examinations." And the handbook says "candidates may be asked questions that relate to any part of the syllabus". What the breakdown does show is the kind of topic that appears: in March 2026 the crime questions included theft, burglary, robbery, weapons, drugs, homicide and sexual offences; evidence and procedure included PACE Codes C, D and E, bail and disclosure; general police duties included stop and search, entry and seizure, arrest, public order, harassment and stalking, road policing and misconduct.
The handbook explains why the balance is not even. The content was set from "a nationwide survey of operational sergeants and inspectors", which produces a blueprint of areas that are "both considered important and frequently encountered by officers holding that rank." The blueprint is reflected in the balance of each paper.
The PACE Codes you are expected to know
Codes of Practice under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) run through the Evidence and Procedure volume: chapter 2.6 is PACE Code C, 2.7 Code D, and 2.8 Codes C, E and F. In the March 2026 breakdown, General Police Duties questions were also set on Codes A, B and G. The breakdown shows how far into the codes the questions go: they were set on specific numbered sections, not on PACE in general.
| Code | Skill in the breakdown | Sections named |
|---|---|---|
| A | Stop and search | A-2 (two questions), A-3 |
| B | Entry, search and seizure | B-3, B-4, B-7, B-10 |
| C | Detention and treatment; interviews | C-5, C-6, C-15, C-16; C-10, C-11, Annex C |
| D | Identification | D-3, D-5, Annex G |
| E | Interviews | E-2, E-3 |
| G | Powers of arrest | G-3 |
Read that table as a picture of depth, not a forecast. The handbook's rule is that where the manual's text directly refers to a paragraph of a PACE Code, that provision is examinable. Learn those paragraphs in the code's own words, not from a summary.
Try one question
The College describes its questions as "multiple-choice application questions". Here is one of ours on affray, which sits in chapter 3.9, Public Order Offences, answered from section 3 of the Public Order Act 1986 alone.
Free question · Public order: affray
Late at night, two men stand in a private back garden and shout across the fence at their neighbour that they are going to kill him. They make no gestures, hold nothing and do not move towards him. No one else is present. Considering only section 3 of the Public Order Act 1986, which statement is correct?
- Affray is not committed, because a threat cannot be made by the use of words alone.
- Affray is not committed, because the conduct took place in a private place.
- Affray is not committed, because no person of reasonable firmness was present at the scene.
- Affray is committed, because the conduct of two or more persons is taken together.
Show the answer and the statute
Answer: A. Section 3(3): "For the purposes of this section a threat cannot be made by the use of words alone." Shouted words with no gesture or other conduct are not a threat for affray. B is wrong because section 3(5) says "Affray may be committed in private as well as in public places." C is wrong because section 3(4) says "No person of reasonable firmness need actually be, or be likely to be, present at the scene." D misreads section 3(2): taking the two men's conduct together does not turn words alone into a threat.
An original ProSyllabus question written from section 3 of the Public Order Act 1986 on legislation.gov.uk. It is not a College of Policing question.
For how to turn 47 chapters into a weekly plan before March, see our study plan.
Frequently asked questions
What are the three areas of the NPPF sergeants' exam?
Crime, evidence and procedure, and general police duties, matching the three volumes of the 2027 Blackstone's Police Manuals.
Is road policing in the sergeants' exam?
Yes, but not as a separate area. It is chapters 3.19 to 3.22 of the General Police Duties manual: definitions and principles, police powers, standards of driving, and drink, drugs and driving.
Which edition of Blackstone's do I need for the March 2027 exam?
The 2027 edition. The handbook says candidates are examined on the law only as it appears in the 2027 edition and should not rely on previous editions.
Is there a legislation cut-off date for the NPPF exam?
The cut-off is the 2027 edition of the manuals. Later changes to legislation or case law are examined only in exceptional circumstances and only with suitable prior notification.
Which chapter is only in the sergeants' exam?
Chapter 1.8, Weapons. Every other chapter applies to both the sergeants' and inspectors' exams.
Do I need to learn the tables in Blackstone's?
The handbook says you will not be examined on simply recalling information that is only in the tables. Where the text refers to a paragraph of a PACE Code, you are expected to know that provision.
Sources
- official — College of Policing: "NPPF step two legal examinations candidate handbook" (2027 rules, updated 10 Sep 2026; read 21 Oct 2026): dates, eligibility, registration, structure, syllabus rules, pass mark, results, validity, appeals
- official — College of Policing: NPPF step two legal examinations candidate handbook 2027 (61-page PDF, September 2026), Appendix A: chapter list of Blackstone's Police Manuals 2027, Volumes 1 to 3
- official — College of Policing: NPPF sergeants' step-two legal examination, subject area breakdown, March 2026
- official — legislation.gov.uk: Public Order Act 1986, section 3 (Affray)
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
