Study materials

Which Blackstone's
Edition Do You Need?

Blackstone's Police Manuals are the syllabus for the NPPF step two legal exam, and the College of Policing ties each year's sittings to one edition. Get the year wrong and you revise law that is not examined, or miss law that is. This guide sets out which edition each sitting uses, what 'only as it appears in the Manuals' means, what changed between 2026 and 2027, and what the books cost, with every price dated.

Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 4 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated

Short answer: Blackstone's 2026 or 2027?

If you sit the October 2026 sergeants' exam or the November 2026 inspectors' exam, use the 2026 Manuals. If you sit any exam in 2027 (March or October for sergeants, May or November for inspectors), use the 2027 Manuals, published by Oxford University Press on 7 August 2026. The College says it examines the law only as it appears in the current edition and advises against relying on older editions. On 4 October 2026 the 2027 three-volume set was £89.00 at OUP and £84.99 at Amazon UK, and officers and staff in England and Wales can get 30% off through College Learn.

Contents

At a Glance Sitting to Edition Law as It Appears Law That Changes Later The Three Volumes What Changed for 2027 Road Policing Sergeants-Only Chapter Print and Online Prices The 30% Discount Second-Hand Copies Q&As and Mock Papers Library and Free Access Scenarios Myths Buying Checklist Not Verified FAQs Sources

Blackstone's editions at a glance

The exam is the National Police Promotion Framework (NPPF) step two legal examination: 150 multiple-choice questions in three hours, 140 of them scored. For the full format see the step 2 exam explained. This page deals with one question: which books. Everything below comes from the College of Policing's 2026 and 2027 candidate handbooks and the publishers' and retailers' own pages, read on 4 October 2026.

The key facts, with where each comes from
Question	Answer	Source
Sitting October 2026 (sergeants, 6 to 8 Oct)	2026 edition	2026 candidate handbook
Sitting November 2026 (inspectors, 3 to 5 Nov)	2026 edition	2026 candidate handbook
Sitting any 2027 exam (March, May, October or November)	2027 edition	2027 candidate handbook, updated 10 September 2026
What the exam tests	The law and procedure only as it appears in that edition	Handbook, syllabus section
Volumes	Three: Crime, Evidence and Procedure, General Police Duties	Handbook Appendix A
Road policing	Four chapters inside General Police Duties (3.19 to 3.22)	Handbook Appendix A
Rank difference	Chapter 1.8 Weapons is for the sergeants' exam only	Handbook Appendix A
2027 set, list price	£89.00 (OUP, checked 4 October 2026)	OUP product page
Discount	30% for officers and staff in England and Wales, code via College Learn	Handbook, Blackstone's discount
Older editions	College advises not to rely on them	Handbook, syllabus section

The rule that settles it

Each year's handbook names one edition. The 2027 handbook says the syllabus is "cross-referenced to, and only contained within, the 2027 edition" and that exam questions are drawn solely from the Manuals. The 2026 handbook, written "for candidates attending" exams in 2026, says the same of the 2026 edition. So the edition follows the calendar year of your sitting, not the year you buy the books or start revising.

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Which edition for each sitting

All four 2026 sittings and all four 2027 sittings, with registration windows and results dates from the handbooks. Registration closing dates are the last date for forces to verify and allocate you; your force may set an earlier internal deadline, so ask your force examinations officer. More detail on every date is in NPPF exam dates 2027 and NPPF exam dates 2026.

Sitting to Blackstone's edition, 2026 and 2027
Sitting	Exam dates	Registration	Results	Edition	Status on 4 Oct 2026
Sergeants, March 2026	17 to 19 March 2026	Closed 19 February 2026	9 April 2026	2026	Sat
Inspectors, May 2026	12 to 14 May 2026	Closed 16 April 2026	4 June 2026	2026	Sat
Sergeants, October 2026	6 to 8 October 2026	Closed 10 September 2026	29 October 2026	2026	Registration closed
Inspectors, November 2026	3 to 5 November 2026	Closed 6pm Monday 5 October 2026	26 November 2026	2026	Registration closed at 6pm on 5 October 2026
Sergeants, March 2027	16 to 18 March 2027	18 January to 6pm 18 February 2027	8 April 2027	2027	Buy 2027
Inspectors, May 2027	11 to 13 May 2027	15 March to 6pm 15 April 2027	3 June 2027	2027	Buy 2027
Sergeants, October 2027	5 to 7 October 2027	3 August to 6pm 9 September 2027	28 October 2027	2027	Buy 2027
Inspectors, November 2027	2 to 4 November 2027	6 September to 6pm 4 October 2027	25 November 2027	2027	Buy 2027

If you are sitting in October or November 2026

You need the 2026 Manuals. Two practical points follow. First, the 2026 printed set is reaching the end of its life: on 4 October 2026 Wildy listed the 2026 Manuals as out of print, while Amazon UK still showed the 2026 three-volume set in stock at £87.00 (RRP £92.00). Second, the Blackstone's online service FAQ is not consistent about when the online service moves to the new syllabus: one answer says both editions stay online from August until the following January, while another says the Q&A site moves to the new syllabus "generally mid-October", which is before the November inspectors' exam. If you rely on online access for the November inspectors' sitting, check which edition you are using each time and do not assume the 2026 material will stay available until your exam.

If you are sitting in 2027

You need the 2027 Manuals, which OUP published on 7 August 2026. The College's matching 2027 handbook is dated September 2026, and its web version was updated on 10 September 2026. For a March 2027 sergeants' sitting you have about five months from early October 2026; see the sergeant revision plan or the free study planner to work back from your exam date.

If you fail in October 2026 and resit in March 2027

Your resit uses the 2027 edition. Results for the October 2026 sergeants' exam are due on 29 October 2026, and registration for March 2027 opens on 18 January 2027. Do not carry on revising from the 2026 books through the winter. The changes are listed in the "What changed for 2027" section below.

What 'law only as it appears in the Manuals' means in practice

The handbook says candidates "will be examined on the law and procedure only as it appears" in the current edition. That one sentence has several practical consequences.

The Manual is the answer key, not the statute book. Questions are drawn solely from the contents of the Manuals. If a point of law is not in the current edition, it is not examinable, however relevant it is at work. If the Manual states a rule, that is the version you are marked against.
The handbook appendix is a map, not the syllabus. The appendix lists every chapter and section heading, and the handbook calls it "an aid" for planning. It also says the definitive reference for examinable material is the Manuals themselves. Use the appendix as a checklist, but learn from the books.
Tables are not a recall test. The handbook says you will not be examined on simply recalling information contained solely within tables in the Manuals. Learn what the table illustrates, not its layout.
PACE Codes are examined where the text points to them. Where the Manual text directly refers to a paragraph of a PACE Code of Practice, the handbook says you are expected to know that provision. The Blackstone's online FAQ adds that Code extracts are marked by a grey line in the margin and are examinable. See PACE 1984 for sergeants.
Every area is examinable. The weighting of questions follows a national survey of serving sergeants and inspectors, but the handbook says candidates may be asked about any part of the syllabus, even areas less relevant to their own force or role.
Application, not just recall. The handbook says the exam is not aimed at pure factual recall of matters you would look up at work. Expect scenario questions that test whether you can apply what the Manual says.

A worked illustration (hypothetical)

Suppose a power described in the 2027 General Police Duties volume is amended by new legislation in February 2027, before the March sergeants' sitting. Unless the College publishes a syllabus update and sends it to force examinations officers, the exam still marks you on the 2027 Manual's version. At work you apply the new law; in the exam you answer from the book. This is an illustration of the handbook's rule, not a description of any real change.

What happens when the law changes after publication

The handbook's section on syllabus updates is short and worth reading in full. In summary:

The syllabus normally lasts a year unchanged. Usually no updates or supplements are issued during its year-long lifespan.
Later changes are examined only in exceptional circumstances. Changes to legislation or case law after publication of the 2027 edition will only be included under exceptional circumstances and only if suitable prior notification is given. The College's example is a major change to a key area that makes a significant part of the syllabus obsolete.
Notice comes through two channels. Any update or supplement goes on the College's NPPF step two exam pages and is distributed to all force examinations officers, "well in advance" of the exam. Where possible, any additional study material is free.
No notice means no change. Updates will not be made for every change in the law. Unless the College notifies through those channels, all of the syllabus remains examinable regardless of changes in the law.
You are still expected to know the new law at work. If an area is repealed or changed and not tested, the handbook expects candidates to learn the new legislation for their professional development, and asks forces to make sure they do.

When we checked the College's exam hub on 4 October 2026, it listed no syllabus update or supplement for the 2026 or 2027 syllabus. The handbook tells candidates to check the College website regularly or ask their force examinations officer, and not to contact the College exams team directly with syllabus queries.

Do not 'update' your Manual from the news

Some candidates annotate their Manuals with every change reported in the press. For exam purposes this can backfire: if you train yourself on the new rule and the College has not issued notice, the marked answer will follow the book. Keep a separate list of real-world changes for the job, and leave the Manual as the exam version.

The three volumes and what each covers

The Manuals have been three volumes since the 2023 edition. Page counts below are OUP's for the 2027 volumes. The last two columns are our count of the College's published subject area breakdowns, which list each scored question by area: the March 2026 sergeants' paper (all 140 rows) and the May 2026 inspectors' paper (our parse found 136 of 140 rows, so treat those as approximate). Past papers do not predict future ones; the College says so on the exam hub.

Blackstone's Police Manuals 2027: contents and recent question share
Volume	Chapters	Pages	Main topics	Sergeants, March 2026	Inspectors, May 2026
Volume 1: Crime	17 chapters (1.1 to 1.17)	288	Mens rea, actus reus, incomplete offences, defences, homicide, drugs, firearms, weapons (sergeants only), racially and religiously aggravated offences, assaults, deprivation of liberty, sexual offences (now two chapters), child protection, theft, fraud, criminal damage	60 of 140	About 52 of 140
Volume 2: Evidence and Procedure	8 chapters (2.1 to 2.8)	344	Instituting proceedings, bail, court procedure and witnesses, exclusion of evidence, disclosure, PACE Code C detention, Code D identification, Codes C, E and F interviews	31 of 140	About 29 of 140
Volume 3: General Police Duties	22 chapters (3.1 to 3.22)	448	Stop and search, entry and search, arrest, mental health powers, land and premises, alcohol, orders and injunctions, protests, public order, football, domestic abuse, harassment and stalking, information offences, administration of justice, terrorism, equality, complaints and misconduct, performance, road policing (four chapters)	49 of 140	About 55 of 140

Two things stand out. Evidence and Procedure is the shortest list of chapters but carries PACE Codes C, D, E and F, which run through custody, identification and interview questions. And the inspectors' paper leaned more on General Police Duties than the sergeants' paper did. How to use this weighting is covered in what comes up in the sergeants' and inspectors' exam, and the differences between the two papers in sergeant vs inspector exam.

Not the Investigators' Manual

OUP also publishes the Blackstone's Police Investigators' Manual and Workbook, for the National Investigators' Examination (NIE). It is a different book on a different cycle (the 2027 edition is due in November 2026). It is not the NPPF syllabus. Check the title carefully, especially second-hand.

What changed between the 2026 and 2027 editions

We compared the chapter and section lists in Appendix A of the 2026 and 2027 handbooks line by line. The table shows changes to headings and structure. It cannot show changes to the text inside an unchanged heading, which OUP describes as updates for new case law and legislation, new chapter introductions and expanded Keynotes. It is a guide to where to look, not a full list of changes.

Syllabus heading changes, 2026 to 2027 (from the two handbook appendices)
Chapter	Change	What it means for you
1.2 Actus Reus	New opening section 1.2.2 'What is Actus Reus?'; later sections move down one number	Q&A and note references to 1.2.x shift by one
1.5	Renamed 'Homicide and Related Offences' (was 'Homicide')	Title only, on the face of the appendix
1.12 Sexual Offences	Split in two. Offences against children and people with a mental disorder move to a new chapter 1.13	OUP says the sexual offences content was restructured into two chapters
New 1.13	'Sexual Offences Against Children and People with a Mental Disorder', including a new listed section 1.13.11 'Information About Guests at Hotels'	A heading that does not appear in the 2026 appendix
1.14 to 1.17	Child Protection, Theft, Fraud and Criminal Damage each move down one chapter number (were 1.13 to 1.16)	Volume 1 now has 17 chapters, not 16
2.1	Renamed 'Instituting Criminal Proceedings, Summons and Warrants'	Title change
2.2	Renamed 'Bail' (was 'Release of Person Arrested')	Title change; check the sub-sections against your Q&As
2.3.6	'Presence of the Accused at Trial' (was 'Defendant's Non-appearance')	Section retitled
3.3.10 and 3.3.11	'Voluntary Attendance at a Police Station or Elsewhere' and 'Arrest Elsewhere than at a Police Station' (were 'Voluntary Attendance at a Police Station' and 'After Arrest')	Section retitled
3.6	'Offences and Powers Relating to Alcohol' (was 'Licensing and Offences Relating to Alcohol')	Title change
3.7 and 3.12	Stalking Protection Orders leave chapter 3.7 and appear in 3.12.6 'Stalking Offences and Stalking Protection Orders'; 3.12 is now 'Hatred, Harassment and Stalking'	Same topic, different chapter
3.10	'Offences and Powers Relating to Football Matches' (was 'Sporting Events'); 'Ticket Touts' becomes 'Sale of Tickets by Unauthorised Persons'	Title changes
3.13.4	'The Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation'	Heading widened
3.18	The 2026 section 'The Third Stage' no longer appears as its own heading; later sections move up	Unsatisfactory performance chapter restructured
3.21	New listed section 'Road Safety Strategy' (printed as 3.31.11 in the handbook)	New heading in the road policing chapters

OUP's own "new to this edition" notes for 2027 mention: in Crime, the sexual offences content restructured into two chapters; in General Police Duties, new flowcharts on stop and search powers (section 1 of PACE and sections 60 and 60AA of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994); and across all three volumes, updated introductions and case law. If you are resitting after a 2026 attempt, prioritise the new chapter 1.13, the renamed bail chapter, stalking, and the stop and search chapter.

Why renumbering matters more than it sounds

From chapter 1.12 onwards in Volume 1, almost every reference has shifted. Q&A answers, flashcards and course notes written for 2026 will point to the wrong chapter in a 2027 book. That is a nuisance if you have the 2027 book and a trap if you do not, because you cannot easily tell which material moved and which changed.

Road policing: now part of General Police Duties

Older guides and second-hand listings still mention a "Road Policing Manual". That volume existed up to the 2022 edition, when the Manuals came in four volumes, with Road Policing as Volume 3 and General Police Duties as Volume 4. Retailer listings show the first three-volume set as the 2023 edition (published August 2022), with road policing reduced to four chapters at the end of General Police Duties.

In the 2027 syllabus (Volume 3) 3.19 Road Policing Definitions and Principles (vehicle, mechanically propelled vehicle, motor vehicle, driver, driving, attempting to drive, in charge, road, public place, use, cause or permit, defences). 3.20 Key Police Powers (stopping vehicles, road checks, production of licence, name and address, insurance and test certificate, seizure of vehicles driven without licence or insurance, identity of driver). 3.21 Offences Involving Standards of Driving. 3.22 Drink, Drugs and Driving.

In the old Road Policing volume (2022 Q&A contents) Eleven chapters, including reportable accidents, insurance, legislation for the protection of road users, construction and use, driver licensing, notices of intended prosecution, and forgery and falsification of documents. None of those appear as chapter headings in the 2027 syllabus appendix, although insurance and licensing still come up inside the key powers chapter.

In the March 2026 sergeants' paper, by our count, 9 of the 140 scored questions came from the four road policing chapters; in the May 2026 inspectors' paper we counted 6 of the 136 rows we could parse. A small share, but four short chapters for 6 to 9 marks is good value. The 2027 appendix adds a "Road Safety Strategy" heading to chapter 3.21.

The second-hand trap

A pre-2023 set has a separate road volume full of material that is no longer in the syllabus, and General Police Duties in the wrong volume number. If a listing says "four volumes", it is too old for any current sitting.

The one sergeants-only chapter

The handbook says all areas of the syllabus apply to both the sergeants' and inspectors' exams except chapter 1.8, Weapons, which is for the sergeants' exam only. In the 2027 appendix it covers having an offensive weapon in a public place, threatening with an offensive weapon, bladed or pointed articles, school premises, trespassing with a weapon of offence, manufacture and sale of weapons, possession of offensive weapons in private, and knives. Firearms (chapter 1.7) is examinable for both ranks.

In the March 2026 sergeants' paper we counted 5 scored questions from Weapons. In the May 2026 inspectors' breakdown we found none, as you would expect. If you are an inspector candidate, you can skip 1.8 with a clear conscience; every other chapter is yours too.

Print vs online: what each option costs

Prices as displayed on 4 October 2026, before any College discount. UK printed books are zero-rated for VAT. OUP states that tax will be added to the online subscription prices "where applicable", so the price you pay for a subscription may be higher than shown. Delivery charges are not included. We also looked for the Manuals at Dandy Booksellers and found no listing.

Blackstone's prices checked 4 October 2026
Product	OUP list price	Amazon UK	Wildy	Notes
Manuals 2027, three-volume set (print)	£89.00	£84.99	£89.00 (low stock)	Published 7 August 2026
Manuals 2027, single volume (print)	£33.99 each	£30.99 (Crime)	£33.99 each	Three volumes at list price: £101.97
Manuals 2026, three-volume set (print)	£92.00	£87.00 (in stock)	Out of print	Only for the October and November 2026 sittings
Police Q&A 2027, three volumes (print)	£89.99	£89.99	£89.99	Or £29.99 per volume; published 13 August 2026
Sergeants' and Inspectors' Mock Paper 2026 (print)	£34.99	£32.42	Not checked	2026 edition; no 2027 paper listed
Manuals Online (subscription)	£85 for 12 months	Not sold	Not sold	OUP: tax added where applicable
Q&As Online (subscription)	£105 / 12 months, £90 / 8, £75 / 3	Not sold	Not sold	OUP: tax added where applicable
Manuals and Q&As Online Combined	£175 / 12 months, £130 / 8	Not sold	Not sold	OUP: tax added where applicable

Print: what you get

Three A4 paperbacks, about 1,080 pages in total for 2027 on OUP's figures. Easy to annotate, highlight and tab; no screen time.
One-off purchase, yours to keep. Resale value falls quickly once the next edition is out.
The set price saves a little over buying volumes singly: £89.00 against £101.97 at OUP list prices.
The Blackstone's Police service's subscribe page says a discounted upgrade offer to the online service is available on eligible print editions, with details inside the covers. We could not see the terms without a copy.

Online: what you get

Manuals Online (£85 for 12 months): the full text of all three Manuals, searchable by subject, legislation or case name, on phone or computer.
Q&As Online (from £75 for 3 months): OUP says over 2,000 multiple-choice questions, topic practice, short tests, quarter, half and full mock exams, explained answers cross-referenced to the Manuals, and a history of your scores. It is not endorsed by the College.
Combined (£175 for 12 months, £130 for 8): both, with links from each Q&A answer to the Manual paragraph.
Both editions overlap. On 4 October 2026 the service listed both the 2026 and 2027 Manuals and offered separate 2026 and 2027 revision, tests and mocks. Its FAQ says both editions run side by side from August to January and that choosing the right one is your responsibility.

Timing an online subscription

The online service's FAQ advises waiting until the new syllabus is available before buying, and says subscriptions that run past the final exam of a syllabus are moved to the next edition automatically. The FAQ is not fully consistent about when the update happens (it mentions mid-October, the end of the last inspectors' exam and early December in different answers). What we saw on 4 October 2026 is that 2027 material was already offered. A 3-month or 8-month subscription timed to end just after your exam is usually better value than 12 months bought too early.

For a wider comparison of question banks and courses, see revision resources compared.

The 30% College Learn discount

The 2027 handbook says: "A 30% discount for the NPPF manuals is available to all police officers and staff in England and Wales", with a link to find out how to get the discount code, adding that "you will need to log in to College Learn". College Learn is the College of Policing's learning platform.

Log in to College Learn with your police account. The handbook links to a Blackstone's page inside College Learn; the link points to an address on the police network, so you may need to open it from a force device.
Find the Blackstone's discount page and note the code and where it can be used.
Before checking out, compare the discounted price with the retailers' prices on the day. If it applies to what you are buying, 30% off OUP's list price is more than the 5% to 9% reductions we saw at Amazon UK on 4 October 2026.

What 30% would be worth, if applied to OUP's list prices on 4 October 2026 (our arithmetic, not a quoted price):

Illustration: 30% off OUP list price
Item	List price	Saving at 30%	You would pay
2027 three-volume set	£89.00	£26.70	£62.30
One 2027 volume	£33.99	£10.20	£23.79
2026 three-volume set	£92.00	£27.60	£64.40

What we could not see

The code is behind the College Learn login, so we could not confirm which retailer accepts it, whether it applies to the set or only single volumes, whether it covers the online service, or whether it applies to the Q&As (the handbook describes it as a discount on the NPPF Manuals). Read the terms on College Learn before you buy. Staff, not just officers, are included in the handbook's wording.

Are second-hand or older editions safe?

The honest answer has two halves. The handbook advises candidates "not to rely on previous editions, which may contain out-of-date material", and examines the law only as it appears in the current edition. That is a clear official steer against using last year's books. On the other hand, nothing stops you buying the right edition second-hand.

Safe: the right year, used A 2027 set bought from a colleague who sat in 2027 or failed to use it is the same text as a new one. Check all three volumes are 2027, the covers say Police Manual (not Investigators'), and that heavy highlighting will not distract you. Annotations from someone else's revision can help or mislead.

Risky: one year out of date Most law will be the same, but you cannot tell which paragraphs changed, chapter numbers will not match current Q&As, and for 2027 a whole chapter was restructured. Saving perhaps £40 to £60 against a resit months later is a poor trade.

Unsafe: two or more years out Older editions miss more change, and anything from 2022 or earlier has the four-volume structure with a separate road volume. Not suitable for any current sitting.

Selling yours afterwards The 2026 Manuals are only useful to someone sitting before the end of 2026. Once the November 2026 inspectors' exam is over, a 2026 set has little exam value. Sell early or pass it on to a colleague in the same sitting.

A middle route if money is tight

If cost is the obstacle, the cheaper fixes are the 30% College Learn discount, a force institutional licence (see below), or buying the current year second-hand. Using an older edition is the one saving the College specifically advises against.

Do the Q&As and Mock Papers need to match your edition?

The Blackstone's Police Q&As (three volumes matching the three Manuals) and the Sergeants' and Inspectors' Mock Examination Paper are OUP products written to follow the Manuals. The College endorses only the Manuals and says the Q&As are not affiliated with it; OUP's own Mock Paper page says the paper is not endorsed by the College. They can still be useful practice. For a fuller assessment see are the Blackstone's Q&A and Mock worth it.

Q&As 2027: published 13 August 2026, £89.99 for three volumes or £29.99 each at OUP (checked 4 October 2026). OUP says they contain new and revised questions reflecting changes in the 2027 Manuals and are cross-referenced to them. Print volumes contain "hundreds" of questions; OUP does not publish an exact count.
Mock Paper: the latest listed was the 2026 paper (£34.99, published 18 November 2025): 150 questions, a three-hour limit, a sealed answer booklet and a marking matrix, referenced to the 2026 Manuals. The 2025 and 2026 papers were published in November 2024 and November 2025. OUP had not listed a 2027 paper when we checked.
Mismatched years: a 2026 Q&A or Mock used with 2027 Manuals still tests a lot of unchanged law, but its references point to the wrong paragraphs, and any question on changed material will mark you against last year's text. If you use one, check each wrong answer against your current Manual, not against the old answer booklet.
For October and November 2026 candidates: the 2026 Q&As and the 2026 Mock Paper are the matching versions. Wildy shows the 2026 Q&As as out of print; the online Q&A service still offered 2026 material on 4 October 2026.

Our own exam prep toolkit is another option for timed practice: hundreds of checked practice questions, a timed 150-question sitting weighted like the real paper, spaced review and progress tracking, for £69.99 or £99.99 for six months, one-off payment. It is ours, it is not a substitute for the Manuals and it does not cross-reference Manual paragraphs the way the Blackstone's Q&As do. Details are on the exam prep toolkit page. You can try the format first with the free sergeant exam mini mock. None of our questions are real exam questions.

Library, force and Federation access

Before buying, find out what you can already use for free.

Your force. OUP sells institutional licences to the online service. Its FAQ says force users sign in through "Sign in via your Institution" and must be on a computer connected to the force network. Ask your force examinations officer, learning and development team or force library whether your force subscribes, and which year it currently shows.
Universities. Some universities subscribe for their own students and staff; the University of Staffordshire's library lists the Blackstone's Police Manuals as a university subscription, for example. If you are enrolled on a university policing course, check your university library.
The College's free material. The handbook points candidates to the Candidate Online Examination Guidance group on the Knowledge Hub for practice questions, exam tips and a learning style and revision technique guide. You need a Knowledge Hub login. More in free sergeant and inspector exam resources.
Federation and colleagues. We found no national Police Federation scheme that supplies the Manuals. Local branches and forces sometimes run or support revision activity, so it is worth asking your branch, but we could not verify any current offer. A colleague's current-year set is often the cheapest route of all.
Public libraries. We did not check public library catalogues. Reference copies, if held, may be an older year.

Worked scenarios

Illustrative examples, not real people, showing how the rules apply.

1. The November 2026 inspector candidate A sergeant registered for the 3 to 5 November 2026 inspectors' exam before registration closed at 6pm on 5 October. They need the 2026 Manuals. Wildy shows the 2026 set as out of print; Amazon UK still has it at £87.00. Their force has an institutional licence that currently shows both 2026 and 2027, so they revise online and make sure they use the 2026 version.

2. The October 2026 sergeant who falls short A constable sits on 7 October 2026 and gets their result on 29 October: a narrow fail. They plan to resit in March 2027, registering between 18 January and 18 February. The March paper uses the 2027 edition, so they buy the 2027 set and start with chapter 1.13 and the renamed bail chapter rather than re-reading the 2026 books.

3. The bargain four-volume set A candidate for May 2027 sees a "complete four-volume set" for £20 online. Four volumes means 2022 or earlier: a separate road policing volume, General Police Duties as Volume 4, and at least five years of change. It is not usable for any current sitting.

4. The mixed set A candidate already owns a 2026 Crime volume and buys only 2027 Evidence and Procedure and General Police Duties to save £33.99. The 2027 Crime volume is the one with a new chapter and renumbering from 1.12 onwards. It is the worst volume to skip.

5. The law changes before the exam In the run-up to an October 2027 sitting, a candidate reads that a road traffic power has been amended. They check the College's NPPF step two pages and ask their force examinations officer. No update has been issued, so they answer exam questions from the 2027 Manual and apply the new law at work.

6. Working out the cheapest legitimate route A May 2027 inspector candidate compares: Amazon UK £84.99, the College Learn 30% code (worth £26.70 off the £89.00 list price, if it applies to the set), or their force's online licence at no cost. They use the force licence for the text and spend the money on timed practice instead.

Common myths about Blackstone's editions

"Any recent edition will do, the law hardly changes." The College examines the law only as it appears in the current edition and tells candidates not to rely on previous ones. Between 2026 and 2027 sexual offences were split into two chapters, creating a new chapter 1.13, and numbering changed from 1.12 onwards.

"I'm sitting in November 2026, so I need the 2027 books because they're the newest." November 2026 inspectors sit on the 2026 syllabus. The 2027 Manuals are for 2027 sittings only.

"If the law has changed, the exam will follow the new law." Only in exceptional circumstances and only after the College gives notice. Without notice, the Manual's version is what is examined.

"There is a separate Road Policing Manual I need to buy." That was the four-volume set, last published as the 2022 edition. Road policing is now four chapters inside General Police Duties.

"The Blackstone's Q&As are the official College practice questions." The College endorses only the Manuals and says the Q&As are not affiliated with it. Its own practice questions are on the Knowledge Hub.

"Sergeants and inspectors study different books." Same three volumes. The only rank-specific chapter in the 2027 appendix is 1.8 Weapons, for sergeants only.

Buying checklist

Confirm your sitting: October 2026 or November 2026 means the 2026 edition; any 2027 sitting means the 2027 edition.
Ask your force examinations officer whether your force already has an institutional licence to the online Manuals before you spend anything.
Log in to College Learn and get the 30% discount code before buying, then compare the discounted price with Amazon and Wildy on the day.
Buy all three volumes for the same year. Do not mix a 2027 Crime volume with a 2026 General Police Duties volume.
If buying second-hand, check the year on the cover and spine, and that it is the Police Manuals (sergeants and inspectors), not the Investigators' Manual.
If you buy Q&As or a Mock Paper, match the year to your Manuals, or accept that the cross-references will be wrong.
Keep an eye on the College's NPPF step two pages and your force examinations officer for any syllabus update notice before your exam.
Read the syllabus appendix in the handbook and tick off chapters as you cover them; it is the College's own map of the Manuals.

Once you have the right books, the next step is a plan. See how to pass the sergeants' exam, how to pass the inspector exam and the registration checklist.

What we could not verify

How the College Learn discount works. The code is behind a login and the link points to a police-network address we could not reach. We could not confirm the retailer, whether it covers the three-volume set, the online service or the Q&As, or any expiry date.
Changes inside unchanged headings. Our 2026 to 2027 comparison uses the handbook appendices' headings. We did not compare the full text of the Manuals, so it does not show every change in the law or the commentary.
The "3.31.11" heading. The 2027 handbook lists "3.31.11 Road Safety Strategy" inside chapter 3.21. There is no chapter 3.31, so we assume it means 3.21.11. Check your 2027 Manual.
When the online service drops the 2026 edition. The FAQ gives different timings (after the final exam, mid-October, January). We could only see what was offered on 4 October 2026, without logging in.
A 2027 Mock Paper. Not listed by OUP when we checked; we do not know whether or when one will be published.
VAT on online subscriptions. OUP says tax is added where applicable. We did not confirm the rate applied at checkout.
Dandy Booksellers. We searched the Dandy site and found no Blackstone's Police Manuals listing, so we have no Dandy price.
Federation and public library access. We found no national scheme and did not check local branch offers or public library catalogues.
The May 2026 inspectors' breakdown. Our parse of the College PDF found 136 of the 140 rows, so the inspector figures are approximate.
Stock levels. Retailer stock changes daily; "in stock", "low stock" and "out of print" are what each site displayed on 4 October 2026.

Quick answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need the 2026 or 2027 Blackstone's Manuals?

It depends on when you sit, not when you buy. The College of Policing's 2026 candidate handbook ties every 2026 sitting, including the October 2026 sergeants' exam (6 to 8 October) and the November 2026 inspectors' exam (3 to 5 November), to the 2026 edition. The 2027 handbook (updated 10 September 2026) says the syllabus for every 2027 sitting is only contained within the 2027 edition.

Which Blackstone's Manual is for the sergeants' exam?

The same three-volume set covers both ranks: Volume 1 Crime, Volume 2 Evidence and Procedure and Volume 3 General Police Duties. The 2027 handbook says every area of the syllabus applies to both exams except chapter 1.8 (Weapons), which is for the sergeants' exam only. There is no separate sergeants' Manual.

When were the Blackstone's 2027 Manuals published?

Oxford University Press lists the 2027 three-volume set and each 2027 volume as published on 7 August 2026 (checked 4 October 2026). The 2027 Blackstone's Police Q&As followed on 13 August 2026. The 2026 Manuals were published on 7 August 2025.

Can I use an older edition of Blackstone's to save money?

The College's handbook advises candidates not to rely on previous editions because they may contain out-of-date material, and it examines the law only as it appears in the current edition. Comparing the 2026 and 2027 syllabus appendices, Volume 1 was renumbered from chapter 1.12 onwards and sexual offences were split into two chapters, so even page references change. A second-hand copy of the correct year is fine; an older year is a false economy.

What if the law changes after the Manuals are published?

The handbook says changes to legislation or case law after publication of the 2027 edition will only be examined in exceptional circumstances and only after suitable prior notice. Any update would be put on the College's NPPF step two pages and sent to force examinations officers. Unless the College gives that notice, all of the syllabus stays examinable as written, regardless of changes in the law.

How much are the Blackstone's 2027 Manuals?

On 4 October 2026 OUP listed the 2027 three-volume set at £89.00 and each volume at £33.99. Amazon UK had the set at £84.99 and Wildy at £89.00. Printed books are zero-rated for VAT in the UK. Prices move, so check on the day you buy.

How do I get the 30% College of Policing discount on Blackstone's?

The handbook says a 30% discount on the NPPF Manuals is available to all police officers and staff in England and Wales, and that you get the discount code by logging in to College Learn. The code sits behind that login, so we could not see where it is redeemed or whether it covers the online service; check the College Learn Blackstone's page before you buy elsewhere.

Is road policing still in the sergeants' and inspectors' exam?

Yes, but only as four chapters inside Volume 3, General Police Duties: road policing definitions and principles, key police powers, offences involving standards of driving, and drink, drugs and driving (chapters 3.19 to 3.22 in the 2027 syllabus). The separate Road Policing volume existed up to the 2022 edition. In the March 2026 sergeants' paper, 9 of the 140 scored questions came from those chapters.

Do the Blackstone's Q&As need to match my Manuals edition?

They should. OUP says the 2027 Q&As are cross-referenced to the 2027 Manuals and contain new and revised questions reflecting changes in them. An older Q&A book still tests a lot of unchanged law, but its answers point to the wrong paragraphs and it can test wording that has since changed. The College says the Q&As are not affiliated with it.

Is there a Blackstone's 2027 Mock Examination Paper?

Not when we checked on 4 October 2026. OUP listed the Sergeants' and Inspectors' Mock Examination Paper 2026 (£34.99, published 18 November 2025), which is referenced to the 2026 Manuals. The 2025 and 2026 papers were published in November 2024 and November 2025, but OUP had not listed a 2027 paper.

Does the Blackstone's online service have both editions?

On 4 October 2026 the Blackstone's Police service listed both the 2026 and 2027 Manuals and offered 2026 and 2027 revision, tests and mock exams in its Q&A service. Its FAQ says both editions run side by side from August until the following January, and warns that choosing the right version for your exam is your responsibility.

Can I get Blackstone's Manuals free?

Possibly, depending on where you work or study. OUP sells institutional licences and its FAQ says force users sign in through their institution on a force network; some universities also subscribe for their students. The College's own free practice questions are in the Candidate Online Examination Guidance group on the Knowledge Hub. Ask your force examinations officer or force library what your force already pays for.

Are the Manuals the same for the exam in Wales?

Yes. The NPPF step two exam and its syllabus apply to forces in England and Wales, and the handbook names one set of Manuals for all candidates. The 30% discount is stated as available to officers and staff in England and Wales.

Evidence

Sources and how we checked them

Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 4 October 2026. Rules and figures change, so check the source for the date you are reading this. Where we could not confirm something from an official or independent source, the page says so rather than guessing. Spotted something out of date? See our corrections policy.

College of Policing: NPPF step two legal examinations candidate handbook (2027 version, web page updated 10 September 2026) — syllabus 'only contained within' the 2027 edition; law examined 'only as it appears' in it; previous editions not to be relied on; syllabus updates; 30% discount via College Learn; Q&As not affiliated; tables and PACE Codes; chapter 1.8 for sergeants only. The main site blocked our reader, so we read the same page on the College's production mirror (accessed 4 October 2026)
College of Policing: NPPF step two legal examinations candidate handbook 2027 (PDF, September 2026) — 2027 exam dates, registration windows and results dates; Appendix A, the chapter-by-chapter syllabus for Volumes 1 to 3 (pages 43 to 60) (accessed 4 October 2026)
College of Policing: NPPF step two legal examinations candidate handbook 2026 (PDF, September 2025) — 'For candidates attending the online NPPF sergeants' or inspectors' examinations in 2026'; ties the 2026 sittings, including October and November 2026, to the 2026 edition; 2026 syllabus appendix used for our edition comparison (accessed 4 October 2026)
College of Policing: Sergeants' and inspectors' NPPF step two legal exams (exam hub) — 2026 and 2027 exam and registration dates; subject area breakdowns and results PDFs. No syllabus update or supplement was listed when we checked (accessed 4 October 2026)
College of Policing: Subject area breakdown, NPPF sergeants' step-two legal exam, March 2026 (PDF) — 140 scored questions by area; our count of rows: Crime 60, Evidence and procedure 31, General police duties 49, of which 9 from the road policing chapters and 5 from Weapons (accessed 4 October 2026)
Oxford University Press: Blackstone's Police Manuals 2027 Three Volume Set (ISBN 9780197918104) — £89.00, published 7 August 2026; individual 2027 volumes £33.99 each (Crime 288 pages, Evidence and Procedure 344, General Police Duties 448); 2026 set £92.00, published 7 August 2025. Checked 4 October 2026 (accessed 4 October 2026)
Oxford University Press: Blackstone's Police Q&A's 2027 (ISBN 9780197919354) and Sergeants' and Inspectors' Mock Examination Paper 2026 (ISBN 9780198978244) — Q&A set £89.99, published 13 August 2026, cross-referenced to the 2027 Manuals; Mock Paper 2026 £34.99, 150 questions, 160 pages, sealed answer booklet and marking matrix, referenced to the 2026 Manuals, 'not endorsed by the College of Policing'. Checked 4 October 2026 (accessed 4 October 2026)
Oxford University Press: Blackstone's Police Manuals Online, Q&As Online, and Manuals and Q&As Online Combined — personal subscriptions: Manuals Online £85 for 12 months; Q&As Online £105 for 12 months, £90 for 8, £75 for 3; Combined £175 for 12 months, £130 for 8; 'tax will be added' where applicable. Checked 4 October 2026 (accessed 4 October 2026)
Blackstone's Police service: home page, NPPF Q&A page and FAQ — 2026 and 2027 Manuals both listed; 'over 2,000' Q&A questions; 2026 and 2027 revision, tests and mocks; both editions online from August to January; candidate responsible for using the right version; institutional sign-in on force networks; print upgrade offer inside covers (accessed 4 October 2026)
Wildy & Sons: Blackstone's Police Manuals 2027 Three Volume Pack — £89.00, 'Low stock'; 2027 volumes £33.99; 2027 Q&As £29.99 each or £89.99 set; 2026 Manuals and Q&As shown as out of print; edition history including the 2022 Road Policing volume and the first three-volume set (2023 edition). Checked 4 October 2026 (accessed 4 October 2026)
Wildy & Sons: Blackstone's Police Manual 2023 Volume 3: General Police Duties, and Blackstone's Police Q&A 2022: Road Policing — 2023 General Police Duties contents include chapters 19 to 22 on road policing; the 2022 Road Policing Q&A lists 11 road chapters, including insurance, construction and use, driver licensing and notices of intended prosecution (accessed 4 October 2026)
Amazon UK: Blackstone's Police Manuals 2027 Three Volume Set and 2026 Three Volume Set — 2027 set £84.99 against RRP £89.00, in stock; 2026 set £87.00 against RRP £92.00, in stock; 2027 Crime volume £30.99; 2027 Q&A set £89.99; Mock Paper 2026 £32.42. Checked 4 October 2026 (accessed 4 October 2026)
University of Staffordshire library: Blackstone's Police Manuals (A to Z databases) — an example of a university subscription to the online Manuals for its own students and staff (accessed 4 October 2026)

Related Guides

On this topic elsewhere

NPPF Exam Dates 2027 → Every 2027 sitting, registration window and results date. Are the Q&As and Mock Worth It? → A fair look at the books and the online service. What Comes Up → How the three subject areas are weighted. Free Resources → What the College and others give you for nothing. Sergeant Revision Plan → 4, 8 and 12 week timetables. Inspector Revision Plan → Preparing for the 65% pass mark.

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Disclaimer

PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or produced by the College of Policing or Oxford University Press (Blackstone's). Exam rules, dates, syllabus editions and prices change, so check the College of Policing's current candidate handbook and exam pages before you register or buy. Practice material on this site is original and is not real exam content. Details apply to England and Wales unless stated. Details are as checked on 4 October 2026.

Which Blackstone's Edition Do You Need?