IC codes
IC codes or 6+1 codes are codes used by the British police in radio communications and crime recording systems to describe the apparent ethnicity of a suspect or victim. Originating in the late 1970s, the codes are based on a police officer's perceived view of an individual's ethnicity based on a visual assessment, as opposed to that individual's self-definition. In most circumstances where an individual's ethnicity is recorded after spoken contact with police, police are required to use the more extensive "16+1" self defined ethnicity codes, "even if the category chosen is clearly at odds with the officer’s visual assessment".
| Code | Ethnicity |
| IC1 | Nordic- Native British, Scandinavian, German, etc. |
| IC2 | Mediterranean - South European, e.g. Spanish, Italian or Greek |
| IC3 | Black - Sub-Saharan African or Afro-Caribbean |
| IC4 | Indian Subcontinent - South Asian |
| IC5 | Far East e.g. Chinese, Korean, Japanese, or Southeast Asian |
| IC6 | West Asia or North Africa |
| IC9 | Unknown |
The usage of IC codes in relation to individuals is recorded as part of information collected during activities including "stop and search", issuing of fixed penalties, arrest, and custody of individuals, and is recorded on a number of police databases. This is as required under section 95 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991, which states that:
The IC codes are also known as PNC or Phoenix Codes, or the 6+1 system. Other individuals involved in security and law enforcement, such as environmental enforcement officers, street wardens, guardians, city guardians, police community support officers, revenue protection inspectors, security guards and door supervisors, also use IC codes on a regular basis.