diff --git a/docs/cudf/source/user_guide/api_docs/pylibcudf/strings/contains.rst b/docs/cudf/source/user_guide/api_docs/pylibcudf/strings/contains.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e5745331bc7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/cudf/source/user_guide/api_docs/pylibcudf/strings/contains.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+========
+contains
+========
+
+.. automodule:: cudf._lib.pylibcudf.strings.contains
+   :members:
diff --git a/docs/cudf/source/user_guide/api_docs/pylibcudf/strings/index.rst b/docs/cudf/source/user_guide/api_docs/pylibcudf/strings/index.rst
index 8970fc80c0b..bfaef732555 100644
--- a/docs/cudf/source/user_guide/api_docs/pylibcudf/strings/index.rst
+++ b/docs/cudf/source/user_guide/api_docs/pylibcudf/strings/index.rst
@@ -4,4 +4,5 @@ strings
 .. toctree::
     :maxdepth: 1
 
+    contains
     replace
diff --git a/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/libcudf/strings/CMakeLists.txt b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/libcudf/strings/CMakeLists.txt
index 930c22781d0..bd6e2e0af02 100644
--- a/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/libcudf/strings/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/libcudf/strings/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 # the License.
 # =============================================================================
 
-set(cython_sources char_types.pyx)
+set(cython_sources char_types.pyx regex_flags.pyx)
 
 set(linked_libraries cudf::cudf)
 
diff --git a/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/libcudf/strings/regex_flags.pxd b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/libcudf/strings/regex_flags.pxd
index 2a5701fa6a3..41617f157b7 100644
--- a/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/libcudf/strings/regex_flags.pxd
+++ b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/libcudf/strings/regex_flags.pxd
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
-# Copyright (c) 2022, NVIDIA CORPORATION.
+# Copyright (c) 2022-2024, NVIDIA CORPORATION.
+
+from libc.stdint cimport int32_t
+
 
 cdef extern from "cudf/strings/regex/flags.hpp" \
         namespace "cudf::strings" nogil:
 
-    ctypedef enum regex_flags:
-        DEFAULT 'cudf::strings::regex_flags::DEFAULT'
-        MULTILINE  'cudf::strings::regex_flags::MULTILINE'
-        DOTALL 'cudf::strings::regex_flags::DOTALL'
+    cpdef enum class regex_flags(int32_t):
+        DEFAULT
+        MULTILINE
+        DOTALL
diff --git a/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/libcudf/strings/regex_flags.pyx b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/libcudf/strings/regex_flags.pyx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e69de29bb2d
diff --git a/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/CMakeLists.txt b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/CMakeLists.txt
index c9a983e24f4..cb7f71b1912 100644
--- a/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@
 # the License.
 # =============================================================================
 
-set(cython_sources capitalize.pyx case.pyx char_types.pyx find.pyx replace.pyx)
+set(cython_sources capitalize.pyx case.pyx char_types.pyx contains.pyx find.pyx regex_flags.pyx
+                   regex_program.pyx replace.pyx
+)
 
 set(linked_libraries cudf::cudf)
 rapids_cython_create_modules(
diff --git a/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/__init__.pxd b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/__init__.pxd
index 7563df8a107..959aa94737d 100644
--- a/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/__init__.pxd
+++ b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/__init__.pxd
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2024, NVIDIA CORPORATION.
 
-from . cimport capitalize, case, char_types, find, replace
+from . cimport (
+    capitalize,
+    case,
+    char_types,
+    contains,
+    find,
+    regex_flags,
+    regex_program,
+    replace,
+)
diff --git a/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/__init__.py b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/__init__.py
index cb4f0e38f97..b7384913286 100644
--- a/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/__init__.py
+++ b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/__init__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2024, NVIDIA CORPORATION.
 
-from . import capitalize, case, char_types, find, replace
+from . import (
+    capitalize,
+    case,
+    char_types,
+    contains,
+    find,
+    regex_flags,
+    regex_program,
+    replace,
+)
diff --git a/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/contains.pxd b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/contains.pxd
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..275aa95d97e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/contains.pxd
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2024, NVIDIA CORPORATION.
+
+from cudf._lib.pylibcudf.column cimport Column
+from cudf._lib.pylibcudf.strings.regex_program cimport RegexProgram
+
+
+cpdef Column contains_re(Column input, RegexProgram prog)
diff --git a/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/contains.pyx b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/contains.pyx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8c598b7c953
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/contains.pyx
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2024, NVIDIA CORPORATION.
+from libcpp.memory cimport unique_ptr
+from libcpp.utility cimport move
+
+from cudf._lib.pylibcudf.column cimport Column
+from cudf._lib.pylibcudf.libcudf.column.column cimport column
+from cudf._lib.pylibcudf.libcudf.strings cimport contains as cpp_contains
+from cudf._lib.pylibcudf.strings.regex_program cimport RegexProgram
+
+
+cpdef Column contains_re(
+    Column input,
+    RegexProgram prog
+):
+    """Returns a boolean column identifying rows which match the given
+    regex_program object.
+
+    For details, see :cpp:func:`cudf::strings::contains_re`.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    input : Column
+        The input strings
+    prog : RegexProgram
+        Regex program instance
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    pylibcudf.Column
+        New column of boolean results for each string
+    """
+
+    cdef unique_ptr[column] result
+
+    with nogil:
+        result = cpp_contains.contains_re(
+            input.view(),
+            prog.c_obj.get()[0]
+        )
+
+    return Column.from_libcudf(move(result))
diff --git a/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/regex_flags.pxd b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/regex_flags.pxd
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..79937bf574a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/regex_flags.pxd
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2020-2024, NVIDIA CORPORATION.
+from cudf._lib.pylibcudf.libcudf.strings.regex_flags cimport regex_flags
diff --git a/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/regex_flags.pyx b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/regex_flags.pyx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..903c2ddd503
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/regex_flags.pyx
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2024, NVIDIA CORPORATION.
+
+from cudf._lib.pylibcudf.libcudf.strings.regex_flags import \
+    regex_flags as RegexFlags  # no-cython-lint
diff --git a/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/regex_program.pxd b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/regex_program.pxd
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..61ed268fb2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/regex_program.pxd
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2024, NVIDIA CORPORATION.
+
+from libcpp.memory cimport unique_ptr
+from libcpp.string cimport string
+
+from cudf._lib.pylibcudf.libcudf.strings.regex_program cimport regex_program
+
+
+cdef class RegexProgram:
+    cdef unique_ptr[regex_program] c_obj
diff --git a/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/regex_program.pyx b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/regex_program.pyx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d605b0aba02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/pylibcudf/strings/regex_program.pyx
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2024, NVIDIA CORPORATION.
+
+
+from libcpp.memory cimport unique_ptr
+from libcpp.string cimport string
+from libcpp.utility cimport move
+
+from cudf._lib.pylibcudf.libcudf.strings.regex_flags cimport regex_flags
+from cudf._lib.pylibcudf.libcudf.strings.regex_program cimport regex_program
+
+from cudf._lib.pylibcudf.strings.regex_flags import RegexFlags
+from cudf._lib.pylibcudf.strings.regex_flags cimport regex_flags
+
+
+cdef class RegexProgram:
+
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise ValueError("Do not instantiate RegexProgram directly, use create")
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def create(str pattern, int flags):
+        cdef unique_ptr[regex_program] c_prog
+        cdef regex_flags c_flags
+        cdef string c_pattern = pattern.encode()
+
+        cdef RegexProgram ret = RegexProgram.__new__(RegexProgram)
+        if isinstance(flags, object):
+            if isinstance(flags, (int, RegexFlags)):
+                c_flags = <regex_flags>flags
+                with nogil:
+                    c_prog = regex_program.create(c_pattern, c_flags)
+
+                ret.c_obj = move(c_prog)
+            else:
+                raise ValueError("flags must be of type RegexFlags")
+
+        return ret
diff --git a/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/strings/contains.pyx b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/strings/contains.pyx
index 087acd8062d..502a1d14696 100644
--- a/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/strings/contains.pyx
+++ b/python/cudf/cudf/_lib/strings/contains.pyx
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ from cudf._lib.pylibcudf.libcudf.column.column cimport column
 from cudf._lib.pylibcudf.libcudf.column.column_view cimport column_view
 from cudf._lib.pylibcudf.libcudf.scalar.scalar cimport string_scalar
 from cudf._lib.pylibcudf.libcudf.strings.contains cimport (
-    contains_re as cpp_contains_re,
     count_re as cpp_count_re,
     like as cpp_like,
     matches_re as cpp_matches_re,
@@ -23,6 +22,9 @@ from cudf._lib.pylibcudf.libcudf.strings.regex_flags cimport regex_flags
 from cudf._lib.pylibcudf.libcudf.strings.regex_program cimport regex_program
 from cudf._lib.scalar cimport DeviceScalar
 
+from cudf._lib.pylibcudf.strings import contains
+from cudf._lib.pylibcudf.strings.regex_program import RegexProgram
+
 
 @acquire_spill_lock()
 def contains_re(Column source_strings, object reg_ex, uint32_t flags):
@@ -30,21 +32,10 @@ def contains_re(Column source_strings, object reg_ex, uint32_t flags):
     Returns a Column of boolean values with True for `source_strings`
     that contain regular expression `reg_ex`.
     """
-    cdef unique_ptr[column] c_result
-    cdef column_view source_view = source_strings.view()
-
-    cdef string reg_ex_string = <string>str(reg_ex).encode()
-    cdef regex_flags c_flags = <regex_flags>flags
-    cdef unique_ptr[regex_program] c_prog
-
-    with nogil:
-        c_prog = move(regex_program.create(reg_ex_string, c_flags))
-        c_result = move(cpp_contains_re(
-            source_view,
-            dereference(c_prog)
-        ))
-
-    return Column.from_unique_ptr(move(c_result))
+    prog = RegexProgram.create(str(reg_ex), flags)
+    return Column.from_pylibcudf(
+        contains.contains_re(source_strings.to_pylibcudf(mode="read"), prog)
+    )
 
 
 @acquire_spill_lock()
diff --git a/python/cudf/cudf/pylibcudf_tests/test_regex_program.py b/python/cudf/cudf/pylibcudf_tests/test_regex_program.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3a9bcec3616
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/cudf/cudf/pylibcudf_tests/test_regex_program.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2024, NVIDIA CORPORATION.
+
+import pytest
+
+import cudf._lib.pylibcudf as plc
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("pat", ["(", "*", "\\"])
+def test_regex_program_invalid(pat):
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError):
+        plc.strings.regex_program.RegexProgram.create(
+            pat, plc.strings.regex_flags.RegexFlags.DEFAULT
+        )
diff --git a/python/cudf/cudf/pylibcudf_tests/test_string_contains.py b/python/cudf/cudf/pylibcudf_tests/test_string_contains.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8cdb6f7c521
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/cudf/cudf/pylibcudf_tests/test_string_contains.py
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2024, NVIDIA CORPORATION.
+
+import pyarrow as pa
+import pytest
+from utils import assert_column_eq
+
+import cudf._lib.pylibcudf as plc
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="module")
+def pa_target_col():
+    return pa.array(
+        ["AbC", "de", "FGHI", "j", "kLm", "nOPq", None, "RsT", None, "uVw"]
+    )
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="module")
+def plc_target_col(pa_target_col):
+    return plc.interop.from_arrow(pa_target_col)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(
+    params=[
+        "A",
+        "de",
+        ".*",
+        "^a",
+        "^A",
+        "[^a-z]",
+        "[a-z]{3,}",
+        "^[A-Z]{2,}",
+        "j|u",
+    ],
+    scope="module",
+)
+def pa_target_scalar(request):
+    return pa.scalar(request.param, type=pa.string())
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="module")
+def plc_target_pat(pa_target_scalar):
+    prog = plc.strings.regex_program.RegexProgram.create(
+        pa_target_scalar.as_py(), plc.strings.regex_flags.RegexFlags.DEFAULT
+    )
+    return prog
+
+
+def test_contains_re(
+    pa_target_col, plc_target_col, pa_target_scalar, plc_target_pat
+):
+    got = plc.strings.contains.contains_re(plc_target_col, plc_target_pat)
+    expected = pa.compute.match_substring_regex(
+        pa_target_col, pa_target_scalar.as_py()
+    )
+    assert_column_eq(got, expected)