014 Flashcards
What is the primary functions of initial Police responders to Serious Crime Scenes? #
- Attending the scene at an early stage
- Taking control of the situation
- Coordinating tasks
Some instances notified to the Police that are not initially identifiable as a Homicide?
- Missing person
- Sudden death of an infant
- Report of abduction
- Suicide
- Fatal Fire
- Drug related deaths
Why is the initial action of first responding Police so important to the investigation?
Critical effect on the investigation and on the potential for capturing evidence. The general investigation model VAWSEIPO should be applied in all cases.
The OC investigation will expect a briefing from the officer initially in charge of the incident as to?
- What has occurred?
- What actions have been taken?
- What has not been done?
- What needs to be done?
The three key elements to Homicide?
- Location
- Victim
- Suspect
What is the general investigation model? (VAWSEIPO) #
Victim – Identify and locate Appreciate – Make an initial appreciate Witness – Locate and contain Scene – Preserve the scene Exhibits – Note evidence and preserve Ingredients – Consider whether ingredients of offence have been established Powers – Identify what powers are available Offenders – Identify and apprehend
What are the benefits of applying the appreciation technique?
MEREE
- Manage risk
- Ensure nothing is overlooked
- Reduce uncertainty
- Effective use of resources
- Establish a sequence of activities to be carried out
What are the steps for appreciation?
AIM – A short one line statement – demonstrates a single objective
FACTORS – Is any circumstances or fact that could possibly have an effect on the manner in which you will achieve your desired outcome
COURSES OPEN – Are a list of all the possible ways the aim could be achieved
PLAN – Proposed course of action
Perseveration of life? #
It is imperative that police responders ensure their own safety and the safety of other responders and that of other present at the scene.
Adopting an investigative mentality, what is the Police purpose at a death? #
To always investigate thoroughly and gather sufficient evidence to satisfactorily explain the circumstances of the death
What are the three categories of the physical condition of the victim?
- Alive and uninjured
- Alive but injured
- No sign of life
What are the steps to take when the victim is alive but injured? #
- Obtain medical opinions as to victim status
- Seize clothing/ possession as evidence
- Establish victim’s identity
- Obtain a pre-transfused blood sample
- Seize discarded bandages
- Arrange firearm residue sample if applicable
- Note and photograph injuries
- Arrange DNA swabs of victims skin if relevant
- Obtain details of persons of people who visit or contact victim
- Conduct scoping interview with victim
- Preliminary interview ambulance/ hospital staff
What are the steps to take when the victim show NO signs of life?
- Consider calling ambulance, note original body position
- Remain with body until relieved by CIB or supervisor
- Arrange Dr to pronounce life extinct
- Treat victim as a scene
- Leave clothes on body and medical items
- Scoping interview medical staff
- Ascertain if victim spoke to anyone before death
- Record body position, lividity, obvious injuries & clothing
- Record everything involving all scenes
- Record all exhibits
- Sketch a plan, position of body & all exhibits
- Provide info to O/C investigations
Every effort should be made to obtain the following information from an informant reporting an incident?
\+ ID and location of the suspect \+ Precise details of scene location \+ ID of victim \+ Full particulars on informant/ complainant \+ Details of anyone else at scene \+ Details of what action informant of anyone else has taken \+ What they did at scene \+ Any hazards approaching scene, victim
In some circumstances there may be a delay in attending the scene and evidence may be contaminated or lost. In order to reduce risk the informant may be asked?
+ To return to the proximity of scene and guard it
+ Not to touch or move anything
+ Prevent others from entering scene
+ Await Police arrival and identity themselves
+Not to enter obvious boundaries
What is the definition of an APPERCIATION in relation to initial action at a crime scene? #
An appreciation is a proven method of problem solving. The process follows step to ensure the optimum course of action is decided upon.
It considers all appropriate factors and weighs the benefits and the risks of all alternative solutions, allowing sound decisions to be taken.
An appreciation is an outgoing process which involves continually thinking through each new piece of information as it is uncovered.
What is the first priority in attending a scene? #
Ensuring the safety of the attending police members
What to BRIEF the O/C investigation in relation to initial response?
What has occurred
What action has been taken
What actions have not been taken
What needs to be done
What are the initial actions to preserve a scene? (Freeze, control, guard, preserve)
Identify – Carry out initial assessment of scene/ warrantless powers/ establish crime scene/ common approach path/ record all observations/ SITREP – SFP
Secure – Exercise power/ secure scene/ Removal of persons from scene/ Establish cordons/ Arrange & brief scene guards/ Arrange crime scene logs/ Prevent further loss of evidence
Preserve – Best path to scene/ Record movements/ actions in scene / leave in situ/ consider stepping plates/ preserve evidence
Consider – Photographs of scene & persons present
Record – Crime scene log/ Sketch of scene/ Photograph scene/ what has been moved/ Accurate record, report to OC investigation
What is the definition of crime scene log?
Record details, time and purposes of all person who enter, attempt to enter, leave the crime scene + other activities which guard perceives as relevant
What is the purpose of a scene guard log?
To ensure – 1) No unauthorized entry 2) Evidence is secured 3) intel opportunities are maximized 4) contamination issues managed
What are the duties of a scene guard?
Secure the scene, record details, prevent movements, record movements, brief others on relevant info, avoid disturbances, protect scene, brief replacement guard, respect security (media, witnesses, bystanders), and demonstrate courtesy when dealing with civilians/crowds.
The plan to preserve and recover evidence from a forensically important witness you should consider these issues, where applicable? #
1) Immediate DNA swabs of area witness may have been touched by the suspect
2) Immediate DNA swabs any blood present on the witness
3) Swabs any other relevant stains
4) Forensic medical examination (Fingernail scrapings, hair combing)
5) Seizure of any clothing and footwear
6) Seizure of any items of property touched by suspect (Consider using different vehicles, interview rooms, photographs)
What are the principles guiding the management of witnesses?
Manner of which witnesses are treated will significantly affect how they co-operate / investigators must understand the actions expected of them/ Necessity to interact professionally with every witness
How may other witnesses be located?
Viewing CCTV/ Media release and appeals/ Area canvas/ Interviews with victims- other witnesses/ suspect interviews/ Anniversary appeals/ Road check point
Depending on available resources, initial enquires might be confined to certain areas such as line of sight or earshot locations such as?
Place where the victim was last seen alive/ Place where initial contact with suspect took place/ Place where the victim was assaulted/ Murder site/ Body deposition site
On some occasions it may be necessary to conduct a prompt preliminary interview which may provide information such as?
- Early identification or arrest of a suspect
- Recovery of evidence or information relevant to the offence
- Prevention of the imminent disposal or destruction of evidence connected to the investigation
- Prevention of the commission of other offences
PRELIMINARY interviews should be?
Conducted in accordance with Police manual chapter (investigative interviewing witness guide)/ Limited to TED’s questions/ Framed to illicit a brief account/ recovery of any evidence or prevention of disposal of any evidence
What should an initial witness assessment cover?
Whether witness requires special considerations/ availability of the witness / any needs the witness has for special consideration/ the optimum approach to be taken with the witness
What does a witness interview plan cover?
The time and location of the interview/ the amount of information to be disclosed to the interviewer/ setting interview objectives/ supporting the interview- monitor/ Structure of the interview – recorded on video, audio or written.
Police responsibilities with witnesses?
Ensuring court attendance/ Court proceedings, ensure witness is fully briefed/ witness order/ refreshing memory, signed statements or transcripts
Witness control- Ensure witnesses do NOT?
- Have any contact or communication with jurors
- Discuss the case in public area while waiting to give evidence
- Discuss the case with witnesses waiting after they have given evidence
Risk assessment?
A risk assessment must be conducted to establish the extent to which a witness might be at risk of intimidation and/or physical harm. Eg scared of court, person at risk.
Alibi Witnesses?
- Make inquiries to determine the veracity of the alibi
- Conduct inquiries as directed by the OC investigation and the crown solicitor including NIA checks on the alibi witnesses
- Forward the results of these inquiries to the crown solicitor, including any statements obtained.
Why it is important that the OC suspects regularly debriefs their teams? #
They must regularly debrief their team on the inquiries they have conducted and the results of these inquiries so that they can maintain a constant flow of information at conferences, between members of the suspects team and other investigation staff. Priority info to be past to OC investigation.
What steps are to be followed if a suspect is identified at the scene?
1) Separate suspects from others
2) Consider suspect injuries, influence of drugs/alcohol, mental condition
3) Ask to remain at scene an co-operate
4) If refuses consider grounds for arrest
5) Prevent cross contamination – consider using officer who hasn’t entered the scene
6) BOR good cause to suspect
7) Consider searching suspect S&S 2012, vehicle, route and vicinity
8) Note suspects appearance and behaviour
9) DVD interview
10) Brief OC investigation on arrival
The OC suspect is responsible for supervising the members of the suspect’s team for the purpose of?
MOST
- Mitigating and dealing with possible defense’s that may be raised
- Obtaining information about suspects and persons of interest
- Seeking evidence to cover all ingredients of the offence
- Thoroughly profiling and investigation all suspects and persons of interest
In investigation any suspect ALIBIS, what must be done? #
Alibi witnesses must not be interviewed by Police except at the request of the crown. When conducting such interviews the advice of the crown should be followed by the OC suspect must make inquiries of other than the persons who particulars have been supplied to confirm or rebut evidence in support of the alibi. Complete inquiries to establish where the suspect was at the time of the offence, who they were with and what they were doing. Where possible try and corroborate the alibi given by the suspect from independent sources.
What are the 3 categories that managements of suspects fall into? OC investigation will prepare a strategy dealing with each:
Identification and profiling
Arrest-termination
Interviewing - Seeking Evidence
What is a suspect?
Person of interest who has gained added status because of either a direct or indirect connection to the circumstances of the crime.
What should an initial briefing of a suspect’s Team encompass?
Circumstances of the offence
Details of any POI or suspect (when details known)
Suspect descriptions
MO or crime signature identified
Possible suspects may be indicated from or by?
Area canvas DNA samples Fingerprints CHIS Witness Evidence Police noting’s
What are TIE Enquires?
Trace, interview and eliminate
ID the types of groups that may contain the offender
Select common characteristic shared by the group of people which may include the offender
Research should aim to collect all available information and attempt to establish or find the following information about the suspect?
The suspect’s previous criminal history (MO)
Home address and place of work
Details of vehicles owned
Details of landline and cellular telephones
Full description of the suspect
Recent photography of the suspect
Medical Records
Potential sources of information about suspects may be obtained by?
Internet websites
Vehicle GPS
Financial information- Bank records
CCTV & other images
Before Arrest / Termination what to consider?
Investigator appointed each suspect
Decision to prosecute, choice of charges & prosecution processes are conducted in accordance with solicitor general’s prosecution guidelines
Clarity of police position on bail
Engage the crown solicitor
Family of deceased are updated via FLO
Prompt preparation of the prosecution file
Compliance by the disclosure manager
During an interview of a suspect, the OC suspect must ensure that?
- The interview is conducted in accordance with the investigating suspect guide
- The interview is monitored by a supervisor or experienced Detective to ensure the key points are covered
- Ensure an explanation is sought from the suspect in relation to any exhibits found
After an arrest is made the OC Suspect should?
Ensure suspects are isolated from each other
Ensure suspects have been advised of BOR
Juvenile suspects- Police obligations under CYP act
Consider executing a search for evidence of the suspect’s person, vehicle, home and workplace
On executing a search warrant?
Establish a strategy for the search
Ensure legal authority exists for the search to be conducted
Arrange photography / Fingerprints
Ensure OC exhibits attends
If practicable suspect is present when search is conducted
Asses all evidence found and ascertain its relevance
Seek explanations from the suspect regarding exhibits found
Issue a receipt of any property seized
Ensure all exhibits are sealed before removal
The OC suspect will arrange, in consultation with OC investigations, for Police Doctor to examine the suspect. The Doctor must? #
- Note any injury, such as scratches or bruises
- Take samples identified a necessary by the OC investigation using a specialist MEK, including – blood, saliva, head hair, pubic hair & body hair, nail scrapings, swabs
- Swab suspects hands for firearm residue
- Provide a professional opinion regarding the condition of the suspect
- Record any explanations or comments made by the suspect about the offence or the cause of any injuries
- Photographs of suspect and any relevant marks of injuries must be taken
Obtaining identifying details, to confirm the identity of the suspect?
- Fingerprints, footprints, palm prints, blood and DNA analysis
- Arrange photographs of the suspect (Face profile, fully body length, injuries, tattoos/scars
- Sample of suspects handwriting
- Record physical description of the suspect
- Record details of the offender report