Area canvas Flashcards
Purpose of an area canvas
- Links between scene of crime, offender, victim and witness
- Area canvas has a high likelihood of ID’ing the offender, associates, witnesses, evidence and exhibits
Objectives of area canvas
- ID offender
- ID + locate evidence (vehicles, clothing)
- ID witnesses
- gather information
Benefits of area canvas may include
- Sightings of victims or offender
- Sightings of relevant property or vehicles
- Sightings of potential witnesses
- Create opportunity of early arrest of offender
- Eliminate unidentified vehicle or persons
Getting ready for an Area Canvas - Recon includes?
- OC investigations, OC area canvas, OC suspects attend scene ASAP
- Conduct Recon
- Appreciation
- set parameters
- to conduct and appreciation to set parameters and objective of the canvas
Relevant location parameters include
- Scenes where witnesses, victims, offenders have been
- Scene where offence took place
- Scene where exhibits located
- Location where victim last seen
- Where offender lay in wait
- Premises with line of sight of the scene
Getting ready for an area canvas - time parameters should be set for?
- The offence
- The scene
- Sightings victim/suspect
- Previous persons at scene
- Considerations of peoples work time
Criminal profiling unit can assist with?
Setting parameters or ID locations suspect is likely to reside or frequent
O/C area canvass should seek what to assist them? (canvas tools)
- Street maps
- Aerial photographs, Houses, locations, sections
- Geological information
- Local council records and other applicable references
During an area Canvas - Key points
- Summarise duties/area of responsibility of each canvas member
- Emphasise thoroughness
- Questionnaire is only a guide
- Evidence of probative value of FWS
- All forms completed
key points for briefing area canvas team
- What actions if they ID a suspect
- Action if evidence located
- Action if witness refuse to assist
- How to complete correspondence flow
- What info must not be disclosed
How can the O/C canvas maintain high staff morale
- Provide regular feedback on their canvas enquiries and how the are progressing
- Updates on other parts of he investigation
Monitoring progress -detailed master record should include?
- Which address visited
- Which occupants interviewed
- Documentation completed
- Any relevant comments made
Other ways to complete enquiries?
- Mail drop
- Caravans
- Media
- poster campaign
After area canvas - Debrief?
- Where locations have been completed
- parimeter of initial Police action
- Questions asked
- Who has been spoken to
- NIA checks completed
- Any intel obtained
When area canvas completed final report?
REPORT to O/C
- Summary of action taken
- Any significant findings
- Attention drawn to any action taken
- Anything outside the original phase strategy
