Area Canvass Enquiries Flashcards
What is the responsibilities of the OC Area Canvass
- Ensures the canvass is conducted thoroughly and recorded accurately.
- Ensures the area canvass team remains focused
- Ensures that the canvass results in efficient use of resources
- Ensures the return of relevant and manageable information and material.
What are the Area Canvass Objectives?
The main objectives of an area canvass may include:
- Identifying the offender
- Identifying and locating evidence (eg. vehicles, discarded clothing, weapons etc)
- Identifying witnesses
- Gathering information.
What other Benefits may be included?
- Sightings of the victim or offender before or after the event
- Sightings of relevant property or vehicles
- sightings of potential witnesses
- Creating the opportunity for an early arrest through early identification of the offender
- Obtaining key information to drive the investigation or develop lines of enquiry
- Promoting awareness of significant occurrences
- Eliminating unidentified vehicles or persons reported by other witnesses
- Obtaining an accurate record of the local community.
How are the Area Canvass Location Parameters determined
Scenes, for example:
- Sites where victims/ offenders/ witnesses have been present
- Sites where offences have taken place
- Sites where vehicles, property or exhibits have been found
- Premises within the line of sight of scenes
- Access and egress routes -to and from scenes
- Areas where an offender may have lain in wait
- Location where the victim was last seen alive
- Locations or premises frequented by the victim
*** How to ensure Team Motivation remains high
The OC Area Canvass should ensure staff morale remains high through:
- regular feedback on the way canvass enquiries are contributing to the progress of the investigation
- updates on the progress being made with other phases of the enquiry.
- Canvass team members should be regularly visited during the area canvass to monitor welfare, maintain control, morale, enthusiasm and efficiency.
- Depending on the location and duration of the canvass phase, logistical considerations for the Area Canvass team includes provision for toileting, meals and refreshments.
What are the key points to cover off in Team Briefings
Briefing should include but is not be limited to:
1 Summarise the situation and detail the duties/ areas of responsibility of each canvass team member
2 Emphasise the need for thoroughness and that every person in every household and visitors must be seen personally.
3 Stress that the questionnaire is only a guide to ensure the questions are asked, but should be regarded as flexible in that information supplied could lead to more questions
4 Advise that evidence of possible value must be obtained in a FWS rather than notebook form. Note: The questionnaire must be endorsed, if a statement is taken.
5 Consider visiting the canvass area to record every address including flats and vacant sections and then reconcile these premises with the map.
6 Ensure all forms are completed, and actioned as outlined.
7 Reconcile completed locations with the master copy to avoid duplication.
8 Advise staff on:
- What action to take if they believe they have identified the suspect
- What action to take if they locate items of evidential value
- What action to take if individuals refuse to assist
- How to complete the correspondence flow
- What information can be disclosed during the area canvass
- What information must not be disclosed.
** How does the OC Area Canvass Monitor Progress
As each household is completed, the OC Area Canvass should shade in a map to maintain a quick up-to-date record of the areas canvassed.
A similar map, updated daily, should be retained at the Operation Headquarters.
In addition, the OC Area Canvass should continually review completed canvass forms as they are submitted, in order to:
- Evaluate the quality of work and provide quality assurance
- Identify lines of enquiry to be highlighted to the 2IC
- Monitor ongoing progress of the canvass
- Facilitate the detailed recording of progress.
A detailed master record of ongoing progress should be continually maintained and updated by the OC Area Canvass, showing:
- Which addresses have been visited,
- Which occupants interviewed,
- The documentation completed,
- And any relevant comments made.
Considerations to benefit an Area Canvass
Use of experts:
Use of an aide-memoir and script:
Leaflets:
Other options:
- Media.
- Poster campaign.
- Mail drop.
- High profile police presence, using a caravan.
** At the Conclusion of the area Canvass phase, the OC will submit a report. What will it outline?
The report should include:
- A summary of all action taken,
- Any significant findings highlighted
- Attention drawn to any action that has been undertaken which was outside of the original phase strategy.
What is in a Part A Form
Area canvass staff should complete the Part A form when they first visit an address. One copy of the form is needed for:
-Each dwelling
-Each flat or apartment in the case of multiple dwellings on a single property
-A vacant dwelling or empty section.
The Part A form records the:
- Street name
- House number
- Flat number
- Personal details of all residents
- Personal details of all other people who were visiting the address at the time of the offence
- Vehicles used by all residents and visitors to the address.
The OC Area Canvass retains completed Part A forms.
What is in a Part B Form
The Part B form is the questionnaire used in the investigation. The OC Investigation and the OC Area Canvass decide on the wording in the questionnaire, depending on what they wish to establish.
Part B forms are completed, for each person who is interviewed during the canvass.
The Part B form records the:
- Personal details
-Home details
- Work details
- Answers to specific questions.
Any evidential information provided by the witness must also be recorded by way of Formal Written Statement.
The OC Area Canvass retains completed Part B forms so they can:
-Check them for information relevant to the enquiry
-Match up the Part B forms with the relevant Part A forms for that address
- Tick off the Part A entries to show who has been interviewed.
*** What is held by the OC Area Canvass in a detailed master Record
A detailed master record contains the progress of the canvass that should be continually maintained and updated by the OC Area Canvass.
Includes:
- Which addresses have been visited,
- Which occupants interviewed,
- The documentation completed,
- And any relevant comments made.
Why might it be beneficial to conduct an area canvas at the same time as an offence?
To capture people who regularly pass through that area at the time of the day
eg. A homicide of a person in a park in the early hours of the morning.
