Area canvass enquiries in homicide or serious crime investigations Flashcards
Purpose of an Area Canvass
Often links exist between the scene of a crime and the offender, victim and witnesses. A methodically conducted area canvass therefore presents a high likelihood of identifying or contacting the offender, an associate of the offender, significant witnesses, identifying evidence or exhibits and establishing significant facts.
Responsibility of OC Area Canvass?
The OC Area Canvass must ensure the area canvass team remains focused and that the canvass results in efficient use of resources and the return of relevant and manageable information and material.
Objectives of Area Canvass
‑ identifying the offender
‑ identifying and locating evidence, such as vehicles, discarded clothing, weapons and other articles
‑ identifying witnesses
‑ gathering information.
Other benefits of an Area Canvass
‑ 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.
Reconnaissance of general scene
The OC Investigation, OC Area Canvass and OC Suspects should attend the external/ general scene as soon as practicable, to make a reconnaissance of the area and conduct an appreciation and set the parameters and objectives of the canvass. This will also provide a clear perspective of the area, when it is referred to subsequently in statements and/or briefings.
Timing of a canvass phase
An initial area canvass will normally be conducted when Police first attend the incident. A formal area canvass will normally follow and re‐visits are frequently required to capture persons who were not present during the earlier canvass enquiries.
`
In some cases, the area canvass should be conducted at the same time as the original offence occurred, to capture people who regularly pass through that area at that time of the day, e.g. a homicide of a person in a park in the early hours of the morning.
Relevant locations which may influence the setting of location parameters include:
‑ scenes, for example:
‑ sites where victims, offenders or 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
‑ locations of similar or previous incidents identified by intelligence as having occurred in the same locality as the offence under investigation.
Potential risks to be considered during a Canvass
‑ violent offenders
‑ persons wanted by police for other crimes or wanted on warrant
‑ groups with particular linguistic or cultural needs
‑ local incidents or issues which residents may raise with Police.
Identifying time parameters
Time parameters are used by area canvass staff to verify the presence of individuals at an address or area, and to interview potential witnesses. Time parameters should be set for:
‑ the offence (i.e. times between which the offence is thought to have occurred)
‑ the scene (i.e. times when people visited the scene)
‑ sightings (i.e. times at which a victim, other witness or offender was seen at particular locations)
‑ previous residents and visitors at the scene
‑ consideration of people’s varying work times.
How to identify witnesses from the Canvass
These witnesses may be peripheral or significant to the investigation and may include people who have witnessed:
‑ events connected to an incident under investigation
‑ sightings of the victim or offender before or after the event
‑ sightings of other potential witnesses
‑ sightings of relevant property or vehicles.
What should staff on an area Canvass be reminded of
‑ 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 (i.e. information in media releases or otherwise already in the public domain)
‑ what information must not be disclosed.
Monitoring the results of the area canvass
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 completed 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.
Use of an aide-memoir and script
Consideration should be given to providing staff with an aide‐memoire or script to ensure they have ready access to all of the relevant information they need to conduct interviews. Relevant information may include local or national news items, TV schedules or significant events to jog witnesses’ memories. Any photographs of victims or property used should be of high quality. Such reference material should be reviewed and updated as new information becomes available.
Public reassurance in an Area Canvass
The presence of Police officers conducting area canvass enquiries provides public reassurance in the immediate area of an offence. Depending on the nature of the incident and the community concerned, investigators may decide to involve local community leaders or local authority staff to help provide further reassurance.
Debriefing an Area Canvass
‑ key locations where door to door enquiries have been undertaken
‑ parameters of initial Police activity
‑ what questions were asked and any perceived issues from the respondents
‑ what records have been completed
‑ who has been spoken to at what address
‑ whether personal descriptions been taken of persons seen
‑ whether NIA/Intelligence checks been completed in respect of persons seen
‑ relevant information provided by persons seen
‑ any intelligence obtained
‑ whether persons have a credible alibi
‑ whether witness interviews have been conducted and/or statements taken for persons providing evidence
‑ details/locations of vehicles owned by persons interviewed
‑ details of other persons who live or were present at the premises
‑ identity of any suspects
‑ details of premises where there was no response
‑ confirmation that all notebooks of staff members involved in the area canvass are accounted for
‑ whether any issues arose that could improve future performance in canvass enquiries.
