General Flashcards
Formal ID of Body
(Role, procedure)
O/C body’s role - Arranging statement
It is important those carrying out formal ID are fully informed of what is required of them and what they should expect to see when they view the deceased, particularly after the PM has taken place.
Methods of Identification
- Fingerprints
- DNA profiling
- Dental records (Region Forensic Dentistry Advisor)
- Eye exam records
- Medical exam (scars, birth marks etc)
Establish victim’s medical status
(Statuses)
- Alive and uninjured
- Alive but injured
- Shows no signs of life
Adopting an investigative mentality (two main purposes for Police attending the scene of any death)
No matter what the circumstances of a death are, we must investigate thoroughly and gather evidence to satisfactorily explain the circumstances.
Initial Action at Crime Scene (Witnesses)
- Contain, isolate and seek witnesses cooperation
- Conduct scoping interviews
- Prioritise interviews by investigative importance
- Photograph witnesses injuries
- Consider whether witnesses are ‘scenes’
Which specialists can attend the post-mortem?
- Police Photography
- ESR Scientist
- SOCO or Fingerprints
What info should disclosure manager provide to Crown?
- Identical copy of all material disclosed to defence counsel
- Crown should also review an unedited copy of material where appropriate
- Material should remain under control of file manager while it is being reviewed
The general investigation model (VAWSEEPO)
Victim - Identify and locate victim(s)
Appreciation - Make an initial appreciation of the incident. Assess personal risk and then preserve the lives of others
Witnesses - Locate and contain witnesses
Scene - Preserve the scene (e.g. set boundaries)
Exhibits - Note evidence and preserve any that would otherwise be lost or destroyed
Elements - Consider whether the ingredients of the alleged offence have been established
Powers - Identify what powers are available and consider whether to execute them
Offenders - Identify and apprehend suspects
4 Basic Steps of Appreciation
Aim - An aim is a short one line statement which sufficiently demonstrates a single objective
Factors - A factor is any circumstance 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 - Is a proposed course of action designed to put the selected course into action in order to achieve the desired aim
Primary functions of initial Police responders at crime scene
- Attending the scene at an early stage
- Taking control of the situation
- Coordinating tasks
In order to reduce the risk, complainant / informant may be asked (Re scene):
- To return to the proximity of the scene and guard it (if safe to do so)
- Not to enter the obvious boundaries of the scene
- Not to touch or move anything
- To prevent others from entering or touching the scene
- To await Police arrival and identify themselves to first Police on scene
Who is responsible for determining status of suspects?
OC Investigation
A suspect is a person of interest who has gained added status because of a direct or indirect connection to the circumstances of the crime. Such a connection might relate to motive, opportunity or means.
Reason why it is important to do risk assessment relating to witness
To identify the risk of the witness being at risk of:
* Physical danger
* Intimidation
Initial witness assessment before interview conducted
The assessment enables the investigation team to identify:
* Whether due to personal characteristics of the witness or the circumstances of the offending, the witness requires special consideration
* Availability of the witness
* Any needs the witness has for special assistance
* The optimum approach to be taken with the witness
SCASABA (Let’s get a SRBA)
Police responsibilities to witness (refreshing memory)
At court, request the witness refresh their memory by reading any previously signed statement or interview transcript
Police responsibilities to witness (witness intimidation)
By maintaining contact with the witness, Police will be more likely to become aware of any threats, intimidation, or interference and can arrange for appropriate action to be taken; such as initiating the witness protection programme.
Police responsibilities to witness (witness control)
Ensure the witnesses do not:
* Have any contact or communicate with jurors
* Discuss the case in public areas while waiting to give evidence
* Discuss the case with witnesses waiting, after they have given evidence
Upon completion of forensic strategy meeting, what do you do?
O/C Exhibits must record on the exhibits register all decisions taken about the types of examinations to be conducted and priority allocated to the exam of each exhibit
Section 10(4) Criminal Disclosure Act 2008
Disclosure may be supplied in whatever form (including electronically) within the time of the request, provided this will be readily accessible to the defendant.
Consideration must be given to whether a defendant has ‘ready’ access to a computer with which to access electronic disclosure documents, particularly if remanded in prison.
Responsibilities of O/C body
- Ensure death has been certified by a doctor or qualified paramedic using DPC (POL265)
- Maintain security and continuity of the body samples and exhibits from the scene to the commencement of the PM
- Note and record observations relating to the body
- Note details of medical staff or others who have attended the victim
- Record what actions have been taken by any party in respect of the body
- Establish if the body has been moved or disturbed.
- Complete 1S procedure.
(Chain of Custody, Verification, Record Observations, Record actions taken with body, Note Details of Attendees to victim, Establish if body moved/disturbed, Complete 1S procedure.)
C V R R N E C (Cover Your Neck)
Role of O/C body during PM
Observe, document and deal with exhibits associated with the body in a structured manner
On appointment to the role, the disclosure manager must:
- Read the disclosure manager’s desk file
- Access the current serious crime template downloaded to the local district share drive for use during investigation
- Report to the 2IC to receive a briefing tasking establishing what information is and is not discoverable and ongoing supervision
Scene Guard Duties
- Secure scene - Deny any person access to the scene, unless they are expressly authorised to enter by O/C
- Record details - Maintain a crime log & note for every person authorised to enter the scene. Name and designation, authority to enter the scene, purpose of visit, time of entry and exit.
- Control movements - ensure everyone entering the scene is directed to common approach path.
- Record movements - record all movement and vehicle details to from and near the scene in the crime log.
- Brief others - promptly communicate any relevant information received to O/C scene.
- Avoid disturbance - Do not personally enter, contaminate or interfere with the scene, like using toilet.
- Protect scene - Be vigilant for activity such as the presence of any animals.
O/C investigation and briefing
(What O/C expects in briefing from IA)
O/C will expect briefing from officer in IA as to:
* What has occurred
* What action has been taken
* What has not been done
* What needs to be done
Incidents reported to Police and not initially identifiable as a homicide
(Examples of situations which may in fact be a homicide)
- Report of missing person
- Sudden unexplained death of an infant
- Unexplained death
- Report of violence where no fatalities are anticipated
- Crime scene without body present
- Hit and run vehicle crash
- Suicide
- Fatal fire
- Drug related deaths
Things to obtain from informant
- ID and location of suspect
- A first hand account of what the complainant / informant knows
- Precise details of the location of the scene
- Circumstances leading to discovery
- Identity of victim
- Details of anyone else at the scene
- Full contact details of the complainant / informant
Different types of conferences
- Initial conference
- Regular conference
- Debreifing conference
- Phase team conference: Run by O/C phase and attended by his / her staff only
Appreciation prior to body removal
- Notification to and response from the Coroner
- Views of the pathologist, ESR forensic scientist and Crown solicitor attending the crime scene
- Consultation with other relevant experts
- Requirement for any examination or action needed before removal based on the facts of the case
- Best method and route for body removal to minimise contamination, e.g. stepping plates
- Supervision of the body removal
- Chain of custody of the body from the scene to the mortuary
It is responsibility of O/C Investigation to (homicide)
- Notify the corner early of the death
- Arrange the PM in consultation with the coroner
- Consult the pathologist (Simon Stables) before the PM commences regarding the relevance and benefit of conduct X-Ray or CT / CAT scans of the body
(ACN)
Purpose of PM
Primary reason is to establish cause of death - will provide further info to drive investigation such as:
* Determining where possible the mode and time of death
* Determining the nature and size of weapons used
* Determing the approx height and stature of suspect
* Providing areas of interest for subsequent interviews of witnesses / suspects
* Negating possible defences
* Identify the victim, if ID not yet established
Where the body has been disturbed
- Do not attempt to restore the scene to its original unchanged condition
- Make enquiries to enable the original unchanged scene to be subsequently reconstructed and photographed if required
Risk assessment - Initial Action
Initial action at the scene is crucial but may also present physical risk as well as risk of contamination to the scene
- Before IA can be safely undertaken, those in charge of scene must conduct an appreciation on the known info, to decide how and what form of IA should be taken
- Subject to the appreciation of risks, a reconnaissance should be conducted to establish who is present at the scene, including injured people / offender
- The first priority will always be to ensure the safety of attending police members
(SAR)
At hospital, steps to follow
- Obtain a medical opinion as to the victim’s current medical condition
- Seize the victim’s clothing and other possessions as evidence
- Establish the victim’s identity
- Obtain a pre-transfusion blood sample using Police toxicology kit containers (hospital ones may contain gel which will affect result)
- Seize any discarded bandages used to cover gunshot wounds & record the position on the victim where each bandage has been applied
- Arrange firearm residue samples
- Note and photograph any injuries
Risk assessment - area canvass
Once the location parameters are set, establish whether there are any people that the people carrying out the enquiries should be aware of, for example:
* Violent offenders
* Persons wanted by Police for other matters & WTA
* Group with particular linguistic or cultural needs
* Local ingredients or issues which residents may raise with Police
How can specialist Police units assist area canvass planning stage?
Behavioural Science Unit or geographical profilers may be consulted to assist with setting parameters or identifying locations where suspects are likely to frequent or reside
The pathologist must be supplied with relevant info & material before PM i.e.
- Copy of the notification to the corner (Pol 47)
- Medical Examination Kit
- Toxicology Kit
- Medical records of the deceased where available
- Comprehensive photographs and/or videos taken at the scene
Briefing experts and interested parties -homicide (What to brief on, think initial brief)
Some key areas for consideration include:
* Photos & video recordings taken at scene
* Actions of the first responders
* ID of the body
* History of the body including medical history
* Time frames relating to the finding of the body
* Environment factors at the scene like weather conditions
Who may attend PM?
Section 38 Coroners Act 2006:
* The pathologist
* The coroner
* A doctor who treated the deceased
* A doctor, nurse or funeral director representing the deceased
* Police
* Any other person authorised by the coroner
Removing the body (2)
(Removal considerations / procedure)
- Consider what health risks may be present by handling the body
- Cover the hands, feet and head with paper bags secured with tape to prevent trace evidence being lost when the body is moved. Wide tape should be used taped around the bag at a suitable anchoring point that will secure the bag to the limb and prevent it falling off. The tape shouldn’t be too tight as it may create new marks on the body (do not apply tape directly to the skin)
- Ensure clothing on the body is not contaminated by contact with foreign objects
- Wrap the body in a plastic sheet and place in body bag
- Carefully search underneath where the body lay
- Retain as exhibits, all sheets, bags or other materials used to transport the body
Taking notes at PM
The OC must not make any notes of discussions concerning the PM unless specifically directed by the OC investigation and the pathologist
OC Body must hand all exhibits to OC Exhibits - they should also provide OC Exhibits with:
- PM scene exhibit schedule
- Notebook
- FWS
Toxicology samples must be delivered to ESR ASAP to prevent decay.
Results of exhibit examinations
- OC exhibits must update the exhibit register with results of exhibit examination
- OC exhibits should bring such info to the attention of OC investigation and not assume that they are aware of it by other means
- Where OC exhibits becomes aware that further enquiries are required in relation to a particular exhibit, this must be highlighted to the 2IC so that follow-up enquiries can be initiated.
Exhibit Number Ranges
10000 - Admin
15000 - Victim
20000 - Witnesses
25000 - Area canvass
30000 - Scenes
70000 - Suspects
The purpose of holding team conferences when investigating major crime?
- Keep all members of the team up to date with developments in the enquiry
- Give team members the opportunity to exchange views and pass on important information
- Give the 2IC the opportunity to pass on instructions to staff on the management and other administrative matters
- GIve the OC opportunity to brief the team on important investigative topics, priorities and which lines of enquiry to follow
Preparing exhibits for trial
Before trial, OC Investigation (in conjunction with OC Exhibits) decides which exhibits are relevant and determines the significance of any forensic examinations in which to establish the appropriate manner in which the exhibits and exam results are to be presented at trial.
Monitoring progress - Area Canvass (Should review forms in order to…)
OC Area Canvass should continually review completed canvass forms in order to:
* Evaluate the quality of completed work and provide quality assurance
* Identify lines of enquiry to be highlighted to 2IC
* Monitor ongoing process of the canvass
* Facilitate the detailed recording of progress
Responsibilities of OC Area Canvass
- Reports to OC Investigation and together must ensure that canvass is conducted throughly and recorded accurately
- Must ensure the area canvass team remains focused and that the canvass results in efficient use of resources and return of relevant and manageable information and material
RTA – Report, Thorough, Accurate
FERM – Focused, Efficient, Relevant, Manageable