Initial Action Flashcards
Detail the initial response procedures whe attending at homicide and serious crime incidents
What are the four key things to consider before attending a scene
Freeze, control, guard and preserve
- Assess own safety and then preserve the lives of others.
- Identify and apprehend suspects
- Contain and control witnesses
- Preserve the scene
Describe the duties of the officers who attend the scene when they first attend referring to the VAWSEEPO
V - Identify andlocate victim
A - Make an APRECIATION of the incident. Assess own safety and then preserve th lives of others.
W -Locate and contain witnesses
S - Preserve the scene
E - Exhibits. Note evidence and preserve anything that would otherwise would be lost or destroyed.
E - Elements. Consider whether the ingredients of an alleged offence have been established.
P - Powers. Consider what powers you have to execute your duties
O - Identify and locate the offender.
Describe the duties of the officers who attend the scene when they first attend referring to the VAWSEEPO
V - Identify andlocate victim
A - Make an APRECIATION of the incident. Assess own safety and then preserve th lives of others.
W -Locate and contain witnesses
S - Preserve the scene
E - Exhibits. Note evidence and preserve anything that would otherwise would be lost or destroyed.
E - Elements. Consider whether the ingredients of an alleged offence have been established.
P - Powers. Consider what powers you have to execute your duties
O - Identify and locate the offender.
What situations may lead to the identification of a homicide scene
- Missing persons
- Unexplained death
- Sudden unexplained death of an infant.
- suicide
- Fatal fire
What is an appreciation
Is a proven method of problem solving. It is used to consider all appropriate considerations to assess the benefits and risks of all decision. It is also the ongoing process which involves continually thinking through each new piece of information as it comes in.
What are the benefits of applying an appreciation
Informs all Police on what is to be done.
Minimises risk
Ensures nothing is overlooked
limits duplication.
What is AFCO
A - AIM.
Is a short one line setting out the objective.
F -FACTORS
Is a circumstance that could possible have an effect on the objective. IE so what - Therefore
C - COURSE OPEN
Is a list of possible ways that the objective can be fullfilled and the possible consequences of those actions.
O -OUTLINE/PLAN
IS the proposed way the action is going to be executed to get the desired aim. Usually using GSMEAC acronym.
What are the 3 medical status’s of a victim
Alive and uninjured
Alive and injured
No signs of life.
What should you do if the victim is given the status as alive and uninjured
Proceed to preserving the scene
What should you do if the victim is described as alive but injured.
- Obtain opinion on injuries from attending medical staff
- Obtain the identity of the victim
- consider seizing clothing
- travel witht he victim to the hospital
- Obtain ambulance staff details
- Note injuries of victim and take photos,
- consider gunshot residue swabs of victim incase it is called in as a attempted suicide but it isn’t. if it is tere should be gunshot residue on the victims hands.
- If victim going to die consider taking a victim that maybe used as a hearsay statement under S18 EA06. if it is reliable and victim unavailable as a witness and meets the critiria of S16 EA06.
If vicim is described as no signs of life what sould you do.
- Consider calling an advanced paramedic or doctor to sign off life extinct unless obvious, ie boold pooling, rigor or decomposing body.
- treat body as a scene
- Instruct medical staff to leave everything in/on the body
- Consider scoping interviews with medical staff witnesses informants.
- note any signs of injuries on the informant witness etc.
- use all the senses ie, sight sound and smell.
- obtain who has come in contact with the body, where it was first found and note down where it is now.
- note injuries of the deceased amd lividity.
- Note where the body is and exhibits
You attend the scene and preserve it. What should you establish?
Identify
-Gather information from attending officers, witnesses and informations as to what has occurred.
-Establish the crime scene and set parametres.
-Establish a common approach path and cold/warm and hot zomes.
-note in note book observations and considerations.
Provide sitrep to comms
Secure
- Idnetify the scene and consider warranless powerrs to control the scene
- exclude all tose from the scene
- Establish cordons
- arrange a crime scene log and prevent any unauthorised entry
- consider evidence within the scene that maybe lost or destroyed from teh elements
Preserve
- Preserve the scene and leave everything in situ if not going to be destroyed or altered.
- If no immediate risk to life consider using stepping plates.
Record
- the scene and sketch in notebook
- Observations of scene and what is around it.
- Establish what has been moved by askig witnesses and where they are now.
what is the purpose of a crime scene log
- to stop any unauthorised entry into the scene
- Maintainn the integrity of the exhibits,
- contamination issues managed
- Intelligence oppotunities
Witnessess at the scene. What should be obtained from them
What happened
where it happened
Who was involved
How did they find the victim/scene
What did they do within the scene
who else was presernt
Who touched the witness
Description of other present.
Photos of the victim as they maybe the opffender in the matter
Note any injuries as they might be offender.
Photograph them at the scene as they maybe identifiable later through CCTV
Discuss what do to with a suspect at a scene
- Separate from others at the scene
- Task staff who have not entered teh scene to deal with suspect to minimise cross contamination
- Ask them to cooperate with Police and if not consider grounds for arrest
- Note any injuries and the demeanour of the suspect.
- Advise of their rights under the BOR act.
