Initial Actions At Major & Critical Incidents

Question 0

Definition of major crime

Answer 0

ACPO definition:

‘Any emergency that requires the implementation of special arrangements by one or more of the emergency services and generally includes the involvement, either directly or indirectly, of large numbers of people’

Question 1

Examples of major crimes ?

Answer 1

Murder
robbery
Rape
arson

Question 2

Definition of critical incident

Answer 2

ACPO

‘Any incident where the effectiveness of the police response is likely to have a significant impact on the confidence of the victim, their family and/or the community’

Question 3

A major incident will also generally be classed as a critical incident

Answer 3

.

Question 4

MI/CI ACPO advice re your primary duty:

Answer 4

To report back, not necessarily to act.

Question 5

What is the Mnemonic for undertaking an assessment of the scene (at major /critical incident)

Answer 5

SAD CHALETS

Survey
Assess
Disseminate

Casualties
Hazard
Access
Location
Emergency services
Type of incident
Start log

Question 6

What does every crime have?

Answer 6

A victim - whether a person or society itself.

Question 7

Until told otherwise you are the commander on the scene - your responsibilities are?

Answer 7

• To report back
• To confirm what is already known
• To raise further alerts
• To provide more data so that informed decisions can be made

Question 8

Objectives at major crime scene!

Answer 8

1) preserve life
2) deal with victim(s) and locate other victims
3) arrest the offender
4) preserve the crime scene

Question 9

3 aims of the investigation at crime scene?

Answer 9

1) looking for witnesses
2) looking for physical evidence or clues
3) use of crime solving information

Question 10

What is locards principe of exchange?

Answer 10

‘Whenever 2 objects meet there is
an exchange of material from each to the other’

Sometimes known as ‘contact trace evidence’

Question 11

What is Forensic science?

Answer 11

‘The application of scientific matters relevant to the law’

Physical evidence found at crime scene

Question 12

What should you note in your scene log?

Answer 12

• Time of arrival on scene
• identify all persons already at scene
• note their location in relation to the scene
• details of other police officers, staff and support and services (including ID numbers)
• times and details of any requests for support services made by yourself or other officers
• times and details of any circulation messages sent by yourself or other officers (description of offenders/vehicles)

Question 13

What is the recommended distance guideline for good scene preservation at a suspicious death in a public space ?

Answer 13

30metre radius around the body

Question 14

What is Scene contamination?

Answer 14

The addition of foreign material to a scene (makes the evidence unclean and unreliable)

Question 15

How can evidence be lost?

Answer 15

Weather conditions (snow/rain/wind)

Question 16

Initial actions at the scene of a serious crime…

Answer 16

A) take careful note of situation while taking immediate action
B) prevent the escape of an offender
C) get medical aid for injured persons
D) get assistance (emergency services, senior officer)
E) get witnesses
F) prevent interference with the scene

Question 17

What are the golden hour principles?

Answer 17

Golden hour - the first hour following arrival to an incident…

Immediately consider;

The victim (identify&support - family/community)

The scene (could be more than 1)

The suspect (intel, CCTV, witness? Door to door enquiries?)

Witnesses (identify, prioritise, key/ significant/ vulnerable/ intimidated - support!)

The scene log (log every decision and rationale for them - what did and didn’t do and why)

Family /community (notify next of kin and support -FLO)

Physical evidence (secure & protect evidence - obtain CCTV, locate weapons etc)

Intelligence (gather intel constantly -talk to people)

Prevent contamination (prevent cross contamination on scene/victim/evidence - locard exchange)

Lines of responsibility - identify people to do specific jobs

Record - record everything - investigative actions / strategy / risk assessment / resources / h&s considerations

Question 18

Positive action?

Answer 18

Consider at all times if an arrest will cause more harm than good / is likely to put victim more at risk rather than reducing risk)

Question 19

what counts as conclusive evidence?

Answer 19

DNA

Question 20

What counts as collaborative evidence?

Answer 20

Clothing fibres

Question 21

Mnemonic to remember 4 key principles involved in protecting and preventing loss of evidence from a scene?

Answer 21

MEAL

Movement of exhibits
Evidence being obliterated
Additional materials being added
Loss of evidence

Question 22

What should you note before entering a scene?

Answer 22

Record visibility from the door if the room
Record if it was necessary to interfere with the scene in any way - how and why
Note Anything unusual (smells etc)
Look or anything which may be lost if not preserved
Make note of the route you have take to enter -
Establish common approach path

Question 23

Priorities as initial responder to an incident?

Answer 23

1) perseveration of life
2) preservation of scene
3) preservation of evidence
4) identify witness, victim and suspectp

Question 24

What to do as initial responder…

Answer 24

• Stay with victim - preserve life
• Cordon the area (as big as you can maintain the integrity of)
• 2nd officer get witness statement (ADVOKATE)
• any assistance available?
• critical incident - Need supervisor?
• identify key /significant witness
• identify common approach path and RV point
• if major incident - use SADCHALETS
• start scene log
• if victim Goes to hospital - send mist appropriate person (PC) with them for continuity
• you should stay to preserve the scene and brief others
• record all decisions in PNB

Question 25

What is meant by continuity?

Answer 25

Contact with victim all the way through from scene to hospital/coroner

Question 26

What is effectiveness?

Answer 26

A measure of:

1) professionalism
2) competence
3) integrity

Question 27

What is meant by something having a ‘significant impact’?

Answer 27

The powerful an important effect something has on a situation / a person / a group

Question 28

what is meant by confidence in policing?

Answer 28

The long term confidence that victims/their family/the community has in their police force and in policing in general

Question 29

There are no powers attached to use of cordons specifically, therefore is there anything you could use for dealing with someone crossing the cordon area?

Answer 29

Could possibly use BoP

Question 30

How big should a cordon be?

Answer 30

As big as you can ensure the integrity of

Question 31

What 2 things can collected evidence be?

Answer 31

Direct or indirect:

Direct evidence: eye witness, CCTV, photos of crime scene

Indirect evidence: circumstantial -ie
Biological - blood, hair, semen, saliva
Physical - fibres, glass, bullets, knife

Question 32

What is the triangle which shows the links that physical evidence draws ?

Answer 32

Crime scene
Suspect
Victim

With physical evidence in the middle of all 3

Question 33

When thinking about cordons and protection of scenes - think about making a MEAL of it.

Answer 33

.

Question 34

Think about your next actions.. Why might they be?

Answer 34

• PNC checks - on people / addresses
• missing weapons?
• Check wider CCTV coverage
• potential cross contamination from officers already on scene and therefore f you need a different officer to make any arrests to avoid cross contamination
• circulate descriptions of suspects
• potential door to door enquiries?

Question 35

What is the mnemonic which helps you with your briefing to the SIO on their arrival at the scene?

Answer 35

IIMARCH

Information (ALL relevant info SIO needs so hat they are fully informed and can make informed decisions)

Intention (what do our intentions need to be - ie find suspect/weapon/ maintain evidence /scene etc)

Method
Administration
Risk
Communication
Human rights