Initial Actions At Major & Critical Incidents Flashcards
Definition of major crime
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’
Examples of major crimes ?
Murder
robbery
Rape
arson
Definition of critical incident
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’
A major incident will also generally be classed as a critical incident
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MI/CI ACPO advice re your primary duty:
To report back, not necessarily to act.
What is the Mnemonic for undertaking an assessment of the scene (at major /critical incident)
SAD CHALETS
Survey
Assess
Disseminate
Casualties Hazard Access Location Emergency services Type of incident Start log
What does every crime have?
A victim - whether a person or society itself.
Until told otherwise you are the commander on the scene - your responsibilities are?
- To report back
- To confirm what is already known
- To raise further alerts
- To provide more data so that informed decisions can be made
Objectives at major crime scene!
1) preserve life
2) deal with victim(s) and locate other victims
3) arrest the offender
4) preserve the crime scene
3 aims of the investigation at crime scene?
1) looking for witnesses
2) looking for physical evidence or clues
3) use of crime solving information
What is locards principe of exchange?
‘Whenever 2 objects meet there is
an exchange of material from each to the other’
Sometimes known as ‘contact trace evidence’
What is Forensic science?
‘The application of scientific matters relevant to the law’
Physical evidence found at crime scene
What should you note in your scene log?
- 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)
What is the recommended distance guideline for good scene preservation at a suspicious death in a public space ?
30metre radius around the body
What is Scene contamination?
The addition of foreign material to a scene (makes the evidence unclean and unreliable)
How can evidence be lost?
Weather conditions (snow/rain/wind)
Initial actions at the scene of a serious crime…
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
What are the golden hour principles?
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
Positive action?
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)
what counts as conclusive evidence?
DNA
What counts as collaborative evidence?
Clothing fibres
Mnemonic to remember 4 key principles involved in protecting and preventing loss of evidence from a scene?
MEAL
Movement of exhibits
Evidence being obliterated
Additional materials being added
Loss of evidence
What should you note before entering a scene?
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
Priorities as initial responder to an incident?
1) perseveration of life
2) preservation of scene
3) preservation of evidence
4) identify witness, victim and suspectp
What to do as initial responder…
- 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
What is meant by continuity?
Contact with victim all the way through from scene to hospital/coroner
What is effectiveness?
A measure of:
1) professionalism
2) competence
3) integrity
What is meant by something having a ‘significant impact’?
The powerful an important effect something has on a situation / a person / a group
what is meant by confidence in policing?
The long term confidence that victims/their family/the community has in their police force and in policing in general
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?
Could possibly use BoP
How big should a cordon be?
As big as you can ensure the integrity of
What 2 things can collected evidence be?
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
What is the triangle which shows the links that physical evidence draws ?
Crime scene
Suspect
Victim
With physical evidence in the middle of all 3
When thinking about cordons and protection of scenes - think about making a MEAL of it.
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Think about your next actions.. Why might they be?
- 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?
What is the mnemonic which helps you with your briefing to the SIO on their arrival at the scene?
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
