Initial response to homicide and serious crime Flashcards
what are the primary functions of the initial Police responders at a serious crime
- attending the scene at an early stage
- taking control of the situation; and
- co ordinating tasks
most homicides are identified as a result of a body being found or by a person responsible for the offence making admissions, some instances notified to police are not initially identifiable as a homicide, what are some of these instances
RRRUSSDCF
- Report of a missing person
- Report of an abduction
- Report of violence where no fatalities are anticipated
- Unexplained death
- Sudden unexplained death of an infant
- Suicide
- Drug related deaths
- Crime scene without body present
- Fatal fire
the general investigation model VAWSEIPO should be applied in all cases, what is it
Victim - identify and locate victim
Appreciation - make initial appreciation of the incident. Assess personal risks and then preserve the lives of others
Witnesses - locate and contain witnesses
Scene - preserve the scene (eg set boundaries)
Exhibits - note evidence and preserve any that would otherwise be lost or destroyed
Ingredients - 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
What are the benefits of making an appreciation before taking decisions and prioritising tasks
RIIEEEM
- Reduces uncertainty
- Informs all police what they are expected to achieve
- Increases the chances of success, ie the investigative aims/objectives being met
- Establishes a sequence of activities to be carried out
- Eliminates duplication
- Ensures nothing is overlooked
- Effective use of resources
- Manages risk
what is Police’s purpose with regards to the investigative mindset/mentality
no matter what the circumstances of death are (eg an accident, suicide, apparent natural causes, work place accident or unexplained death) police’s purpose is always to investigate thoroughly and gather sufficient evidence to satisfactorily explain the circumstances of the death
what risks present themselves at the initial action of a scene
initial action at the scene is crucial but may also present physical risks as well as a risk of contamination to the scene. Before initial actions can be undertake, those in charge of the scene must conduct a an appreciation of the known information to dictate how, why and what form initial action should take
subject to the appreciation of risks, a reconnaissance should be conducted to establish who is present at the scene. this may include other injured people or a hidden offender
the first priority will always be to ensure the safety of attending police staff members
when assessing the victims medical condition, what are the three categories
After ensuring the safety of those present, the next priority is to establish the physical condition of the victim, the three categories are:
- alive and uninjured
- alive but injured
- shows no signs of life
At the hospital, if it is anticipated that a victim may die what should you consider
you should consider recording an immediate statement whether the victim can sign it or not. if the victim subsequently dies, their statement may be admissible in proceedings as hearsay evidence
when will hear say evidence be admissible in proceedings
under section 18(1)(a) of the evidence act 2006, in order to be considered admissible evidence, the court must be satisfied that both the content of the statement and the person who made it are reliable, police must therefore record any factors which demonstrate the reliability of the statement or its maker
under s16 of the evidence act 2006 what circumstances provide reasonable assurance that the statement is reliable
- the nature of the statement
- the contents of the statement
- the circumstances relating to the making of the statement
- circumstances relating to the veracity of the person; and
- circumstances relating to the accuracy of the observation of the person
what initial action should you take to preserve the scene
IDENTIFY
- consider possible approach paths and establish a common approach path for all movements into and out of the scene
- use a path which avoids any route possibly taken to and from the scene by the suspect(s) or the victim
PRESERVE
- consider the best path into the scene
- record any movements/action taken at the scene
- preserve what is there and leave it in situ, ensure nothing is touched or moved, the scene must be kept in its original state
- consider using stepping plates if no immediate life is at risk
- be prepared to take immediate action to preserve and/or record evidence that may change if nothing is done eg. rain may damage a foot print or blood stain
CONSIDER
- if initial photographs of the scene and persons present are necessary
RECORD
- the integrity of the scene by establishing and maintaining a log of movements, names, times, and reasons for entry and exit to the scene
- observe and record full notes of precise details of the scene, particularly the location of the victim
- complete a sketch of the scene
- photograph scene and consider a video recording
- identify anything that is moved, noting original and eventual positions
- make accurate record of these facts and report it to OC investigation at an early stage
what procedure should you follow for suspects at the scene
- separate suspects from other persons at the scene
- consider the suspects condition, whether they are injured, under the influence of alcohol, drugs or suffer from a medical or mental impairment or other special consideration
- ask them to remain at scene and co-operate with police. As soon as possible remove the suspect from the scene by consent or with lawful justification
- if suspect refuses to cooperate consider whether grounds exist for arrest and what the most appropriate offence will be
- to prevent cross examination issues consider using officers who have not entered the scene to manage suspect if available
what should you do if there are members of the media present at the crime scene
if members of the media are present at a crime scene, keep them away from the immediate crime scene cordon and make no comment about the incident.
consult with the OC investigation on arrival and explain what has happened, identify media members and where they are located
