Initial Response to Homicide or Serious Crime

Question 1

Initial Police Responders

Primary functions

Answer 1

Consider what risk(s) may exist.

• Attending a scene at an early stage
• Taking control of the situation; and
• Co-ordinate taks.

Question 2

Identification of Homicide Cases

Answer 2

Whilst most offences of homicide are identified as a result of a body being found or by a person responsible for the offence making admissions, some incidents notified to Police are not initially identifiable as a homicide.

Such instances include:

• report of a missing person
• sudden unexplained death of an infant
• unexplained death
• report of an abduction
• report of violence where no fatalities are anticipated
• crime scene without a body present
• hit and run vehicular collision
• suicide
• fatal fire
• drug related deaths

Question 3

Initial Responsibilities

Answer 3

(V)ictim - Identify and locate the victim(s).

(A)ppreciation - Make an initial appreciation of the incident. Assess personal risk and the preserve the lives of others.

(W)itnesses - Locate and contain witnesses.

(S)cene - Preserve the scene (e.g. set boundaries).

(E)xhibits - Note evidence and preserve any that would otherwise be lost or destroyed.

(I)ngredients - Consider whether the ingredients of the alleged offence have been established.

(P)owers - Identify what powers are available and consider whether to execute them.

(O)ffeners - Identify and apprehend suspect(s).

Question 4

Initial Responsibilities

FCGP

Answer 4

Freeze

Control

Guard

Preserve

Question 5

Appreciation

Definition

Answer 5

A proven method of problem solving. It follows a series of steps to ensure the optimum course of action is decided upon.

It considers all appropriate factors and weighs the benefits and risks of all alternative solutions, allowing sound decision to be taken.

It is an ongoing process which involves continually thinking through each new piece of information as it is uncovered.

Question 6

Appreciation

Benefits

Answer 6

• Informs all Police what they are expected to achieve
• Increases the chances of success, i.e. the investigation aims / objectives being met
• Establishes a sequence of activities to be carries out
• Manages risk
• Reduces uncertainty
• Eliminates duplication
• Ensures nothing is overlooked
• Effective use of resources.

Question 7

Appreciation

Aim

Answer 7

Aim: Is a short statement which succinctly demonstrates a single objective.

• Must be clear, accurate and concise. Must be chosen carefully as the wrong aim will produce the wrong result.
• Aim must be considered when making decisions.

Question 8

Appreciation

Factors

Answer 8

Factors: Any circumstance or fact that could possibly have an effect on the manner in which you will achieve your desired outcome. e.g. risk to life, suspects, resources available, evidence preservation, weather, history of relevant parties.

• “So what?”
• “What does this mean?”
• “Therefore”

Logical deductions made of factors must be further deduced themselves.

Question 9

Appreciation

Courses Open

Answer 9

Courses Open: are a list of all the possible ways the aim could be achieved, bearing in mind the factors and the deductions made from those factors.

Advantages, disadvantages and risks of each alternative must be carefully examined and evaluated.

• What are the possible results or consequences of each alternative?
• Which alternative is the most appropriate to reach the objective?
• From these considerations, decide on the most appropriate course to achieve your aim.

Question 10

Appreciation

Plan

Answer 10

Plan: a proposed course of action designed to put the selected course into action in order to achieve the desired aim.

Must be:

• a logical outcome of the appreciation
• clear, concise and leaves no room for misinterpretation
• designed to avoid introducing matters not previously considered by the appreciation
• consistently considerate of safety issues
• recorded
• delivered to staff using GSMEAC.

Question 11

Adopting an Investigative Mentality

Answer 11

No matter what the circumstances of the death are, Police’s purpose is always to investigate thoroughly and gather sufficient evidence to satisfactorily explain the circumstances of death.

Question 12

Complainants and Informants

Obtaining Information

Answer 12

Who they are
• identity and location of the suspect
• identity of the victim
• relationship to the victim or suspect
• full contact details
• demeanour and clothing

What they know
• a first hand account of what they know
• circumstances leading to the discovery
• location of the scene
• details of anyone else at the scene

What they did
• action they have taken and where they have been
• any hazards or safety issues that may affect Police approaching the scene/victim.

Question 13

Complainants and Informants

Delayed Police Response

Answer 13

Where evidence may be lost or contaminated, in order to reduce the risk, the complainant / informant may be asked:

• to return to the proximity of the scene, guard it, if it is considered safe for them 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 wait Police arrival and identify themselves to the first Police at the scene.

Question 14

Establish the Victim’s Medical Status

Answer 14

• Alive and uninjured: Proceed to preserve the scene
• Alive but injured
• Shows no sign of life

Question 15

Victim is Alive but Injured

On Attendance

Answer 15

• Call ambulance
• Note body position and movements
• Record details of ambulance staff
• Detective to accompany or attend hospital without delay.

Question 16

Victim is Alive but Injured

At the hospital

Answer 16

Victim

• Obtain a medical opinion as to the victim’s current medical condition.
• Establish the victim’s identity.
• Note and photograph any injuries.

Exhibits

• Seize the victims clothing and other possessions as evidence.
• Seize any discarded bandages used to cover gunshot wounds, and record the position on the victim where each bandage had been applied.
• Arrange firearms residue samples in cases where firearm use is suspected, including from the victim of any apparent suicide involving a firearm.
• Arrange DNA swabs to be taken from the victim’s skin, where they would be relevant to the particular circumstances of the case.
• Obtain a pre-transfusion blood sample using Police Toxicology Kit containers.

Statements

• Obtain details of any and all persons who visit or contact the victim.
• Conduct a scoping interview with the victim where this would not adversely affect the medical welfare of the victim. Consider recording immediate statement if they may die, whether the victim can sign or not. Reliability of the statement: nature, content, circumstances of making, circumstances of veracity and accuracy.
• Conduct a preliminary interview with ambulance and emergency staff who treated the victim.

Question 17

Victim Shows no Sign of Life

Answer 17

Body

• Consider calling an ambulance and resuscitation, if appropriate. If the victim has to be moved for this purpose, note the original body position and record any previous movements.
• Arrange a doctor to pronounce life extinct, unless death is obvious i.e. a decapitated or badly decomposed body.
• Remain with the body until relieved by CIB or a supervisor
• Treat the ‘victim’ as a scene (do not move the body unnecessarily).

Medical

• Instruct medical staff to leave clothes on the body
• Request that connecting medical items including tubes, needles, bandages are left ‘in situ’
• If possible, conduct scoping interviews with medical staff who treated the victim and establish their actions, apparent cause of death and injury type(s).
• Ascertain if the victim spoke to anyone before death and record what was said.

Record

• Sketch a plan including the position of the body and position of exhibits.
• Record body position, lividity (gravitational settling of the blood), obvious injuries and clothing.
• Record all exhibits.
• Objectively record everything observed using all senses, including sight, sound and smell
• Provide full information to the OC Investigation, at an early stage.

Question 18

Preserving the Scene

Identify

Answer 18

• Consider warrantless powers
• What is happening, who is there, note and record observations
• Establish crime scene itself, parameters, boundaries, body, exhibits, weapons or items
• Consider common approach paths (CAP) to avoid paths taken by the suspect and victim
• Other scenes
• SFP and provide SITREP to comms.

Question 19

Preserving the Scene

Secure

Answer 19

• Consider warrantless powers
• Removal of all persons using CAP
• Establish cordoned parameters, Police tape
• Arrange and brief scene guards
• Arrange crime scene logs
• Prevent unauthorised person entering / leaving
• Prevent loss or damage of exhibits by weather, animals etc.

Question 20

Preserving the Scene

Preserve

Answer 20

• Consider best path into the scene
• Record any movement / action taken
• Ensure nothing touched or moved. Items l.eft “in situ”
• Consider stepping plates
• Take immediate action to preserve / record evidence i.e. rain.

Question 21

Preserving the Scene

Consider

Answer 21

• Initial photograph of the scene and persons.

Question 22

Preserving the Scene

Record

Answer 22

• Scene log
• Full details of persons at the scene
• Sketch of scene
• Photographs and videos
• Identify anything moved, noting original positions
• Make record of above and report to OC Investigation.

Question 23

Crime Scene Logs and Scene Guards

Purpose

Answer 23

CSL records: details, times, purpose of those entering, attempting to enter and leaving the scene. Only one log per point of access.

A scene guard and the log maintained by that person is to ensure:

• There is no unauthorised entry
• Integrity of evidence is secured
• Intelligence opportunities are maximised
• Contamination issues are managed.

Question 24

Scene Guard Duties

Answer 24

• Secure scene: prevent unauthorised access
• Record details: name/designation, authority, purpose, time of entry and exit
• Control movements: CAP
• Record movements
• Brief others
• Avoid disturbance: not personally entering the scene
• Protect scene: e.g. animals
• Brief replacement
• Respect security: do not discuss matter with public/media
• Demonstrate curtesy
• Inform others: actions taken to OC.

Question 25

Witnesses at the Scene

Initial Questioning

Answer 25

• What happened
• Where did it happen
• When did it happen
• Who was involved
• What the witness did
• What did they touch
• Where did they go
• Who touched them
• Others present
• Description of all parties
• What they said/do.

Question 26

Obtaining Forensic Evidence from a Witness at a Scene

Answer 26

Evidence may be transferred to the witness from the victim, suspect or scene itself. Before the witness is interviewed, a plan must be prepared to preserve and recover all available physical evidence from the witness such as fibres, body fluids, glass or other material with adequate explanation to the witness:

• Immediate DNA swabs of any ares of the witness the suspect may have touched
• Immediate DNA swabs of any blood present on the witness
• Immediate swabs of other relevant stains present on the witness
• Forensic medical examination ie fingernail scrapings, hair combing etc
• Seizure of clothing and footwear
• Seizure of items of property touched by the offender.

Points to consider:

• Use different vehicles and interview rooms used by other witnesses, victim(s) and suspect(s) to avoid cross contamination
• Photograph witness at the scene enables future identification of witnesses (e.g. via CCTV)
• Photograph injuries suffered by witness.

Question 27

Obtaining Key Material from Witnesses

Steps to Follow

Answer 27

1. Obtain full details of all persons present at the scene
2. Assemble people in a clear area, ensuring a Police Officer reminds with them
3. Isolate witnesses from one another to reduce contamination or collusion. Explain rationale to witnesses
4. Identify witnesses and conduct brief scoping interview. Include descriptions of other persons mentioned
5. Establish whether any person have left the area
6. If the witness has made telephone calls from the scene, establish the number, who answered. This may verify accounts and times
7. Record registration numbers of nearby vehicles to establish which drivers/passengers may have been in the area
8. Seize any CCTV relevant to the vicinity / routes to establish who may have been in the area in the relevant time.

Question 28

Suspect

Answer 28

If a homicide or serious crime is suspected, the identification, apprehension and isolation of the suspect are a priority.

Question 29

Procedures for Suspects at the Scene

Answer 29

Follow these steps if the Suspect has been identified at the scene:

1. Separate suspect from other persons.
2. Consider the condition of the suspect, injured, under influence of alcohol, drugs, or suffer from a medical or mental impairment or other special consideration.
3. Ask them to remain at the scene and co-operate with Police. As soon as possible, remove the suspect from the scene by consent or with lawful justification.
4. If the suspect refuses to co-operate, consider whether grounds exists to arrest them and what the most appropriate offence will be.
5. To prevent cross contamination issues, consider using officers who have not entered the scene to manage the suspect.
6. • If the suspect is: arrested or detained
   • Then: caution the suspect.

• If the suspect is: not arrested or detained and Police wish to question them and there is good cause to suspect they committed the offence
• Then: caution the suspect, where required. If the caution is given prior to the suspect being arrested or detained, the advice must be repeated on arrest or detention.
• If the suspect is: a child or young person
• Then: caution where required.

7. Consider searching the suspect and suspect’s vehicle and belongings to prevent the disposal of evidence and for the searcher’s safety.
8. Consider searching the vicinity of the suspect and the area or route they are thought to have taken, in order to recover discarded or secreted evidence.
9. Note suspect’s appearance and behaviour.
10. Record everything the suspect says and if appropriate, consider conducting a preliminary interview.
11. Whenever possible, interviewing of suspects should be record on video.
12. Brief OC investigation on their arrival, highlighting any significant risks around cross-contamination or movement within or near the scene.

Question 30

Media

Answer 30

If members of the media are present at the scene, keep them away from the immediate crime scene cordon and make no comment about the incident. Consult with OC Investigation on arrival and explain what has happened, identify media members and where they are located.

Question 31

OC Investigation and Initial Response

Answer 31

OC Investigation will expect a briefing from the officer in initial charge of the incident as to:

• What has occurred?
• What action has been taken?
• What has not been done?
• What needs to be done?