Part 1 Initial Response to homicide or serious crime Flashcards
Not all incidents involving homicide are readily identifiable as such.
Such instances of homicide that are not immediately identifiable are:
S/A
- Suicide
- Unexplained death
- Fatal fire
- Drug related deaths
- Report of missing person
- Abduction
The initial Police responders must assess the situation quickly yet carefully and decide what the most important things to do are, and how and in what order they should be done.
Their primary functions include:
S/A
- Attending the scene at an early stage
- Co-ordinating tasks
- Taking control of the situation
Establishing the physical condition of the victim falls into one of three categories.
Describe those categories:
S/A
- Alive and uninjured
- Alive but injuries
- Shows no signs of life
Define VAWSEEPO, and provide a brief description for each point.
S/A M/C
VICTIM - Identify and locate the victim
APPRECIATION - Make an initial appreciation, identify risk and preserve life
WITNESSES - Identify and locate witnesses
SCENE - Preserve the scene
EXHIBITS - Note evidence and preserve
ELEMENTS - Identify that elements have been met
POWERS - What powers are available?
OFFENDERS - Identify and apprehend suspects
Define AFCOP, and provide a brief description for each point.
AIM:
Short statement that succinctly demonstrates a single objective.
FACTOR:
Any circumstance or fact that could have an effect on how you will achieve the outcome.
COURSES OPEN:
A list of all the ways you can achieve your aim, taking into account the factors.
PLAN:
Proposed course of action designed to achieve your aim.
Applying an appreciation technique can provide the following key benefits:
S/A
- Manages the risk
- Ensures nothing is overlooked
- Reduces uncertainty
- Increases the chance of success
Initial action to preserve a scene.
Police who arrive at the scene first, should follow the following steps:
ISPCR
- Identify:
- Scene
- Common approach path
- Consider warrantless powers
- Record observations - Secure -
- Invoke S&S
- Establish cordons
- Arrange crime scene logs - Preserve -
- Consider the best path to the scene
- Record any movement
- Consider stepping plates - Consider - Initial photographs of the scene
- Record -
- Sketch of scene
- Photograph/ video recording
- Identify if anything has been moved
On arrival at hospital, the detective should follow the following steps:
- Obtain medical opinion of the victims current medical condition
- Establish identity
- Photograph injuries
- Seize clothing
- Seize discarded bandages used to cover gunshot wounds and record their placement
- Consider gun residue samples where relevant
- Consider DNA swabs where relevant
- Obtain details of all persons visiting victim
Define appreciation
A method of problem solving which follows a series of steps to ensure the optimum course of action is decided upon.
It considers all appropriate factors and weighs the benefit and risk of all alternative solutions.
It is an ongoing process which involves continually thinking through each new piece of information as it is uncovered.
The informant is a critical witness at a scene, every effort should be made to obtain from them:
- Identity and location of suspect
- First hand account of what they know
- Location of scene
- Identity of victim
- Informants full details
- Demeanour of informant
If a person is alive but injured and need to be moved (eg resuscitation) note the following:
Original body position and any previous movements.
If the victim is going to be transported to hospital, what details need to be obtained from Ambulance?
Full details of Ambulance crew and their destination.
