Part 9 - Area Canvass Enquires In Homicide Or Serious Crime Investigations Flashcards
Introduction:
what is the purpose of an Area canvass enquires?
Often links exist between the scene of a crime and the offender, victim, and witness. A methodically conducted area canvass therefore presents a high likelihood of identifying or contacting the offender, associate, witness, evidence or exhibits and establishing significant facts
Responsibilities of OC area canvass:
Who does the OC area canvass report to and what must they ensure?
OC investigation and to together must ensure the canvass is conducted thoroughly and recorded accurately
What the are main objectives of an area canvass?
- identifying the offender
- identifying and locating evidence, such as vehicles, discarded clothing, weapons and other articles
- identifying witnesses
- gather information
What are some other benefits of conducting an area canvass?
- sightings of the victim or offender before or after the event
- sighting of relevant property or vehicles
- sightings of potential witnesses
- creating the opportunity for an early arrest through early identification of the offender
- obtaining key information to drive the investigation for develop lines of enquiry
- promoting awareness of significant occurrences
- eliminating unidentified vehicles or person reported by other witnesses
- obtaining an accurate record of the local community
Review:
What must be be done regularly?
A review of the area canvass as new evidence is gathered and amended accordingly
Getting ready for the area canvass: Preparation
What can be used as an aid memoirs to help?
The area canvass checklist
Getting ready for an area canvass: reconnaissance
Who should attend the external/general scene as soon as practicable to do what?
O/C investigation, OC Area canvass and OC suspects to make a reconnaissance of the area and conduct an appreciation and to set parameters and objectives of the canvass
Identifying location parameters:
What relevant locations may influence the setting of location parameters?
Scenes, for example:
- sites where victims, offenders or witnesses have been present
- sites where offences have taken place
- sites where vehicles property or exhibits have been found
- premises within the line of sight of scenes
- access and egress routes to and from scenes
- areas where an offender may have lain in wait
- locations where the victim was last seen alive
- locations or premises frenquented by the victim
- locations of similar or previous incidents identified by intelligence as having occurred in the same locality as the offence under investigation
Risk assessment:
Once location parameters are set, what intelligence should be gathered that enquiry team in the area should be aware of?
- violent offenders
- persons wanted by police for other crimes or WTA
- groups with particular linguistic or cultural needs
- local incidents or issues which residents may raise with police
Identifying time parameters:
How are time parameters used by area canvass staff and what should they be set for?
They are used by staff to verify the presence of individuals at an address or area and to interview potential witness.
They should be set for:
- the offence
- the scene
- sightings
- previous residents and visitors at the scene
- consider action of people’s varying work times
Identifying witnesses:
Witnesses may be peripheral or significant to the investigation.
Could include people who have witnessed what?
- events connected to an incident under investigation
- sightings of the victim or offender before or after the event
- sights of other potential witnesses
- sighting of relevant property or vehicles.
Identifying suspects / persons of interest
When it is established that a suspect resides or works at a particular location,
What must to OC investigation do?
Develop a strategy to identify all persons living or working at that location and obtain accounts of their movements at relevant times
Resource and canvass tools
The OC Area Canvass should seek to obtain suitable street maps, aerial photographs showing houses and the location of sections, geological information, local council records and other applicable references.
Key points for team briefings
- Summarise the situation
- emphasise the need for thoroughness
- stress that the questionnaire is only a guide to ensure the questions are asked
- advise that evidence is possible proactive value obtained in FWS
- consider visiting the canvass area to record every address
- ensure all forms are completed, and actioned as outlined
- reconcile completed locations with master copy
- advise staff on:
• what action to take if believe suspect identified
• what action to take if they locate items of evidential value
• what action to take if individuals refuse to assist
• how to complete the correspondence flow
• what info can be disclosed during canvassing
• what info must not be disclosed
Team motivation
The OC Area Canvass should ensure staff morale remains high and this can be achieved by providing regular feedback on the way canvass enquiries are contributing to the progress of the investigation, together with updates on the progress being made with other phases of the enquiry.
