Role of OC Suspects Flashcards
What is the purpose of the OC Suspects
The OC Suspects is responsible for supervising the members of the Suspects Team for the purpose of:
- Obtaining information about suspects and persons of interest, as they are identified by the OC Investigation
- Thoroughly profiling and investigating all suspects and persons of interest to enable the OC Investigation to establish their involvement in the offence or eliminate them from the inquiry
- Seeking evidence to cover all elements of the offence(s)
- Mitigating and dealing with possible defences that may be raised, where appropriate
- Providing a basis for further investigation.
Management of suspects falls into three categories and where appropriate, the OC Investigation will prepare a strategy dealing with each:
- Identification and profiling.
- Arrest/termination.
- Interviewing.
*** What are the responsibilities of the OC Suspects
- BRIEFING THE SUSPECT TEAM
The first duty of the OC Suspects is to brief their suspects team members. To be able to do this, the OC Suspects should assess all of the information available, such as witness statements, police reports and information from the scene. Their initial briefing should include:
- The circumstances of the offence (including an analysis of the scene and witness evidence available)
- The full details of all POI’s and any suspect, where their identities are known
- Descriptions of the suspect provided by witnesses (a schedule of descriptions may be prepared to assist)
- Whether any particular modus operandi/crime signatures have been identified.
- DETERMINE INVESTIGATION PRIORITIES
Investigate all suspects thoroughly in order of priority as decided with the OC Investigation. Aspects that might influence the setting of priorities are the relative weight of evidence against a person or the likelihood of their leaving the area. You may also be influenced by a particular urgency in solving the case or the availability of staff. Suspects must be investigated in order of priority.
Where there is no firm line of suspect enquiry, priority should be given to anonymous information, particularly during the early stages of the investigation. Information concerning the suspect’s identity must be acted on immediately.
- PROVIDE DEBRIEFINGS
The OC Suspects phase must regularly debrief their team members on the enquiries they have conducted and the results of these enquiries so that they can maintain a constant flow of information at conferences, between the members of the suspects team and other investigation staff. Priority information must be brought to the attention of the OC Investigation as necessary.
Methods for Identifying Suspects
Identify possible suspects whose status will be determined by the OC Investigation.
Possible suspects may be established through:
- Area canvass
- Intel analysis
- Police notings (linking suspect to relevant area)
- Fingerprints
- DNA samples
- Witness evidence
- Police FV teams
- CHIS
-Response to publicity and media reports
-Other Police employees or groups, such as:
- The National Intelligence Centre
- Neighbourhood Policing
Team
-Enquiries with external government agencies eg:
- CYFS
- Correction
- Community Probation Service
- Customs
- Psychiatric Services
-Enquiries made with non-government agencies or at particular venues eg:
- Local ethnic and community groups
- Hotels and hostels.
What should be considered before the Arrest/ Termination and interview of the Suspect
Before any arrest/termination, the OC Suspects must consult the OC Investigation regarding an arrest strategy, to ensure:
- An investigator is appointed to be responsible for each suspect.
- The decision to prosecute, choice of charges and prosecution processes are considered in accordance with the Solicitor-General’s Prosecution Guidelines
- Position to be taken by Police regarding bail
- Authority to engage the Crown Solicitor is obtained from PPS, where appropriate
- The family of the deceased are updated via the Family Liaison Officer
- Prompt preparation of the prosecution file
- Compliance by the Disclosure Manager, or File Manager where one is not appointed.
Steps OC Suspect should take in preparation to interview suspect
Prior to interviewing a suspect, the OC Suspects should:
- Liaise with the OC Investigation regarding selection of the interviewer, including whether a Level 2 or Level 3 trained interviewer should be used
- Consult with the OC Investigation regarding best mode of interview (usually on video)
- Establish, in consultation with the OC Investigation, the status of the person as a witness/ person of interest or suspect. This status will determine whether the interview is to be conducted under caution and the interviewee advised of their rights.
- Consider whether the person requires special consideration, for example due to language, cultural, or religious factors, or medical condition, impairment or disability.
- Consult with other interviewing experts or legal advisor, if required
- Ensure the interviewer is fully briefed
- Ensure the interviewer is familiar with the investigative interviewing procedures
- Discuss with the interviewer the elements that need to be established; the suspect’s background; and possible alibis and motives
- Ensure that the interviewer has prepared a detailed interview plan.
Oc Suspect Interviewer should:
- Ensure suspects are isolated from each other, where there is more than one suspect
- Ensure that each suspect arrested is advised of their caution rights
- In the case of a juvenile suspect, consider and address Police obligations under the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989
- Consider executing a search for evidence of the suspect’s person, vehicle, home and workplace.
Ensure any search of the person of a suspect or their belongings is conducted under a legal authority i.e. a warrantless search pursuant to the Search and Surveillance Act 2012 if appropriate, or under search warrant.
*** Medical Examination of the Suspect
The OC Suspects will arrange, in consultation with the OC Investigation, for a Police doctor to examine the suspect.
The doctor must:
- Note any injuries, such as scratches or bruises
- Take samples identified as necessary by the OC Investigation using a specialist MEK, including:
* blood
* saliva
* head hair
* pubic and body hair, (if relevant)
* fingernail scrapings
* swabs of the suspect’s hands or other relevant areas - Swab the suspect’s hands for firearms residue using a specialist Firearms Detection Kit, as soon as possible where a firearm has been involved in an offence. Such residue may persist on the hands or clothing of a suspect for up to three hours.
- Provide a professional opinion regarding the condition of the suspect.
- Record any explanations or comments made by the suspect about the offence or the cause of any of injuries.
- Photographs of the suspect and any relevant marks or injuries must be taken.
Suspect Medical Examination by Force
Where a suspect refuses to allow a search to be conducted under section 88 of the Search and Surveillance Act 2012, for evidential material that is reasonably believed to be on the outside of the suspect’s body (e.g. firearm discharge residue on the suspect’s hands or the victim’s DNA on the suspect’s penis), then reasonable force may be used to conduct the search.
Reconstruction of a Scene with a Suspect
The OC Suspects (in consultation with the OC Investigation) should consider having the suspect reconstruct the crime.
Any reconstruction should be recorded on video as part of the interview.
Confirming the Identity of the Suspect
To confirm the identity of the suspect:
- Obtain from the suspect: fingerprints, footprints, palm prints, and blood for DNA analysis
- Arrange photographs of the suspect. Where such photographs were not taken during the medical examination, include photographs of:
- the suspect’s front face and profile
- the suspect’s full body length, from the front and the side
- any injuries
- any distinctive, visible identifying features, such as tattoos or scars
- Obtain samples of the suspect’s handwriting, where relevant
- Record a physical description of the suspect
- Record details for the offender report.
Investigating a suspects Alibi
Whenever an alibi is introduced by an offender concerning a matter which has commenced proceedings, it is the responsibility of the OC Suspects to make thorough enquiries to determine the veracity of the alibi and to fully report the result to the Crown Solicitor, via the 2IC.
When details of alibi witnesses are notified, the OC Investigation will require the Disclosure Officer or OC Suspects to complete a prosecution report (QHA) and an active charges report on each name and provide these to the Crown Solicitor, via the 2IC.
Alibi witnesses whose particulars have been advised, must not be interviewed by Police except at the request of the Crown Solicitor. When conducting such interviews, the advice of the Crown Solicitor should be followed.
In investigating any alibi offered, the OC Suspects must:
- Make enquiries of people other than the persons whose particulars have been supplied to confirm or rebut evidence in support of the alibi
-Complete enquiries to establish where the suspect was at the time of the offence, who they were with and what they were doing
-Wherever possible, corroboration of the alibi provided by the suspect should be sought from forensic or other sources that are independent of the suspect.
