Serious crime Flashcards
Key tasks of any investigation
- Gather and preserve evidence
- Accurate and detailed documentation
Maintain high standards
- Appreciation technique
- Meticulous attention to detail
- Investigative mindset
- Work as a team
- Excellent communication
Purpose of team conferences
- Keep all team members up to date with developments
- Opportunity to exchange views and pass on important information
- 2IC to pass on instructions on file management and other admin
- OC can brief team on important investigative topics, priorities, and lines of enquiry to follow.
Initial police responders primary functions
- Attending scene at an early stage
- Taking control of the situation
- Coordinating tasks
Initial responsibilities acronym
VAWSEEPO
Victim
Appreciation
Witnesses
Scene
Exhibits
Elements
Powers
Offenders
Appreciation is
A proven method of problem solving. Considers all appropriate factors and weights the benefits and risks of alternative solutions, allowing sound decisions to be made. Is an ongoing process which involves continually thinking through each new piece of information as it is uncovered.
Benefits of an appreciation
- Informs all Police what they are expected to achieve
- Increases the chances of success, i.e. the investigative aims/objectives being met
- Establishes a sequence of activities to be carried out
- Manages risk
- Reduces uncertainty
- Eliminates duplication
- Ensures nothing is overlooked
- Effective use of resources
AFCO
- Aim
- Factors
- Courses open
- Plan
Examples of ‘factors’
- Further risk to life
- Location of possible suspects
- Resources available
- Evidence requiring preservation
- Environment and weather conditions
- History of relevant parties
Informant can provide information such as:
- ID and location of suspect
- Firsthand account of what they know
- Precise location of the scene
- Circumstances leading to the discovery
- ID of victim
- Details of anyone else at scene
- Full contact details of informant
- Relationship of informant to victim or suspect
- Details of action informant took and where they have been
- Details of any hazards/safety concerns
In the case of Police delay, to avoid loss of evidence, informant may be asked…
- To return and guard the scene
- No to enter obvious scene boundaries
- Not to touch or move anything
- Prevent others from entering or touching the scene
Three categories - victim medical status
- Alive and uninjured
- Alive but injured
- Shows no signs of life
Victim alive and injured
Call an ambulance and consider resuscitation. Note original body position and record any previous movements.
Obtain details of ambulance crew and destination.
Accompany in ambulance or attend hospital without delay.
- Seek medical opinion on status
- Seize clothing
- Establish ID
- Note any visitors or people trying to contact
- Note and photograph any injuries
- Seize bandages from gunshot wounds
- DNA swabs
Victim shows no signs of life
Never assume they are dead unless no other conclusion possible.
- Consider ambulance.
- Remain with the body
- Arrange for life extinct unless death obvious
- Treat the victim as a scene
- Record body position. lividity, obvious injuries, clothing.
- Objectively record everything observed using all senses
Initial action to preserve a scene
Identify - initial assessment, CAP, observations
Secure - CS logs, scene guards, prevent persons getting in
Preserve - CAP, stepping plates
Consider - taking initial photos of scene and people
Record - all details of observations at scene, photos, sketch, note original and eventual positions.
