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.
Crime scene logs ensure:
- There is no unauthorised access to the scene.
- Integrity of evidence or potential evidence is secured.
- Intelligence opportunities are maximised.
- Contamination issues are managed.
Scene guard duties
- Secure scene
- Record details
- Control movements
- Record movements
- Brief others
- Avoid disturbance
- Protect scene
If the suspect is at the scene
- Consider BOR
- Ask to remain and cooperate
- Note down everything they say
- Seize clothing
- Note if 1K, 1M, or needs medical attention
- Note any injuries
- Separate from others
Before leaving scene…
Notify comms and senior CIB member
Advise OC Investigation of…
Circumstances, what was done, what was not done, and what needs doing
Freeze, control, guard and preserve
- Assess own safety and then preserve the life of others
- Identify and apprehend suspect(s)
- Contain and control witnesses
- Preserve scene
Witnesses
- Contain, isolate and seek their cooperation
- Prioritise interviews
- Consider scoping interviews
- Photograph them/injuries
- Consider whether they are ‘scenes’
Responsibilities of OC body
- Ensure death certified by doctor or qualified paramedic (Deceased Person Certificate)
- Maintain security and continuity of the body and any samples and exhibits from it.
- Note and record observations of the body
- Note details of medical staff or others who have attended the victim
- Arrange transport to morgue
- Obtain medical history
- Formal identification
- Attend post-mortem
- Secure and guard the body, body samples, and any exhibits relating to the body with dignity and respect.
PM exam OC body duties
- Attend briefing of the pathologist by the OC investigation, and contribute as required.
- Ensure photographer takes appropriate and sufficient photographs, before clothing removed/after removed/during PM. Pathologist will direct photographer.
- Preserve evidence from the body.
- Record, label, and secure all samples and exhibits associated with the body.
- Arrange for fingerprints and palm prints to be taken, if required.
- Attend debrief with pathologist.
OC investigation responsibilities in terms of body
- Notify coroner early of death.
- Arrange PM with the coroner.
- Consult Pathologist before PM, regarding whether xrays or CT scans need to take place.
- Determine whether pathologist and/or Crown Solicitor will attend the scene to view the body in situ.
- Consider experts
Briefing experts and interested parties
- Photos/videos taken at scene
- Actions of first responders
- Identity of body
- History of body (health records, drugs, developments since body discovery).
- Timeframes relating to body discovery
- Environmental factors at the scene
Appreciation prior to body removal
- Notify and get response from Coroner
- Requirements for any examination or action before removal
- Best method and route for the body removal
- Supervision of body removal
- Chain of custody from scene to mortuary
- Safe custody of exhibits
- Family/cultural considerations
