Serious Crime Investigation Flashcards
Initial police responders initial response
- Attending scene at an early stage
- Take control of the situation
- Co-ordinate tasks.
Not all incidents involving homicide are readily identifiable as such. Such incidents include:-
- Missing person
- Unexplained Death
- Unexplaind death of infant
- ABduction
- Violence where no fatalities are expected
- Crime scene with no body
- Hit and Run
- Suicide
- Fatal fire
- Drug related deaths
Police initial responsibilities
- V - Victim
- A - Appreciation
- W - Witness
- S - Scene
- E - Exhibits
- I - Ingredients
- P - Powers
- O - Offender
Define Appreciation
- A proven method of problem solving
- Follows a series of steps
- Considers all factors and weighs up all benefits and risks
- An ongoing process
Benefits of appreciation
- Informs all Police of what is expected to be achieved
- Increases chances of success
- Establishes activities
- Manages risk
- ensures nothing is overlooked
- Effective use of resources
Stages of appreciation
- A - AIM
- F - FACTORS
- CO - COURSES OPEN
- P - PLAN
Describe the investigative mentality required for serious crime investigation
No matter the circumstances of death…Always investigate thourghly and gather sufficient evidence to explain death.
Preservation of life
- Ensure own saftey
- Ensure saftey of other 1st responders
- Ensure saftey of tohers
What are the three different medical status of the victim of a serious crime?
- Alive and uninjured
- Alive but injured
- Shows no sign of life
What should you consider if you beleive the victim may die to their injuries?
Consider a recording an immediate statement wether they can sign it or not.
If the victim dies the statement may be admissable under Section 18(1) Evidence Act 2006 as long as the Court are satisfied that the content and maker of statement are reliable.
4 stages of preserving the scene
- Identify
- Secure
- Preserve
- Consider
- Record
Steps when identifing/setting up the scene
- Initial assesment of scene
- Consideration of Powers
- establish parameters, start wide
- establish common approach path
- consider other scenes
- record observations
- establish scene HQ
5 Steps when securing the scene
- Consider S116, Search and Surveilance Act 2012
- Remove all from scene using CAP
- Tape off scene
- Arrange and breif scene guards
- Arrange scene logs
Steps when preserving the scene
- Record movements into and out of scene
- Preserve any evidence liekly to be damaged/destroyed
- Consider steppign plates
- Record actions in scene
What to consider while at the scene
- Initial photographs of scene
- Initial photographs of people at the scene
What to record while at the scene
- Scene log movements
- Record observations
- Sketch
- Photographs, consider video recording
- Identify anything moved while in scene
Crime scene logs
- Only one log to be kept at each point of entry to scene
- Log must ID keeper of the record
- Used to record names and times of all who enter or leave the scene and their reason for being there.
What to consider when dealing with witnesses at the scene.
- TEDS questions to establish what has happened.
- A witness may have been so close to events that forensic evidence may have transferred to them, eg - fibers, body fluids, glass.
- Avoid cross contamination issues by using different vehicles and interview rooms when dealing with multiple witnesses and victims.
What to consider when dealing with suspects at a scene.
- Apprehension of suspect is a priority
- If little time delay, suspect may still be in area or return to scene
- Sepereate from others at scene
- Consider condition of the suspect (Drunk/Injurered etc)
- ASAP remove from scene by consent or arrest
- Consider using officers who have not entered scene to prevent cross contamination
What to consider in realtion to Media at the scene
- Keep them away from the immediate scene
- Make no comment
- Inform the OC investigation
Brieifing OC investigation before leaving scene
- What happened
- What has been done
- What is being done
- What has to be done
Who should be appointed OC body?
An experianced investigator with awarness of forensic issues
List responsibilities of the OC body
Medical
Ensure death has been certified by a doctor or qualified paramedic
Note details of medical staff or others who have attended the victim
Scene
Secure and guard the body, and body samples and any exhibits related to the body with dignity and respect
Note and record observations relating to the body
Establish if body has been moved or disturbed
Record what actions have been taken by any party in relation to the body
Ensure body is photographed in situ and consider video recording
Movement
On authority of OC investigation arrange transport of body to mortuary
Maintain security and continuity of the body, samples and exhibits from the scene to the start of the post mortem
Key documents
Complete sudden death procedures
On authority of OC investigation arrange for formal identification of body
Obtain historical medical records of the victim for the pathologist
Post-mortem
Attend with the OC
Attend briefing of pathologist
Ensure police photographer takes photos at all stages of post-mortem, they will be directed by pathologist
Arrange for fingerprints and palm prints as required
Preserve evidence from body
Record, label and secure all samples and exhibits
Debrief
Attend debrief of pathologist and record findings, on direction of OC or pathologist
Ensure cultural responsibilities have been addressed
Appreciation prior to body removal - Facotrs to consider
- Notification to and from Coroner
- Views of Pathologist and ESR
- Consultation with other experts
- Requirments for any action taken prior to removal of body
- Best method and route to take body
- Supervision of body removal
- Chain of custody of body from scene to mortuary
- Safe custody of exhibits
- Family and any cultural considerations
- Record all SOP’s (paper suits, gloves, mask etc)
Establishing if the body has been moved
- Record movements of body
- do not attempt to restore scene to original unchanged condition
- make enquiries to enable the original unchanged scene to be subsequently reconstructed and photgraphed, if required
Steps for moving body
- Not to be moved without authority from OC investigation
- Record position of body by sketch and photo in situ
- Consider recording position of body using mesaurements from at least two fixed positions
- Record all details of body including
- Position of limbs
- Appearance of body
- wounds and clothing
- direction of blood trails
- Lividity
- Extent of rigor mortis present
- Consider health risks posed by handling body
- Cover hands, feet and head of body with paper bags and secure with tape. Consult with OC Scene and Investigation prior to this
- Ensure clothing on bosy is not contaminated by contact with foreign obects
- Wrap body in plastic sheet and place in body bag
- carefull search where body lay
- retain all sheets, bags and other materials used as exhibits
- Arrange for contracted undertaker to transport body
- Ensure security and continuity of body
Role of OC Body during post mortem
Observe, document and deal with exhibits in a methodial manner
Purpose of Post mortem
- To establish caue of death
- Mode and time of death
- Establish how injuries or events have contributed to death of victim
- determine the nature and sie of any weapon used
- determine the approximate height and stature of suspect
- providing areas of interest for interviews of witnesses or suspects
- negating possible defences
- identiying the victim
Who may attend Post Mortem
(S38 of Coroners Act 2006)
- Pathologest
- Coroner
- Assisting Pathologest
- Dr who treated deceased
- Dr, nurse or funeral director reresenting deceased
- A dr represening the interests of suspect who has or may be charged in relation to the death
- Any other Dr or trainee Dr
- Police
- Any other person authorised by Coroner
What Police members should attend Post Mortem?
- OC Investigtion
- OC Body
- OC exhibits if required
- Police photographer
- SOCO or fingerprint officer if required
Consider authority from Coroner to allow who to attend Post Mortem?
- ESR forensic scientist
- Crown Soliciter
What other experts should be considered regarding the conduct of a post mortem?
- Odontologist
- Biologist
- Medical Illustrator
- Toxicologist
- Ballistics expert
- Crime Scene Examiner
- Entomologist
- Anthropologist
- Disaster Victim Identification
Cultral issues
Where applicable, the assistance of specialist advisors should be sought to assist with cultural issues relating to the victim or others involved in the investigation. This will assist the progress of investigation, establish positive relations and avoid the potential for any offence caused
What to consider when asking someone to formally ID the deceased and what other methods of ID are there?
- Fully inform what is required of them and what to expect when they see deceased
- fingerprints
- dna
- dental records
- eye examination records
- medical examination records
- facial reconstruction
- personal effects