Serious Crime Module - Area Canvass Flashcards
What must an area canvass be?
Timely, flexible and tactical.
What does an area canvass provide?
A snapshot of the community at the time and place at which the offence occurred.
It serves to identify evidence and information that may assist the investigation.
What are the main objectives of an area canvass?
- Identifying the offender
- Identifying and locating evidence, such as vehicles, discarded clothing, weapons and other articles
- Identifying witnesses
- Gathering information
What are some benefits to conducting an area canvass?
- Sightings of the victim or offender before or after the event
- Sightings 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 or develop lines of enquiry
- Promoting awareness of significant occurrences
- Eliminating unidentified vehicles or persons reported by other witnesses
- Obtaining an accurate record of the local community
What steps should be followed regarding an area canvass briefing (8)?
- Summarise the situation and detail the duties and areas of responsibility of each canvass team member
- Emphasise the need for thoroughness and that every person in every household and visitors must be seen personally
- Stress that the questionnaire is only a guide
- Advise that evidence of possible probative value must be obtained in a formal written statement rather than notebook form
- Consider visiting the canvass area to record every address including flats and vacant sections and then reconcile these premises with the map
- Ensure all forms are completed and actioned as outlined
- Reconcile completed locations with the master copy to avoid duplication
- Advise staff on:
- What action to take if they believe they have identified the suspect
- 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 information can be disclosed during the area canvass
- What information must not be disclosed
Why should the OC Area Canvass continually review completed canvass forms?
- Evaluate the quality of completed work and provide quality assurance
- Identify lines of enquiry to be highlighted to the 2IC
- Monitor ongoing progress of the canvass
- Facilitate the detailed recording of progress
What part of the master record should be continually maintained and updated by the OC Area Canvass?
- Which addresses have been visited
- Which occupants have been interviewed
- The documentation completed
- Any relevant comments made
What are the four points to consider that may benefit an area canvass?
- Use of experts
- Use of an aide memoir and script
- Leaflets
- Other options (when limiting the extent of the area canvass) – media, poster campaign, mail drop, high profile police presence, using a caravan
What is involved in Part A of the questionnaire?
Part A records the:
- Street name
- House number
- Flat number
- Personal details of all residents
- Personal details of all other people who were visiting the address at the time of the offence
- Vehicles used by all residents and visitors to the address
One copy of the form is needed for:
- Each dwelling
- Each flat or apartment in the case of multiple dwellings on a single property
- A vacant dwelling or empty section
What is involved in Part B of the questionnaire?
This is used for each person who is interviewed during the canvass.
Part B records the:
- Personal details
- Home details
- Work details
- Answers to specific questions
Any evidential information provided by the witness must also be recorded by way of Formal Written Statement.
As part of the area canvass checklist, what should the OC Area Canvass check off before the area canvass (5)?
- Obtain suitable street and other maps of the area.
- Visit and inspect the canvass area to record every address including flats and vacant sections. Confer with the OC Investigation to establish parameters.
- Reconcile the list of premises with the map.
- Develop an area canvass strategy including:
- Area canvass objectives
- Location parameters
- Time parameters
- Risk assessment
- Identifying suspects/persons of interest
- Resources
- Use of questionnaires
As part of the area canvass checklist, what should the OC Area Canvass check off during the area canvass (6)?
- Fully brief all staff
- Ensure all forms are completed and actioned
- Shade in the map as each household is completed
- Maintain a detailed ongoing record of area canvass results showing addresses visited, occupants spoken to, documentation completed and relevant comments
- Visit team members regularly during the area canvass to monitor welfare, maintain control, morale, enthusiasm and efficiency
- Attend investigation squad conferences and supply situation reports
As part of the area canvass checklist, what should the OC Area Canvass check off after the area canvass (1)?
On completion of area canvass, the OC Area Canvass must:
- Conduct a debrief of canvass staff
- Ensure all questionnaires are reconciled with the master list
- Ensure all staff notebooks are accounted for
- Submit a report to the OC Investigation detailing the results of the area canvass
