Part 1 - Inital Response to Homicide Flashcards
(29 cards)
What must every person who undertakes a course of action at a crime scene consider?
Everyone must first consider what risks may exist.
3 primary functions of Police first responders:
- attending the scene at an early stage
- taking control of situation and
- co-ordinating tasks
The initial action is vitally important and will frequently affect the outcome of the enquiry.
Why is initial action vitally important?
- minimise loss and maximise opportunity to secure vital information.
- it will frequently affect the outcome of the investigation
Incidents notified to the Police that are not initially identifiable as a homicide:
- Report of a missing person
- sudden unexplained death of an infant
- Unexplained death
- Report of an abduction
-Report of violence where no fatalities are anticipated
-Crime scene without a body present - Hit and run vehicle collision
- Suicide
- Fatal fire
- Drug related deaths
VAWSEEPO
Victim - identify and locate the Victims
Appreciation - make an initial appreciation of the incident. Assess personal risk and then preserve the lives of others.
W witnesses - locate and contain witnesses.
Scene - preserve the scene
Exhibit - note evidence and preserve any that would otherwise be lost or destroy
Elements - consider whether the ingredients of the alleged defence have been established.
Powers - identify what powers are available and consider whether to execute them
Offenders - identify an apprehend suspects
Define an appreciation
And appreciation is a proven method of problem-solving. The process follows a series of steps to ensure the optimum course of action is decided upon. It considers all appropriate factors and ways the benefits and risks of all alternative solutions, allowing sound decisions to be taken. And appreciation is an ongoing process which involves continually thinking through each new piece of information as it is uncovered.
Benefits of a good appreciation
- Informs all police what they are expected to achieve
- Increases the chances of success, ie aims/objectives being met
-Establishes a sequence of activities to be carried out - Manager risk
- Reduces uncertainty
- Eliminate duplication
- Ensures nothing is overlooked
-Effective use of resources
Conducting an appreciation - AFCOP
Aim - one line statement demonstrating a single objective
Factor - as any circumstance or fact that could possibly have an effect on the manner in which you will achieve your desired outcome.
- Courses open. List all the possible ways that aim could be achieved.
- Plan: a plan is a proposed course of action designed to put the selected course into action in order to achieve the aim.
Investigative mentality
- Polices purpose is always to investigate thoroughly and gather sufficient evidence to satisfactory explain the circumstances of the death.
Every effort should be made to obtain the following information from an informant/complainant:
- identity and location of the suspect
- Firsthand account of what the complainant knows
- Precise details of the location of the scene
- circumstances leading to the discovery
- Identity of the victim
- Details of anyone else at the scene
- Full contact details of the complainant
- Demeanour of the complainant
- Relationship of the complainant to the victim of suspect
- Detail details of action the complainant has taken and where they have been
- Any hazards or safety issues that may affect Police approaching the scene
If a delay may occur in police arriving at the scene the informant/complainant may be asked to:
- Return to the proximity of the scene and guide it if it is a safe to do so
- Not to enter the obvious boundaries of the scene
- Not to touch or move anything
- To prevent others from entering or touching the scene
- To await a police arrival and identify themselves to the first police at the scene
What is the first priority at a scene?
To ensure the safety of attending Police members.
Then, to avoid unnecessary disturbance to the scene .
Three categories of victims medical status
1) alive and not injured
2) alive but injured
3) shows no signs of life
At hospital, the detective should follow the following steps if they have followed an injured victim:
11 steps
1) medical opinion
2) seize victims clothing and other possessions as evidence
3) establish identity
4) obtain a pre-transfusion blood sample is in Police toxicology ki
5) see any discarded bandages used to cover gunshot wounds and not their position
6) arrange firearms residue samples
7) note and photograph injuries
8) arrange DNA swaps to be taken from victim skin
9) obtain details of any and all persons who visited or contacted the victim
10) scoping victim interview
11) preliminary interview with ambulance and emergency staff
Steps to follow when discovering body:
1) consider calling an ambulance - if victim has to be moved to this purpose note the original body possession and record any movements.
2) remain with the body to relieved
3) arrange a doctor to pronounce life extinct and the death is obvious
4) treat the victim as a scene do not move unnecessarily
5) instructed medical staff to leave clothes on the body
6) if medical treatment has been given then request connecting tubes, needles, bandages, and other medical items are left in situ
7) if possible conduct scoping interviews with medical staff who treated the victim
8) ascertain if the victim spoke to anyone before death and record what they said
9) record body position, lividity and obvious injuries
10) objectively record everything observed using all senses
11) record all exhibits
12) sketch your plan including the position of the body and of exhibits
13) provide full information to OC investigation
Five steps initial action to preserve a scene:
ISPCR
1) identify:
Gather the information and carry out an initial assessment.
Consider powers to deal with evidential material. Establish the scene, note and record observations. Scene HQ. Comms
2) Secure:
- powers if necessary
- remove all persons
- cordon
- scene logs
- prevent loss caused by animals
3) Preserve
- path to the scene
- record movements
- preserve what is there & leave it in Situ
- stepping plates if no immediate risk
- be prepared to take action, eg if it rains
4) consider
If initial photographs of the scene in person’s present are necessary
5) record
- Integrity of the scene by establishing and maintaining scene log
- Observe and record full notes of precise detail details of the scene, particularly the location of the victim.
- Scene sketch
- Photograph and consider using video recording
- Identify anything which has moved
- Make an accurate record of these facts and report to the OC investigation
What is the purpose of a crime scene log and scene guard?
- there is no unauthorised entry into the scene
- Integrity of evidence or potential evidence is secured
- Intelligence opportunities are maximised
- Contamination issues are managed
Scene guard duties - what details must they record in the scene log:
- Note every person authorise to enter the scene:
Name and designation
Authority to enter the scene
Purpose of the visit
Time of entry and time of exit
Scene guard duties:
- Secure the scene
- Record details
- Control movements
-Record movements - Brief others
-Brief replacement - Avoid disturb disturbance
- Protect scene
- Respect security
- Demonstrate courtesy
- Inform others
Obtaining forensic evidence from a witness - where applicable:
- immediate DNA swabs from any areas of the witness that the suspect may have touched
- Immediate DNA swabs of any blood present on the witness
- Immediate swab of any other relevant stains present on the witness
- Forensic medical examination, i.e. fingernail scraping hair combing
- Seizure of clothing and footwear
- Seizure of any items of property touched by the suspect
witness at the scene, three points to consider:
1) avoid any potential cross contamination issues by arranging for witnesses who have been present to use different vehicles and interview rooms to those use for other witnesses
2) photographing witnesses at the scene enabled future identification of witnesses, for example to assist CCTV enquiries
- Photograph any injuries suffered by witnesses
Eight steps to obtain key material from witnesses
- Full details
-Assemble and clear area and ensure a police officer remains with them - If possible separate witnesses
- Identify witnesses and conduct brief scoping interview interviews using TEDs
- Establish whether any persons have left the area
- If witnesses have made telephone calls from the scene, establish the numbers such calls were made to and from
- Record registration numbers of nearby vehicles
- Sees any CCTV relevant
Steps to take when victims show no signs of life
1) call ambo & resuscitation, if movement of the body is required then record any movements
2) remain with body
3) arrange doctor to pronounce life extinct
4) treat victim as a scene
5) instruct medical staff to leave clothes on the body
6) F medical treatment has been given then request that tubes, needles, bandages, and other medical items are left in situ
7) if possible conduct scoping interviews with medical staff
8) ascertain if the victim spoke to anyone before death and record what was said
9) record body possession, lividity and obvious injuries and clothing
10) record observations of all senses
11) record all exhibits
12) sketch your plan, including the position of the body and exhibit
13) provide for information to OC investigation
