Effective Detective

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SKILLS AND THE INVESTIGATIVE PROCESSAs one SIO noted:“What tends to happen at crime scenes is that everything happens in fasttime. There is an urgent time issue that is upon us (SIOs) and there is askill in slowing it down. You must not allow events to drive you and yourdecision-making; you must create slow time”.Interviewees emphasised that the SIO had to consolidate the information at thescene within the appropriate investigative and legal boundaries. By correctlyFigure 6: Principal skill requirements: initial crime scene assessmentManagement skillsPeople managementInterpersonal skills● to liaise effectively with keyindividualsInvestigative m a n a g e m e n tPlanning● to plan actions● to negotiate action plans● to co-ordinate relevantpersonnelDelegation● to delegate actions toappropriate peopleOrganising mechanics ofinvestigation● overall scene managementGeneral m a n a g e m e n tLeadership● to take responsibility● to maintain controlCommunication process● to communicate with team,specialists, media etc● to listen to advice● to make it clear what youas SIO expectInvestigative abilityInvestigative competence● to start to formulate linesof enquiryAppraisal of information● to create ‘slow time’● to assimilate informationfrom scene● not to make assumptions● to begin to interpret crimescene informationStrategic awareness● to be aware of theconsequences of actionsAdaptation● to demonstrate flexibilityKnowledge levelsUnderpinning knowledge● procedural● knowledge of roles● legal processes● ethical implications● domain knowledge ofspecific crime types30
SKILLS AND THE INVESTIGATIVE PROCESSassimilating relevant information at this stage, the SIO can begin to build a pictureof what is now known about both the offence and the offender(s) and start toformulate appropriate lines of enquiry.Secondly, officers stressed that even at this intial stage the SIO had to begin tointerpret the material available at the crime scene, recognising which informationmay act as a source of potential evidence or identify suspect sets. It is here thatmany interviewees felt that the SIO’s investigative knowledge and experience ofspecific crime types comes to the fore.Finally, and perhaps most vital to this stage, interviewees emphasised the need forthe SIO to start managing the investigation. This involves planning and shapingthe parameters of the investigation with all the parties involved. In order toidentify salient information from the crime scene, close collaboration with relevantpersonnel (e.g. Scenes Of Crime Officers, forensic scientists and the pathologist)was deemed to be essential. Some interviewees said that the SIO should be able toco-ordinate these different investigative roles, ensuring that s/he maintains controlof the scene, balancing the needs of those involved and dealing with a wide rangeof competing priorities. The interviewees felt that all too often ‘less effective’ SIOswould relinquish control of the scene too quickly, bowing to the pressure fromother investigative parties. One Head of CID emphasised the importance ofretaining the crime scene for as long as was required:“The crime scene is like a roll of film that’s played once. If you spoil itthen it’s finished forever”.Interviewees also suggested that planning involves not just implementing the‘standard’ actions of a serious crime enquiry, but also anticipating that it may notbe a ‘standard’ investigation. Consequently, during this time an ‘effective’ SIOmust begin to anticipate how the actions undertaken during the initial crime sceneassessment will be evaluated during the court process.As one SIO observed:“It’s all about planning and managing this incident which doesn’t stand stillfor you... you must be able to decide your game plan for two years time”.Element 2: Assessing incoming informationAssessing incoming information involves the further application of theinvestigative knowledge held by the SIO. This knowledge will help provide thebasis for interpreting the behaviours exhibited at the crime scene and, coupled31
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Page 6 and 7: Executive summaryThe Senior Investi
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Page 13: INTRODUCTIONMethodologyThe general
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Effective Detective

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