Police Revision 2 Initial Actions At Major and Critical Incidents

ACPO definition:

‘Any emergency that requires the implementation of special arrangements by one or more of the emergency services and generally includes the involvement, either directly or indirectly, of large numbers of people’

Murder
robbery
Rape
arson

ACPO

‘Any incident where the effectiveness of the police response is likely to have a significant impact on the confidence of the victim, their family and/or the community’

A major incident is generally also considered a critical incident due to its significant impact and the need for special emergency service arrangements.

To report back, not necessarily to act.

SAD CHALETS

Survey

Assess

Disseminate

Casualties

Hazard

Access

Location

Emergency services

Type of incident

Start log

A victim - whether a person or society itself.

• To report back

• To confirm what is already known

• To raise further alerts

• To provide more data so that informed decisions can be made

1) preserve life
2) deal with victim(s) and locate other victims
3) arrest the offender
4) preserve the crime scene

1) looking for witnesses
2) looking for physical evidence or clues
3) use of crime solving information

‘Whenever 2 objects meet there is
an exchange of material from each to the other’

Sometimes known as ‘contact trace evidence’

‘The application of scientific matters relevant to the law’

Physical evidence found at crime scene

• Time of arrival on scene

• identify all persons already at scene

• note their location in relation to the scene

• details of other police officers, staff and support and services (including ID numbers)

• times and details of any requests for support services made by yourself or other officers

• times and details of any circulation messages sent by yourself or other officers (description of offenders/vehicles)

30metre radius around the body

The addition of foreign material to a scene (makes the evidence unclean and unreliable)

Weather conditions (snow/rain/wind)

A) take careful note of situation while taking immediate action
B) prevent the escape of an offender
C) get medical aid for injured persons
D) get assistance (emergency services, senior officer)
E) get witnesses
F) prevent interference with the scene

Golden hour - the first hour following arrival to an incident…

Immediately consider;

The victim (identify&support - family/community)

The scene (could be more than 1)

The suspect (intel, CCTV, witness? Door to door enquiries?)

Witnesses (identify, prioritise, key/ significant/ vulnerable/ intimidated - support!)

The scene log (log every decision and rationale for them - what did and didn’t do and why)

Family /community (notify next of kin and support -FLO)

Physical evidence (secure & protect evidence - obtain CCTV, locate weapons etc)

Intelligence (gather intel constantly -talk to people)

Prevent contamination (prevent cross contamination on scene/victim/evidence - locard exchange)

Lines of responsibility - identify people to do specific jobs

Record - record everything - investigative actions / strategy / risk assessment / resources / h&s considerations

Consider at all times if an arrest will cause more harm than good / is likely to put victim more at risk rather than reducing risk)

DNA

Clothing fibres

MEAL

Movement of exhibits
Evidence being obliterated
Additional materials being added
Loss of evidence

Record visibility from the door if the room
Record if it was necessary to interfere with the scene in any way - how and why
Note Anything unusual (smells etc)
Look or anything which may be lost if not preserved
Make note of the route you have take to enter -
Establish common approach path

1) perseveration of life
2) preservation of scene
3) preservation of evidence
4) identify witness, victim and suspectp

• Stay with victim - preserve life

• Cordon the area (as big as you can maintain the integrity of)

• 2nd officer get witness statement (ADVOKATE)

• any assistance available?

• critical incident - Need supervisor?

• identify key /significant witness

• identify common approach path and RV point

• if major incident - use SADCHALETS

• start scene log

• if victim Goes to hospital - send mist appropriate person (PC) with them for continuity

• you should stay to preserve the scene and brief others

• record all decisions in PNB

Contact with victim all the way through from scene to hospital/coroner

A measure of:

1) professionalism
2) competence
3) integrity

The powerful an important effect something has on a situation / a person / a group

The long term confidence that victims/their family/the community has in their police force and in policing in general

Could possibly use BoP

As big as you can ensure the integrity of

Direct or indirect:

Direct evidence: eye witness, CCTV, photos of crime scene

Indirect evidence: circumstantial -ie
Biological - blood, hair, semen, saliva
Physical - fibres, glass, bullets, knife

Crime scene
Suspect
Victim

With physical evidence in the middle of all 3

When considering cordons and scene protection, use the MEAL acronym:
Maintain scene security, Evidence preservation, Access control, and Log all entries/exits.

• PNC checks - on people / addresses

• missing weapons?

• Check wider CCTV coverage

• potential cross contamination from officers already on scene and therefore f you need a different officer to make any arrests to avoid cross contamination

• circulate descriptions of suspects

• potential door to door enquiries?

IIMARCH

Information (ALL relevant info SIO needs so hat they are fully informed and can make informed decisions)

Intention (what do our intentions need to be - ie find suspect/weapon/ maintain evidence /scene etc)

Method
Administration
Risk
Communication
Human rights