Most crimes reported to the police are not major incidents and usually the officer who first attends is the only resource that is required. This officer may be the investigator throughout the enquiry.

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The quality of the investigation, whether carried out in person or over the telephone, is a significant factor in gathering material that leads to the detection of a crime. There may be limited opportunities to locate and gather material and it is vital that those who conduct the initial investigation ensure that material is not lost. Once a crime has been allocated to an investigator, it is important that they gather material from whoever took the initial report. Investigations should be conducted thoroughly, and investigators should not assume that a crime cannot be solved or that someone else will carry out an investigation at a later stage.

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Officers initially deployed to an incident are likely to have a number of competing demands placed on them. These demands include:

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• dealing with a violent situation

• providing first aid and calling for medical assistance

• reassuring victims and witnesses

• preventing public disorder.

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Building Blocks of Investigation

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• preserve life

• preserve scenes

• secure evidence

• identify victims

• identify suspects

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Fast-track actions

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These are defined as:

any investigative actions which, if pursued immediately, are likely to establish important facts, preserve evidence or lead to the early resolution of the investigation.

Fast-track actions can be applied to reactive or proactive investigations, irrespective of when the crime was committed.

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The first chance to obtain material may be the last. Identifying these actions during the initial investigation stage produces the most effective outcome. A delay in protecting, preserving or gathering material may result in evidence being contaminated or lost.

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In larger enquiries SIOs should establish strategies to ensure that new information is brought to their attention quickly, so that fast-track actions can be taken when they are needed.

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Once these immediate priorities are dealt with, officers should plan how best to conduct the investigation and should consider a number of key factors. Having done so, it is then appropriate to consider concluding the initial investigation.

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Initial investigation factors

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The following factors should be considered at the initial investigation:

• scene management (identify and preserve)

• material (identify other potential evidence sources)

• who is the investigating officer?

• risk management

• what is the limit of the initial attending officer’s role?

• communication

• record keeping

• handover and briefing

• community impact

• initial fast track actions

• investigative interviewing (witness, victim and offender)

• initial search (access routes, exit routes, places where offenders are likely to have been)

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Initial investigation conclusion

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The initial investigation phase is concluded when a number of actions have been completed. These include:

• the investigator obtaining an account from the victim and any witnesses who are immediately available (individual force policy will determine whether this a witness statement (MG11), notebook entry or verbal account)

• the immediate needs of victims and witnesses have been met

• the crime scene examination has been instigated

• all fast-track actions indicated by the material to hand have been taken

• all records required by the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 (CPIA) and individual force policy have been made

• all intelligence gathered during the initial investigation has been submitted.

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Comprehensive records

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A comprehensive record of all enquiries completed during the initial investigation enhances the overall efficiency by:

• assisting the investigator to carry out an investigative evaluation

• contributing to the intelligence picture of crime in the area

• enabling supervisors to assess the quality of the investigation

• facilitating the handover of the investigation if it is allocated to another investigator.