lpg1.4.03 policies and procedures documentation€¦ · relevant documentation and the passing of...

LPG1.4.03 Policies and Procedures Documentation

Student Notes

Version 1.18

Student Notes IPLDP Central Authority Executive Services

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LPG1_4_03_Documentation_SN Version 1.18 2


Learning Outcomes

When you have successfully completed these student notes, you will be able to:

1. Summarise Pocket Note Book (PNB) Rules or Evidence and Actions Book

(Metropolitan Police) (EAB) Rules

2. Explain Methods of briefing / de-briefing

3. Explain the importance of Recording of notes at the scene

4. Summarise the procedure of Recording of narrative

5. Explain the process of Crime reporting

6. Summarise the requirements and give examples of Case papers used in a

process file referring to the Manual of Guidance (MOG)

Key to Graphics

The pencil indicates an exercise or knowledge check for

you to complete.

The microscope tells you when there is a topic that may

require a closer look or further research or reading.

The exclamation mark highlights an area that you need to

pay close attention to.



Table of Contents

Learning Outcomes ................................................................................................. 3 Key to Graphics ...................................................................................................... 3 Table of Contents.................................................................................................... 4 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 6 Pocket Note Book/Evidence and Action Book (PNB & EAB)............................................. 6

General Rules ................................................................................................... 6 Pocket Note Book/Evidence and Action Book Rules....................................................... 8

No Erasures...................................................................................................... 8 No leaves torn out ............................................................................................. 9 No blank spaces ................................................................................................ 9 No overwriting ................................................................................................ 11 No writing between lines .................................................................................. 11 Statements in direct speech .............................................................................. 11

Briefing and Debriefing .......................................................................................... 11 Briefing Structures........................................................................................... 11 Parade ........................................................................................................... 12 Information Sharing......................................................................................... 12 Tasking .......................................................................................................... 12 Deployment .................................................................................................... 13 Structure for Event and Public Order Briefings ..................................................... 13 Structure for Briefing re- particular policing problems ........................................... 14 Debriefing ...................................................................................................... 14 Recording of Notes at the Scene ........................................................................ 15 What to Record ............................................................................................... 15 Information common to all incidents .................................................................. 16 Evidential Notes .............................................................................................. 17 Non-Evidential Notes........................................................................................ 17

Contemporaneous Records of Interview ................................................................... 18 Person’s rights other than at a police station ....................................................... 19 Person’s rights at a police station....................................................................... 20 Record Format ................................................................................................ 21

Crime Reporting.................................................................................................... 24 The Standards ................................................................................................ 25 Allegations of Crime......................................................................................... 25 Unable to Trace Victim ..................................................................................... 26 Police Action ................................................................................................... 26 Collection of Information .................................................................................. 27 Recording of Information .................................................................................. 27 Modus Operandi System................................................................................... 27 The ten points of the modus operandi system...................................................... 28 Crime Report .................................................................................................. 29 Initial Investigation of Volume Crime.................................................................. 30 Descriptions of Suspects................................................................................... 31

Case Papers (Manual of Guidance)........................................................................... 31 Post Charge Expedited File................................................................................ 33 Remand cases................................................................................................. 33 List of MG Forms ............................................................................................. 33



Expedited File – Information ............................................................................. 35 Post Charge Evidential File ................................................................................ 37 Post Charge Evidential File Content .................................................................... 37 Post Charge Evidential File Information............................................................... 38

The Streamlined Process of Building Case Files.......................................................... 40 Pre-Charge Reports ............................................................................................... 41 The Director's Guidance on Charging 2011 - fourth edition, January 2011 (revised arrangements) states: ........................................................................................... 41

Upgrade to Full File.......................................................................................... 43 File Submission Times ........................................................................................... 43 Knowledge Check.................................................................................................. 44 Knowledge Check Answers ..................................................................................... 47



Introduction

An important part of police work is the accurate completion of

relevant documentation and the passing of information.

These student notes explain the types of documentation you will

encounter early in your police career. They will cover:

• Pocket Notebooks/Evidence and Actions Books

• Crime reporting

• Case files

• Recording of narratives

• Recording of notes at the scene of an incident, and

• Methods of briefing and debriefing

Pocket Note Book/Evidence and Action

Book (PNB & EAB)

All Pocket Note Books/Evidence and Books must be completed in

compliance with the Rules and Codes of Practice supplied to you by

your trainer.

The rules are designed to ensure that entries will withstand close

scrutiny in court. If there is a suggestion that something in your

PNB/EAB was improperly altered, deleted or added, it may well result

in an offender escaping conviction.

General Rules

Before looking specifically at PNB/EAB Rules we will consider some

general rules that apply to all report writing.

Always use black ball point pen to complete any official police

document. This is because:

1. it does not smudge easily, remember you may have to write



in the rain

2. ball point is difficult to rub out

3. black photocopies well.

Always use the 24 hour clock.

3.30PM 1530 HRS.

Block letters must always be used when writing:

Days:- SUNDAY

Dates:- 5TH DECEMBER 2005

Times:- 0915 HRS.

Places:- PARK CENTRE, KINGSBRIDGE,

CT164BD

Addresses:- 14, CHAPEL STREET, WOODBRIDGE,

CT168DT

Compass Points:- NORTH

Names:- All names must be written in block letters.

Last names (surnames) must be LARGER BLOCK

LETTERS than others (or if you write all in capitals or

large block letters then underline the last name) so that

they stand out in a report or entry, e.g.

MR. ROBIN SMITH

Or

MR ROBIN SMITH

Why do you think block letters/capitals must be used in this way?



Pocket Note Book/Evidence and Action

Book Rules

PNB/EAB Rules can be summarised by the mnemonic ‘ELBOWS’

NO E rasures

NO L eaves torn out

NO B lank spaces

NO O overwriting

NO W writing between lines And

S statements in direct speech

No Erasures

You must not erase entries in any PNB/EAB by any means, ‘Tippex;

rubbing out; scribbling out, etc.’ We all do and will make mistakes

therefore; there are two ways of dealing with any error you may

make. How you correct it depends on when you realise your

mistake.

If you realise immediately that you have written the wrong word(s),

you can cross-out the incorrect word(s) with a single line and initial

it, then enter the correct word(s) alongside. It is important that the

crossed-out word(s) can still be read, as shown below:

Initial your errors

On FRIDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER 2005, at 0930 HOURS MR

ALFRED EM ROBERT STEVENSON alleged that he had been

assaulted by …

If the error is not noticed at the time, cross-out the incorrect



word(s), initial and enter the letter ‘A’ above the error, or if it is

something left out, above the space where the addition is required.

On FRIDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER 2005, at 0930 HOURS MR

ALFRED EM ‘A’ STEVENSON alleged that he had been

assaulted by a woman I now ‘B’ to be MRS LINDA JOHNSON

of….

Additional errors should be labelled ‘B’ and ‘C’, etc. These ‘inserts’

can then be placed at the end of your entry before it is signed, as

shown below.

Informed control room at 1015 HOURS.

‘A’ = ROBERT. ‘B’ = know

Eric Miller PC1234

In addition, if a particular entry is required to be countersigned by

someone (e.g. a person you have interviewed, or someone verifying

a list of found property they are handing to you), that person must

also counter initial and/or countersign any corrections in it. This

will show that the alterations were made with that person’s

knowledge.

No leaves torn out

Under no circumstances must any leaves of any PNB/EAB be

removed, torn out or changed. (This applies even whilst you are

undergoing training). Your integrity is under constant assessment.

No blank spaces

The purpose of this rule is to satisfy anyone scrutinising your original

notes that it was impossible for anything to have been added since



they were signed by all persons whose signatures appear in them.

Blank spaces must not be left:

- between words

- between lines, or

- at either end of the lines

So you can see even paragraphs aren’t used in original notes. Plan

ahead as you write and ensure that the written matter fills the line.

Initially you may find this difficult to do but it will become easier with

practice. Meanwhile, if there is insufficient space to complete a word,

break it and continue on the next line.

In original notes, not filling the whole line with writing is permitted

only on the following occasions:

a) in a record of questions and answers, if you want to start each

on a new line

b) listing property, with each item on a separate line

at the end of each entry, if there is insufficient space for your

PNB/EAB signature your full signature should be at the beginning of

the next line.

In these circumstances, fill the space by drawing a line to the end

and initialling at the end of the line.

Don’t fall into the trap of leaving spaces at the end of lines and filling

them with short lines and initials. This will show that you do not

abide by the rule, that you don’t leave blank spaces. Who knows

when you filled them in and whether or not you added any words in

some of the spaces, instead of a line and initial?!

If you draw a sketch, sign the last line of writing before it and start

any further writing on the next clear line after it.



No overwriting

Overwriting to alter or correct any word or letter or number is not

permitted.

No writing between lines

You must not write between lines of writing. There should be only

one line of writing on each line of the PNB/EAB.

Statements in direct speech

Record all statements in direct speech :

He said, “I was going…”

Not He told me he was going…

Briefing and Debriefing

Every operational shift commences with a briefing. These are held so

that up-to-date information and intelligence can be passed to officers

in order that they are able to patrol effectively and reduce crime and

disorder.

However, this does not remove your responsibility to find out as

much information as you can yourself.

Briefing Structures

There are a number of different structures that are used to brief

people.

The structure that is recommended for daily briefings is as follows:

1. Parade

2. Information Sharing

3. Tasking



4. Deployment

Parade

The purpose of this part of the briefing is to make sure that everyone

who should be there is present and to ascertain if there are any

unexpected additional personnel. This stage may take the form of a

role call or visual inspection depending on the numbers being briefed.

Information Sharing

This stage should be interactive. It is designed to provide officers

with the information needed to direct proactive patrols and to debrief

staff to obtain further relevant information as appropriate.

Information provided should be:

• Relevant,

• Recallable,

• Actionable, and

• Prioritised

(It has been found that the best number of items on any briefing is

seven. More cannot be recalled easily and less means that

insufficient advantage has been taken to brief people fully.)

As each item of information is given, those being briefed should be

invited to add any additional relevant information they may have.

Tasking

This is a key element of effective patrol. It directs patrols towards

specific activities in support of crime reduction (or other priority

policing areas) and for intelligence gathering. The tasks that are set

should be SMART.

S Specific,



M Measurable,

A Achievable,

R Relevant, and

T Timely.

Sometimes all patrol activity will be directed towards a single hotspot

or problem; at other times a number of policing problems may be

tackled.

Deployment

People are deployed in support of the tasks they are given.

Refreshment times and other duties are also allocated.

Structure for Event and Public Order Briefings

A briefing structure that is commonly used for briefing officers for

policing special events and public order operations is referred to as

IIMARC:

I Information – What is the ‘action’ about? Includes: when

commences; duration; venue; is it covered by legislation; any

other agencies involved

I Intention – What is the intention? Details what needs to be

achieved as far as reasonably practicable.

M Method – how will the intention be achieved? Includes:

command structure; tasking; RVPs and cordons; vehicle access

routes; arrest and detention policy; specialist police/outside

agencies liaison strategy.

A Administration – what are the administrative issues

surrounding the ‘action’? Includes: briefing details; security &

disclosure; any contingency plans; custody issues; media

issues; intelligence; legal issues.



R Risk – what are the weaknesses and threats and what could go

wrong? Includes: health & safety issues; how risks can be

reduced; sufficiency of trained personnel; need for community

care assessment.

C Communications – how will communication be maintained

throughout the action? Includes: security; radios – types

channels call signs etc.; mobile phones & pagers.

Structure for Briefing re- particular policing

problems

A structure that is employed when briefing staff concerning the

tactics and resources to be used in order to address a particular

policing problem is referred to as

SAFCOM:

S Situation – the situation or problem as we know it.

A Aim – what we intend to do about it.

F Factors – what have we to consider? Factors that may affect

the operation; what steps need to be taken to reduce risk;

necessary resources.

C Choices – All the various solutions available to us.

O Option (preferred) – the choice we prefer after assessment

and analysis of all options.

M Monitoring – how we will review the operation? How will

success be measured; mobile phones; all communications

through Op. Commander or Control Room.

Debriefing

Effective debriefing is an important and essential element of

intelligence-led patrol, problem-solving and crime and disorder



reduction. It is the source of further intelligence which can be used

in future policing operations.

You should get used to debriefings as often as possible.

There are several methods for organising a debrief:

• Chronological – with the main participants talking through the

incident as it unfolded;

• Using the IIMARC briefing structure;

• Using structured questioning to bring out the information;

• Free Style – not imposing an order but allowing participants to

raise points as they think of them.

Make sure that all the intelligence discovered during an operation has

been entered onto your Criminal Intelligence System.

Recording of Notes at the Scene

During the course of your police career you will attend a great many

incidents, a proportion of which will result in you having to attend

court to give evidence. At the court you will be expected to provide a

clear, honest and accurate account of the incident, even though it

may be months after the incident has occurred. Will you be able to

recall the incident in detail?

In order to assist you the court will allow you to refresh your memory

from original notes you made at the time of the incident. Under

normal circumstances those notes will be recorded in your Pocket

Notebook/Evidence and Actions Book.

What to Record

The type of information you record in your pocket notebook/evidence

and actions book will vary according to the particular type of incident

you are dealing with, but there are certain pieces of information you

should record at all incidents.



Remember your pocket notebook /evidence and actions notebook is

your record of the incident and you can write as many notes as you

feel you need, provided they are notes made at the time.

Information common to all incidents

• Time sent or informed of the incident

• Time of arrival at the scene

• Name, address and telephone number of the person(s)

reporting the incident

• The nature of the incident (e.g. road traffic collision; assault;

domestic dispute etc)

• The time the incident actually occurred

• The exact location where the incident occurred

• Names, addresses and telephone numbers of persons involved

• Names, addresses and telephone numbers of any witnesses

• Details of what has occurred

Depending on the type of incident you may record all or some of the

following information:

• Records of any interview conducted at the scene (a

contemporaneous notes interview) with questions and answers

recorded in direct speech

• Times of cautions given and record of any replies given (in

direct speech)

• Descriptions of suspects

• Details of property stolen including a value and description

• Details of property damaged including value and description of

the damage



• Names, addresses and telephone numbers of any persons

injured together with details of injuries sustained

• Vehicle descriptions including registration numbers

• Damage caused to vehicles

• Road and weather conditions

• Lighting conditions (e.g. daylight, night, street lighting)

This is not an exhaustive list. You should make a record of anything

you consider may be of assistance to you in your enquiries and in

recalling the incident later.

Evidential Notes

The term evidential notes refer to records of information that may be

used as evidence in any subsequent legal proceedings, whether it is

in the criminal courts or the civil courts.

The type of information listed above falls within the area of evidential

notes.

However, the notes must be original notes made at the time. If they

are not, then you will not be permitted to refer to them whilst giving

your evidence. The consequence of this is that a case might be lost

because of your inability to accurately recall the incident.

Non-Evidential Notes

Your pocket notebook/evidence and actions book may be used to

record information that is not of an evidential nature, but which may

assist you in carrying out your duties. Such information could

include:

• Information given to you at pre-patrol briefings (e.g. details of

stolen vehicles; wanted or missing persons; details of recent



burglaries in the area etc.)

• Details of persons stopped and searched

• Details of PNC vehicle and persons checks you conduct

Contemporaneous Records of Interview

In the majority of cases when you arrest a suspect you will conduct

an audibly recorded interview.

It is compulsory for all interviews with persons who have been

cautioned in respect of offences triable on indictment (including

either way offences) to be recorded.

Recording is not required for offences triable summarily only and

contemporaneous notes are usually used when interviewing a

suspect for a summary offence (such as a road traffic offence

committed at the time of a road traffic collision) when you intend to

deal with the offence by way of summons, and it cannot be simply

resolved by reporting at the scene.

An important thing you need to remember is that this is a verbatim

and contemporaneous record of what both you and the person

being interviewed have said, which you are writing down on the

MG15 forms or in your pocket notebook/evidence and actions book.

You must also bear in mind that the purpose of an interview is for an

interviewee to give their explanation of the facts.

Many forces now conduct audibly recorded interviews for all matters

of a summary nature such as road traffic collisions. However, you

may have to use contemporaneous notes if, for example, the

recorder is defective or the facilities for conducting them are not

available where you are stationed or the person refuses to be audibly

interviewed.



If a person, for some reason, is interviewed by contemporaneous

notes after arrest, the introduction to interview follows the same

format as for audibly recorded interviews after arrest that is by

offering the right to Legal advice etc.

Contemporaneous notes interviews (when the person has not been

arrested) can be conducted almost anywhere. If the interview is at

the persons home address the interviewee still has the same rights

as any other person being interviewed under caution, at all times

fairness must be adhered to.

There are rights that every person is entitled to whilst at a police

station or whilst being interviewed at another place, We will look at

each of these in turn.

Person’s rights other than at a police station

This is what the Codes of Practice say about a person’s rights, when

cautioned but not under arrest:

“Whenever a person not under arrest is initially cautioned, or

reminded they are under caution, that person must at the

same time be told they are not under arrest and free to leave

if they want to.” (Code C 10.2)

This means that persons who are not under arrest are under no

obligation to speak to police officers or answer questions if they do

not wish to do so (apart from civic or moral duty). Police officers in

turn have no authority to detain them for these purposes. However,

a police officer may subsequently decide to arrest them. If, under

these circumstances for example, you were asked to leave the

person’s home address because the person does not want you there

or does not wish to answer questions about the incident, then you

must leave. Failure to leave when asked (apart from any other



powers you may have) would make you a trespasser and you would

not be in the lawful execution of your duty if you remained on their

premises.

Person’s rights at a police station

Persons attending a police station voluntarily:

“Anybody attending a police station voluntarily to assist with

an investigation may leave at will unless arrested. If it is

decided they shall not be allowed to leave they must be

informed at once that they are under arrest and brought

before the custody officer, who is responsible for making sure

they are notified of their rights in the same way as other

detainees. If they are not arrested but are cautioned as in

Section 10, the person who gives the caution must, at the

same time, inform them they are not under arrest, they are

not obliged to remain at the station but if they remain at the

station they may obtain free and independent legal advice if

they want. They shall be told the right to legal advice

includes the right to speak with a solicitor on the telephone

and be asked if they want to do so.” (Code C 3:21)

This means that before any questions are asked the interviewee can

consult privately with a solicitor. However, if the interviewee is not

at a police station, this entitlement would be at their own expense.

“If a person attending a police station voluntarily asks about

their entitlement to legal advice, they shall be given a copy of

the notice explaining the arrangements for obtaining legal

advice.” (Code C 3.22)

This means that if a person who is to be interviewed enquires about

legal advice they must be given a notice of entitlement to this right.

This is the same notice of entitlement that is given to detainees on



arrival in custody.

In a contemporaneous notes interview you are writing out your

question then reading it out to your subject, who then dictates their

reply which you then record word for word ... not your version of it.

You can therefore see the importance of planning your interview.

This means that you need to be fully conversant with all facts, have

all the relevant documents and paperwork to hand and know your

points to prove.

Record Format

Your interview should begin with an introduction, an example of

which is the following:

“I am (Rank, No) ... stationed at ... (name of station).

I wish to ask you some questions about ... (brief details).

Firstly I must caution you that you do not have to say anything, but

it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned

something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may

be given in evidence. Do you understand?”

R: “...”

‘R’ is sufficient to show you are now going to record their verbatim

reply to your question, as you should all the replies that are given.

However you do it, it is good practice to print their responses in block

capitals so they are clear and obvious as being the subject’s.

Similarly, your questions should also be precluded with a suitable

indication that they came from you, such as ‘Q’ or ‘Question’, or your

collar number or surname.

You should then continue:

Q: “I should also point out that you are not under arrest and you



are free to terminate this interview and leave the police station

at any time. You may, if you wish, consult with a solicitor free

of charge before continuing with this interview. Do you require

the services of a solicitor?”

R: “...”.

If this interview was being conducted at a place other than a police

station you would instead include:

Q: “I should also point out that you are not under arrest and you

are free to terminate this interview at any time. You may, if you

wish, consult with a solicitor at your own expense before

continuing with this interview. Do you require the services of a

solicitor?”

R: “….”

Should this person request a solicitor and the interview needs to be

postponed until a solicitor is available, then the interview must be

terminated and recorded as such.

Because an interview has been started, the record must be made

available for disclosure purposes.

You will then continue:

Q: “This interview will be recorded contemporaneously, and you will

be invited to sign each page in acknowledgement that it is a true

and accurate record of interview. Do you understand?”

R: “…..”

You can now continue to conduct your interview.

Remember that you must seek to prove or disprove the offence and

also any other offences which are disclosed during the interview.

Your questioning must be pertinent and professional both in content

and style. This document will be an exhibit for court, so it must be

completed accurately.



After you have completed all your questions, and given your subject

an opportunity to say anything further, you must then report them

for any offences disclosed, just as you would do out on patrol.

This would take the form literally of:

“I must inform you that you are being reported for the offence of…”

You must then give the ‘now caution’ and record this as part of

the interview. Any reply should be noted. If no reply is made

you should record the fact.

Some supervisors may prefer you to word the reporting process

differently, so be guided by them and your tutor when on

division.

At the end of the interview, the final thing you should write is:

I have been asked to read this interview and I agree that this is a

true and accurate record of what was said. I have been given

the opportunity to correct, alter or add anything I wish.

If the suspect, having read through the record, is not satisfied with

what has been recorded and wishes to correct, alter or add anything,

then you must ensure that the record is amended accordingly. Once

they are satisfied with the record, you must ask them to sign it after

the last word.

A contemporaneous notes interview is the same as making or taking

a written statement. Any errors or mistakes should be clearly

crossed out with a single and neat line, and the error initialled by the

person being interviewed.

Do not scribble over any word so that it is illegible.

Do not leave blank lines between your sentences.

On occasions you may interview with another officer, this can be

carried out in a number of ways:



• both officers may ask questions during the interview. In this

scenario the officers’ collar numbers or surnames should be

recorded in the ‘person speaking’ column to avoid any

confusion, or

• one officer may ask the questions and the second officer may

write down what has been said during the interview.

Finally, do not forget that this ‘exhibit’ must be referred to in your

own statement with the appropriate reference.

Crime Reporting

The HMIC Thematic Inspection Report, ‘On the Record’ [2000]

confirmed an inconsistent pattern of recording of crime and incidents

between forces. It also highlighted the different approach being

taken by forces to crime recording, with some forces adopting an

‘evidential’ approach, whilst others took a more ‘prima facie’

approach.

The evidential approach implied crimes were only being recorded

when there was clear evidence to support the allegation that a crime

had occurred. The prima facie approach led to the recording of a

crime whenever suspicion arose that a crime had occurred, whether

there was proof of this or not.

The National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) implemented by all

forces on 1 April 2002 (revised with effect from 1 April 2003)

deliberately steers away from this issue of evidential versus prima

facie to adopt a more victim-focused approach to crime recording

with a desire to improve consistency. Greater emphasis is placed on

what the victim perceives as a crime, which is in line with the

approach now taken to the recording of hate crime. Where the victim

believes a crime has occurred, this will usually be enough to record a

crime, even if no investigation is wished for.



The Standards

The standard sets out three basic principles for the recording of

crimes for forces to follow:

• All reports of incident, whether from victims, witnesses or third

parties and whether crime related or not, will result in the

registration of an incident report.

• Following the initial registration, an incident will be recorded as

a crime (notifiable offence) if, on the balance of probability:

(a) the circumstances as reported amount to a crime defined

by law, and

(b) there is no credible evidence to the contrary.

Once recorded, a crime will remain recorded unless there is credible

evidence to disprove that a crime has occurred.

It is important that the Standard supports a victim focused approach

to crime recording where the public’s call for service is met, as

opposed to a proactive one where the police are required to trawl for

potential crimes.

This does not mean that every single incident will be recorded as a

crime. An example would be where an incident involving a small-

scale disturbance in the street is seen on a public CCTV, and officers

attend but all parties have left the scene and there are no obvious

injuries. This should be recorded as a crime related incident for

intelligence purposes, but this is not a recorded crime.

Allegations of Crime

An allegation should be considered as made, at the point of first

contact, i.e. the stage at which the victim or a person reasonably

assumed to be acting on behalf of the victim first makes contact with

the police, be that by phone, etc or in person. If an alleged or



possible victim cannot be contacted or later refuses to provide further

detail, the Crime Recording Decision Making Process (CRDMP) should

be based on all available first contact information.

The fact that a person is drunk or otherwise impaired might have a

bearing on the balance of probability issue within the CRDMP. As a

minimum a crime related incident must be recorded and followed up

by the police when the person is in a fit state. However, if at the

time of reporting supporting evidence exists, a crime should be

recorded, regardless of the victim’s condition.

An unwillingness to support an investigation or prosecution should

not be allowed to negatively influence the CRDMP.

Unable to Trace Victim

Where there are grounds to suspect that a victim related crime (i.e. a

crime requiring victim confirmation for it to be complete) may have

taken place but no victim (or person reasonably assumed to be

acting on behalf of the victim) can immediately be found or

identified, the matter should be recorded as a crime related incident

until such time as the victim is located or comes forward.

For example, apparent or possible criminal activity, such as damage

to bus shelters, telephone kiosks, forensic items (blood) etc, which

does not in itself amount to evidence of a crime, coming to the

attention of the police after the incident either personally or via third

parties, would not initially be recorded as a crime but as a crime

related incident and enquiries should be carried out to locate the

victim.

Police Action

You should take the following general action in all cases of crime

reported to you:



• obtain all possible information from witnesses and victims

• complete a crime report and submit before going off duty

• inform supervising officers and CID, dependent upon type or

seriousness of offence.

Collection of Information

The most important factor relating to any information obtained is its

accuracy. Inaccurate or incomplete information could seriously affect

the course of enquiries. For example, criminals are frequently known

to commit certain extraordinary acts, which are in no way associated

with the crime, for example disturbing beds, consuming food or

urinating on the floor. This must be recorded.

The smallest detail of information may help identify a criminal.

Information for feeding into the system can be obtained from the

scene of the crime, witnesses and, of course, the criminal.

Recording of Information

You will normally record information of the modus operandi system:

• in your pocket notebook/evidence and actions book and

• on the crime report.

Modus Operandi System

You need to compare two aspects of a crime by using the modus

operandi file:

• the method by which a crime is committed

• the method by which a known criminal operates.

When these two methods are found to be very similar, identification

can be made.

This method of identification requires full and accurate information to



be supplied. A police officer submits this information when a crime

report is submitted and when a criminal is arrested.

The ten points of the modus operandi system

The points to be borne in mind when collecting information for the

system are:

Style the style of deception used in criminal deception cases,

e.g. dressed as a church minister, documents claiming to

be an insurance collector

Time relative to an event (not to the clock), e.g. only on

market days, early closing days, on certain days of the

months

Objective the objective of the crime, e.g. gain, lust, revenge

Pal accomplice or friend

Class the class of person or property attacked

Reason reason for being in the area, the criminal’s self-account,

their history of accomplishment etc.

Instrument instrument used to commit the crime, e.g. crowbar, could

be unusual bodily force (sitting on victim)

Mode mode of transport used to commit the crimes

Entry the actual point where entry was made

Signature something unusual done by the criminal, their ‘signature’,

e.g. creates an escape route by wedging doors open,

closes curtains, ejaculates into women’s underwear,

defecates.

When a crime report is submitted as many of these details as are

applicable should be included. It may then be possible to match an

offender to a crime because of a similar modus operandi.



Crime Report

Upon receiving a complaint of a crime, a crime report is completed by

an officer who may visit the scene of the crime. The purpose of a

crime report is to provide a permanent record setting out the details

of the crime. It also helps with the collation of official statistics.

The style of crime reports differs from force to force, but the

following details may be included:

• victim’s details: name and address, date and place of birth,

occupation, sex

• place of offence, time and date committed

• details of offence

• injury to victim and type of weapon used

• value of property stolen, recovered, damaged

• property stolen identifiable, non-identifiable, recovered

The importance

• means of disposal of offence (used for statistical purposes and is

generally completed by a supervisor and relates to whether or not

the crime was detected)

• officers attending scene

• persons wanted or suspected

• circulations if appropriate

• date supplementary crime report due (this may be subject to local

procedure and does not always appear)

• date and by whom victim was informed of the result of the

investigation. If you are investigating an offence it is important to

keep the victim informed of your progress.

Crime recording is the first function along the investigative

trail

A significant contributing factor to a successful investigation is the



of the first

investigator’s

crime report

Emphasis on

obtaining

information,

evidence and

intelligence

The initial

investigation of

volume crime

incidents needs

to be approached

in the same

manner as

serious crime

incidents

Investigation and

detection

opportunities can

be lost

first investigator’s crime report. It is a mistake for any officer to

believe that their role is to just record details and that another unit is

responsible for investigating the crime. It should be recognised that

crime recording is the first function along the investigative trail.

There should be an emphasis on obtaining information, evidence and

intelligence, rather than simply recording allegations. If this is not

the case, it is unlikely that the resulting crime reports will be detailed

or accurate enough to enable correct assessment. Therefore, the

quality of the actions taken and recorded bears greatly upon the

successful resolution of a case. If the initial gathering of witness

details, collection of physical evidence, identification of lines of

enquiry, conducting of searches and the arrest of outstanding

offenders is poor, it can affect the outcome of the investigation.

Initial Investigation of Volume Crime

The initial investigation of volume crime incidents needs to be

approached in the same manner as serious crime incidents, in the

manner outlined above. The ACPO (2009) Practice Advice on the

Management of Priority and Volume Crime (2nd Ed) highlighted that

The Police Service in the UK has an excellent reputation for

investigating serious crimes but this is not the case for volume crime.

Despite impressive reduction rates, the performance of the Police

Service in solving volume crime is perceived by many as having the

scope for improvement.

The Practice Advice on The Management of Priority and Volume

Crime guidance identified the importance of the initial investigation of

volume crime incidents. As with serious crime incidents, volume

crime incidents should also be investigated along the same principles

as outlined in the previous paragraph. If this is not the case, not

only are investigation and detection opportunities lost, but the data

that drives many other functions, e.g., analysis, identification of



Effect on public

confidence

Officers attending

all types of crime

scenes should do

more than simply

record details

offenders or hot spots, will be inadequate.

In addition, poor or inadequate initial and/or primary investigations

are likely to have an adverse impact on the confidence that the public

have in the police, and will do little to reassure the community.

In conclusion, police officers or police staff attending all types of

crime scenes should do more than simply record details. Officers

should conduct comprehensive investigations, reassure the

immediate community and maximise forensic opportunities.

Descriptions of Suspects

It is very probable that whilst taking details of a report of a crime,

the person reporting will provide you with a description of the

suspected offender.

If the person providing the description is a witness or potential

witness to the offence, then the description must be recorded in

writing, exactly as it is given.

This is known as a ‘First Description’.

If a suspect is arrested for the offence, the first description of a

suspect provided by any witness must be disclosed to the defence as

part of initial disclosure.

(See Student Notes relating to Disclosure)

Case Papers (Manual of Guidance)

When a person has been arrested and charged or reported for

summons with an offence(s) all the relevant evidence and

information in respect of the case must be collated into a prosecution

file.

The forms that are used to collate this evidence and information are



a set of nationally agreed forms that are contained in the Manual of

Guidance (MoG).

This document can be found by following the link:

https://polka.pnn.police.uk/GPDocuments/38/Guidance%20and%20

Doctrine/Guidance/The%20Prosecution%20Team%20Manual%20of%

20Guidance%202011/MoG%20Final%202011%20(July).pdf

It should be noted that this document (MoG) has been updated in

respect of the MG5 form; this is covered in an e learning programme

mentioned later in these notes.

When the file is complete it is submitted to the Crown Prosecution

Service (CPS) who are responsible for prosecuting the offence in

court.

There are two types of file:

1. Post Charge Expedited File or

2. Post Charge Evidential File

A Post Charge Expedited File is required in all cases where the

circumstances are straightforward and a guilty plea is anticipated. In

other words, a simple theft and the accused has admitted the

offence, in this case the MG5 form should be used as per the

Streamlined process covered later.

A Post Charge Evidential File is required in all cases where the

accused has indicated they intend to plead not guilty at court or the

offence is likely to be heard at Crown Court.

If there is any doubt about which type of file is required for a

particular case, you should seek advice from your supervisor, your

Criminal Justice Unit or where necessary from the CPS.


https://polka.pnn.police.uk/GPDocuments/38/Guidance%20and%20Doctrine/Guidance/The%20Prosecution%20Team%20Manual%20of%20Guidance%202011/MoG%20Final%202011%20(July).pdf




Post Charge Expedited File

This type of file must be submitted for the first hearing in all cases

including those where a remand in custody or conditional bail is

sought.

Remand cases

If a remand in custody or on conditional bail is sought, the Post

Charge Expedited File must contain sufficient information for the CPS

to :

i. Review the police recommendation for a remand in

custody or on conditional bail (on form MG7); and

ii. Make representations in court as to the length of any

adjournment required.

There are some additional considerations where a remand is being

sought:

• The Expedited File should be available to the CPS lawyer at the

court or other locally agreed point at least 1 hour before the court

commences;

The officer in the case is not usually required to attend a remand

hearing unless requested by the CPS or special circumstances apply,

such as the seriousness or complexity of the case.

List of MG Forms

The following documents are available

MG1 - File front sheet

MG2 - Initial Witness Assessment

MG3 - Report to Crown Prosecutor for Charging Decision

MG3A - Further Report to Crown Prosecutor for Charging

Decision

MG4 - Charge sheet



MG4A - Conditional Bail – Grant/Variation

MG4B - Request to Vary Conditional Bail

MG4C - Surety/Security

MG5 - Police Report

MG6 - Case file information

MG6A – Record of Pre-Interview Briefing

MG6B - Police Officer’s Disciplinary Record

MG6C - Police Schedule of Non-sensitive Unused Material

MG6D - Police Schedule of Sensitive Material

MG6E - Disclosure Officer’s Report

MG7 – Remand Application

MG8 – Breach of Bail Conditions

MG9 – Witness List

MG10 - Witness Non-Availability

MG11 - Witness statement

MG12 – Exhibit List

MG14 – Conditional Caution

MG15 – Record of Interview

MG16 – Evidence of Bad Character and/or Dangerous Offender

Information

MG18 – Other Offences (TIC)

MG19 – Compensation Claim

MG20 – Further Evidence/Information Report

MG(c) – Continuation Sheet

MG21 - Submission of work for scientific examination

MG21A – Submission of additional work for scientific examination

MGNFA - No Further Action letter template

MGDD (A) and (B) – Drink Drive forms

Copy of documentary exhibits/photos

Police racist incident form/crime report

Ideally these documents should be typed. Where this is not possible



for the first hearing because of time constraints, they may be

handwritten, but they must be clearly legible. However, where a

defendant is committed to the Crown Court for sentence these

documents must be typed.

Expedited File – Information

• Must also be submitted for those cases that are initiated by

summons

• The content of an expedited file must be sufficient to allow the

CPS to review the case and satisfy themselves as to the

evidential sufficiency and public interest. This requires that

evidence be supplied of the elements of each offence charged.

This evidence will come from the statements of witnesses and

from admissions made by the accused when interviewed

• Expedited files should include ‘key’ witness statements,

including a statement from the victim where applicable. The

statements of key witnesses are required to prove the

elements of the offence(s) charged

Note: All witness statements, whether ‘key’ or not, should be placed

in the following order:

• Victim/main witness

• Non police witness

• Expert witness

• Other police officers in the chronological order they

witnessed events

• Officer in the case

• Where a police officer’s evidence is confined only to arrest,

interview and/or charging but provides no evidence of any

elements of the offence(s) charged a statement is not required



• Where the officer can give evidence of an element of an

offence (e.g. as an eye witness or victim) the statement, which

is ‘key’ should include all involvement in the case i.e. arrest,

interview etc. Corroborative statements are not key

If a tape recorded interview has been conducted, a record of the

interview should be prepared on either an MG5 or MG15.

• This is an important part of the file. Poor quality records of

interview may lead to requests for adjournment by the defence

and further work for the police officer concerned

• Key statements and records of interview should be typed

wherever possible. Where this is not possible they must be

clearly legible. These documents must be typed where a

defendant has been committed to the Crown Court for

sentence

• A case summary (MG 5) will not normally be required on an

Expedited File

• There may be straightforward guilty plea cases where it is

considered necessary for the defendant to be detained and

appear in custody. In these cases the MG7must be included

on the file. This will enable the court to take appropriate

bail/custody decisions in the event that the case cannot be

finalised at the first hearing

• Commencing with the MG1 the relevant documents should be

presented in numerical order.

• Further upgrading will not be required if the case is disposed of

at the first court appearance. If a defendant decides to enter

a ‘not guilty’ plea at court, or elects to have the case heard at

Crown Court, a Full File (referred to later) will have to be

prepared.



Post Charge Evidential File

A Post Charge Evidential File is required for an early administrative

hearing (EAH). An EAH is a preliminary court hearing for all cases

that are unlikely to be disposed of at a first hearing by way of a

guilty plea.

If an indictable only offence has been charged, and the case is

certain to proceed to the Crown Court for trial, it would be

appropriate to anticipate the requirement for a Full File (referred to

later) and begin its preparation as soon as possible.

A Post Charge Evidential File may be required in child abuse, racial

incidents and domestic violence cases.

The CPS can also request an Evidential File for any case to enable

them to review the case.

Post Charge Evidential File Content

The following documents must always be included in an Evidential

File.


MG3 - Report to crown prosecutor for charging decision

MG4 - Copy of charge sheet or summons(es)

MG5 - Police report

MG6(s) - Confidential information forms

MG10 - Witness non-availability form

*MG11 - Copies and originals of all witness statements

*MG12 - Exhibits list

* MG5 or MG15

Phoenix print (suspect pre-cons, cautions, etc)



Some cases may require the inclusion of additional forms. These

should be included in the file where applicable and if available.

MG2 - Initial witness statements

MG3A - Further report to crown prosecutor for charging

decision

MG4A - Police conditional bail form

MG4B - Request to vary bail conditions form

MG4C - Surety/Security forms

MG7 - Remand Application

MG11 - Other witness statements already taken

MG18 - Offences taken into consideration

MG19 - Compensation forms and supporting documents

Police racist incident form/ crime report

*Ideally these documents should be typed. Where this is not

possible for the first hearing because of time constraints, they may

be handwritten, but they must be clearly legible. However, where

a defendant is committed to the Crown Court for sentence these

documents must be typed.

Post Charge Evidential File Information

• Commencing with the MG1 the relevant documents should be

presented in numerical order

• In cases where the defendant has been interviewed on tape, a

copy of the tape(s) should be sent to the CPS with the file

unless a tape has already been supplied

• Original exhibits are not required unless requested by CPS.

Wherever possible, copies of exhibits should be included in the



file.



A new system of

preparing some

types of case files

prior to their

submission at a

magistrate’s

court

You should

complete the e-

learning package

entitled

Streamlined

Process

The Streamlined Process of Building Case

Files

After reading these student notes up to this point, you should

understand what is usually involved in the process of building a

prosecution case file. However, you now also need to be aware of

the Streamlined Process. The Streamlined Process forms part of the

Government’s programme to improve efficiency and effectiveness

and is a new system of preparing some types of case files prior to

their submission at a magistrate’s court. Its aim is to reduce

(streamline) the contents of some case files by taking into account

the circumstances of the case and the likely plea to be offered at

court.

Overall, the Streamlined Process aims to provide a more

proportionate prosecution file to process anticipated guilty plea cases

which are suitable for sentencing in the magistrates’ court and for

that file to be sufficient for the first hearing in likely contested

(anticipated not guilty plea) cases.

The Streamlined Process will have a significant impact on how you

produce some case files, for example by its provisions for

streamlining statements and therefore you should complete the e-

learning package entitled Streamlined Process, which is available by

accessing the Managed Learning Environment (MLE) on the National

Centre for Applied Learning Technology (NCALT) website at

www.ncalt.com and can be found under OCJR Office for Criminal

Justice Reform - National Prosecution Team - Streamlined Process

After completing the Streamlined Process e-learning package you will

understand what is required by the Streamlined Process and

understand the principles behind the process. You will also be able


http://www.ncalt.com/

http://mle.ncalt.pnn.police.uk/MLE/lang-en-gb/taxonomy/TAX_NodeDetails.asp?RootNodeID=246&UserMode=0&Action=show&NodeID=781


to confidently and competently prepare case files to a set standard in

line with the Streamlined Process prior to presentation at court.

Pre-Charge Reports

We have just covered post charge files and discussed how those files

are submitted to the CPS in order for the cases to be tried at court.

However, how are the charges decided upon?

The Director's Guidance on Charging 2011 - fourth edition, January

2011 (revised arrangements) states:

http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/directors_guidance/dpp_guidanc

e_4.html

The police may charge any Summary Only offence (including criminal

damage where the value of the loss or damage is less than £5000)

irrespective of plea and any either way offence anticipated as a

guilty plea and suitable for sentence in a magistrates' court,

provided it is not:

• a case requiring the consent to prosecute of the DPP or Law

Officer;

• a case involving a death;

• connected with terrorist activity or official secrets;

• classified as Hate Crime or Domestic Violence under CPS

Policies;

• an offence of Violent Disorder or Affray;

• causing Grievous Bodily Harm or Wounding, or Actual Bodily

Harm;

• a Sexual Offences Act offence committed by or upon a person

under 18;


http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/directors_guidance/dpp_guidance_4.html

http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/directors_guidance/dpp_guidance_4.html


• an offence under the Licensing Act 2003

In all other cases, advice from the CPS must be obtained. In some

force areas CPS have duty staff available in custody areas just for

this reason.

In order for the CPS or Custody Officer to make a charging decision

pre-charge reports will usually have to be submitted. There are two

types of pre-charge reports:

1. Pre-Charge Expedited Report or

2. Pre-Charge Evidential Report

So to recap

A Pre-Charge Expedited Report will be submitted for a charging

decision when a guilty plea in magistrates’ court is likely.

A Pre-Charge Evidential Report will be submitted for a charging

decision when a not guilty plea is anticipated and/or the case will be

heard in the Crown Court.

A guilty plea is more likely if the suspect has clearly admitted the

offence during interview or there is compelling evidence such as

CCTV evidence where the offender is clearly identified.

When submitting reports to CPS the content must be sufficient to

allow their staff to review the case against the evidential and public

interest tests in the Code for Crown prosecutors:

• There must be enough evidence to provide a realistic prospect

of conviction against the defendant and

• It must be in the public interest before the case can proceed

If there is any background information, which is considered useful for

the CPS to know, you can include it on the form MG6, especially in

domestic violence cases.



Please refer to the MOG for the forms required to complete and

submit pre-charge reports.

Once a charging decision has been made, the Expedited or Evidential

reports that you have submitted form the basis of the case file for

the first hearing at court.

Upgrade to Full File

The term ‘Full File’ has previously been referred to in these notes.

Full files will be required in the following circumstances:

• The accused is charged with an indictable offence (triable only

at the Crown Court).

In other words you will complete a Full File from the outset.

• Where there is a change of plea from ‘guilty’ to ‘not guilty’ at a

first court appearance.

You will receive notification to upgrade your previously submitted file

to a Full File.

The additional forms required to complete a Full File are listed in the

MoG

File Submission Times

There are strict guidelines regarding the length of time allowed to

submit a case file to the CPS. Officers should commence the

preparation of case files as soon as a suspect is charged or an

information is laid (summons cases).



Knowledge Check

1. Explain the acronym ‘ELBOWS’

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

2. Explain the procedure when a mistake is made in an entry in a

pocket notebook or evidence and actions book.

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

3. State the purpose of briefings.

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

4. Explain the SAFCOM model of briefing.

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________



5. Distinguish between evidential and non-evidential notes.

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

6. When and where can a contemporaneous notes interview be

conducted?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

7. Outline a suspect's rights in relation to a contemporaneous

notes interview.

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

8. What action should you take when a crime is reported to you?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

9. What information should be included in a crime report?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________



_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

10.List the ten points of the Modus Operandi system.

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

11.What actions should you take in relation to descriptions of

suspects?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

12.Which MG forms must be included in a Post Charge Expedited

File?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________



Knowledge Check Answers

1. Explain the acronym ‘ELBOWS’

PNB/EAB Rules can be summarised by the mnemonic

‘ELBOWS’

NO E rasures

NO L eaves torn out

NO B lank spaces

NO O overwriting

NO W writing between lines And

S statements in direct speech

2. Explain the procedure when a mistake is made in an

entry in a pocket notebook or evidence and actions

book.

There are two ways of dealing with any error you may make.

How you correct it depends on when you realise your mistake.

If you realise immediately that you have written the wrong

word(s), you can cross-out the incorrect word(s) with a single

line and initial it, then enter the correct word(s) alongside. It

is important that the crossed-out word(s) can still be read.

If the error is not noticed at the time, cross-out the

incorrect word(s), initial and enter the letter ‘A’ above the

error, or if it is something left out, above the space where



the addition is required. Additional errors should be labelled

‘B’ and ‘C’, etc. These ‘inserts’ can then be placed at the

end of your entry before it is signed, as shown below.

3. State the purpose of briefings.

These are held so that up-to-date information and intelligence

can be passed to officers in order that they are able to patrol

effectively and reduce crime and disorder.

4. Explain the SAFCOM model of briefing.

A structure that is employed when briefing staff concerning

the tactics and resources to be used in order to address a

particular policing problem is referred to as

SAFCOM:

S Situation – the situation or problem as we know it.

A Aim – what we intend to do about it.

F Factors – what have we to consider? Factors that may affect

the operation; what steps need to be taken to reduce risk;

necessary resources.

C Choices – All the various solutions available to us.

O Option (preferred) – the choice we prefer after assessment

and analysis of all options.

M Monitoring – how we will review the operation? How will

success be measured; mobile phones; all communications

through Op. Commander or Control Room.



5. Distinguish between evidential and non-evidential

notes.

The term evidential notes refer to records of information that

may be used as evidence in any subsequent legal

proceedings, whether it is in the criminal courts or the civil

courts.

Non-evidential notes are notes that are not of an evidential

nature, but which may assist you in carrying out your duties.

Such information could include:

• Information given to you at pre-patrol briefings (e.g.

details of stolen vehicles; wanted or missing persons;

details of recent burglaries in the area etc.)

• Details of persons stopped and searched

• Details of PNC vehicle and persons checks you conduct

6. When and where can a contemporaneous notes

interview be conducted?

In the majority of cases when you arrest a suspect you will

conduct an audibly recorded interview.

It is compulsory for all interviews with persons who have been

cautioned in respect of offences triable on indictment

(including either way offences) to be recorded.

Recording is not required for offences triable summarily only

and contemporaneous notes are usually used when

interviewing a suspect for a summary offence (such as a road

traffic offence committed at the time of a road traffic collision)

when you intend to deal with the offence by way of summons,

and it cannot be simply resolved by reporting at the scene.

An important thing you need to remember is that this is a

verbatim and contemporaneous record of what both you and



the person being interviewed have said, which you are writing

down on the MG15 forms or in your pocket notebook/evidence

and actions book.

7. Outline a suspect's rights in relation to a

contemporaneous notes interview.

“Whenever a person not under arrest is initially cautioned, or

reminded they are under caution, that person must at the

same time be told they are not under arrest and free to leave

if they want to.” (Code C 10.2)

“Anybody attending a police station voluntarily to assist with

an investigation may leave at will unless arrested. If it is

decided they shall not be allowed to leave they must be

informed at once that they are under arrest and brought

before the custody officer, who is responsible for making sure

they are notified of their rights in the same way as other

detainees. If they are not arrested but are cautioned as in

Section 10, the person who gives the caution must, at the

same time, inform them they are not under arrest, they are

not obliged to remain at the station but if they remain at the

station they may obtain free and independent legal advice if

they want. They shall be told the right to legal advice includes

the right to speak with a solicitor on the telephone and be

asked if they want to do so.” (Code C 3:21)

8. What action should you take when a crime is reported to

you?

You should take the following general action in all cases of

crime reported to you:



• obtain all possible information from witnesses and victims

• complete a crime report and submit before going off duty

• inform supervising officers and CID, dependent upon

type or seriousness of offence.

9. What information should be included in a crime report?

The following details may be included:

• victim’s details: name and address, date and place of

birth, occupation, sex

• place of offence, time and date committed

• details of offence

• injury to victim and type of weapon used

• value of property stolen, recovered, damaged

• property stolen identifiable, non-identifiable, recovered

• means of disposal of offence (used for statistical

purposes and is generally completed by a supervisor and

relates to whether or not the crime was detected)

• officers attending scene

• persons wanted or suspected

• circulations if appropriate

• date supplementary crime report due (this may be

subject to local procedure and does not always appear)

• date and by whom victim was informed of the result of

the investigation. If you are investigating an offence it is

important to keep the victim informed of your progress.

10. List the ten points of the Modus Operandi system.

Style the style of deception used in criminal deception



cases, e.g. dressed as a church minister,

documents claiming to be an insurance collector

Time relative to an event (not to the clock), e.g. only

on market days, early closing days, on certain

days of the months

Objective the objective of the crime, e.g. gain, lust,

revenge

Pal accomplice or friend

Class the class of person or property attacked

Reason reason for being in the area, the criminal’s self-

account, their history of accomplishment etc.

Instrument instrument used to commit the crime, e.g.

crowbar, could be unusual bodily force (sitting on

victim)

Mode mode of transport used to commit the crimes

Entry the actual point where entry was made

Signature something unusual done by the criminal, their

‘signature’, e.g. creates an escape route by

wedging doors open, closes curtains, ejaculates

into women’s underwear, defecates.

11. What actions should you take in relation to descriptions

of suspects?

If the person providing the description is a witness or

potential witness to the offence, then the description must

be recorded in writing, exactly as it is given.

This is known as a ‘First Description’.

If a suspect is arrested for the offence, the first description of

a suspect provided by any witness must be disclosed to the



defence as part of initial disclosure.

12. Which MG forms must be included in a Post Charge

Expedited File? (If not following the Streamlined Process of

preparing case files)

The following documents must always be included:


MG4 - Copy of charge sheet(s) or summons(es)

MG5 - Summary (unless statements cover all

elements)

MG6 - Case file information

MG10 - Witness non-availability form

MG11 - Key witness statements

MG5 or MG15

Phoenix print (suspect pre-cons, cautions, etc)
