Year 13 Criminology / Unit 3 / AC1.1
AC 1.1 Role: Police Officers
Brief outline of the role: Vital role in start of investigation. First on scene. Safeguard public and attend anyone injured at scene, arrest suspect if
possible (if they didn’t leave). Key job is to secure the scene to conserve evidence. Avoid contamination/tampering of evidence. Police detectives
lead investigation.
- Respond to 999 calls
- May be required to cordon off a scene
-
- Golden hour – period immediately after crime, act quickly for preservation and ‘fresh’ witness statements
Area STRENGTHS LIMITATIONS Relevant Case Study
Cost - Salaries start at £23,124, rising to - Top ranking (e.g., experienced chief
£45,000 for an experienced sergeant superintendents) earn up to £89,000
- May interview wrong suspect due to
Expertise - Can interview suspects – bring closer - Colin Stagg – ‘honey-pot trap’
stereotypical views
to catching criminal – can be used as to entrap suspect to coerce a
- Training used to be very different
ev in court confession seen as wrong – also
depending on the force you’re employed
- Arrest and detain powers unsuccessful
- Effective at investigating with access under. Only recently became more
consistent. - Stephen Lawrence - ineffective
to different units (e.g., narcotics, anti-
- Influenced by bias and prejudice within He was killed by white youth. -
terrorism)
person or institution. Macpherson inquiry report
- Education and degree requirement (up
- Misconduct/inappropriate use of power, feb1999 - ‘professional
to 3 years training to be a police
may attempt to cover this up incompetence, institutional
officer)- formal recognised degree lvl
- → Decreasing trustworthiness and racism and a failure of
qualification in policing
- Some work in specialised areas in prestige in community leadership by senior officers’
which they become experts (e.g., Drug
AC 1.1 Role: Police Officers
Brief outline of the role: Vital role in start of investigation. First on scene. Safeguard public and attend anyone injured at scene, arrest suspect if
possible (if they didn’t leave). Key job is to secure the scene to conserve evidence. Avoid contamination/tampering of evidence. Police detectives
lead investigation.
- Respond to 999 calls
- May be required to cordon off a scene
-
- Golden hour – period immediately after crime, act quickly for preservation and ‘fresh’ witness statements
Area STRENGTHS LIMITATIONS Relevant Case Study
Cost - Salaries start at £23,124, rising to - Top ranking (e.g., experienced chief
£45,000 for an experienced sergeant superintendents) earn up to £89,000
- May interview wrong suspect due to
Expertise - Can interview suspects – bring closer - Colin Stagg – ‘honey-pot trap’
stereotypical views
to catching criminal – can be used as to entrap suspect to coerce a
- Training used to be very different
ev in court confession seen as wrong – also
depending on the force you’re employed
- Arrest and detain powers unsuccessful
- Effective at investigating with access under. Only recently became more
consistent. - Stephen Lawrence - ineffective
to different units (e.g., narcotics, anti-
- Influenced by bias and prejudice within He was killed by white youth. -
terrorism)
person or institution. Macpherson inquiry report
- Education and degree requirement (up
- Misconduct/inappropriate use of power, feb1999 - ‘professional
to 3 years training to be a police
may attempt to cover this up incompetence, institutional
officer)- formal recognised degree lvl
- → Decreasing trustworthiness and racism and a failure of
qualification in policing
- Some work in specialised areas in prestige in community leadership by senior officers’
which they become experts (e.g., Drug
