AC 1.1 - Effectiveness of Personnel [10]
Police Officers/Detectives
- Police officers are often the first personnel to arrive at a crime scene
- Their main priority is to preserve life
- They look after causalities and attend to anyone who is seriously injured
- They also ensure the safety of the scene and those around it
- They must also ensure that evidence at the crime scene is not disturbed
or contaminated
- The police must act fast to preserve a crime scene, this is known as the
‘Golden Hour’, and they must take witness/victims statements, detain
suspects quickly and protect forensic evidence
Strengths
- The police are constantly, readily available 24/7
- They can attend crime scenes at any time during the day or night
- The police are trained to high standards to deal with victims and offenders
alike
- Some even train with specialist skills, ie. mounted police or dog handling
- This expertise makes them more effective at their role
- Additionally, since they have a crucial role of preserving life, they are
trained to tend to anyone that is harmed and administer first aid
Weaknesses
- Budget cuts led to a 44% decline in the number of PCSOs from 2010 to
2019
- Around 600 police stations closed between 2010 and 2018
- This threatens their availability, as not as many officers or units are
available to respond
- Not all officers are trained to the same level in evidence preservation —
mistakes (walking through scenes, failing to secure areas) can damage
investigations
- Discrimination is a major disadvantage of the police - highlighted by the
Stephen Lawrence case
Stephen Lawrence Case
- Stephen Lawrence, a young black man, was attacked by a gang of white
youths on the 22nd of April 1993 – this was a racially motivated attack
which the police failed to recognise
- The way the police dealt with the crime had many flaws
, - Stephen was not given first aid on the scene
- They did not protect evidence (e.g., blood traces, clothing fibres), and
witnesses were not approached effectively
- They failed to properly investigate when some of the suspects were
spotted dumping clothes they may have worn when Stephen was killed
- Due to failures in the investigation by the police, it wasn’t until 2012 that
the gang who attacked and murdered Stephen were found guilty and
convicted
- Overall, police officers are highly important and often effective, especially
because they secure the crime scene and gather the first pieces of
evidence
- However, their effectiveness is limited by staffing levels, variable training,
and human error
- Failures at this early stage can damage investigations beyond repair, as
seen in the Stephen Lawrence case
Scenes of Crime Officers
- Usually the second personnel on the crime scene
- SOCOs (also called Crime Scene Investigators) attend crime scenes to
locate, collect and preserve physical evidence such as fingerprints,
footprints, hair/fibres, blood, weapons and trace materials
- They record the scene using photography, sketches and notes to ensure
evidence is not contaminated and can be used reliably in court
- Approximately 2240 people are employed as SOCOs and related jobs in
Wales
Strengths
- Highly trained in forensic recovery methods, ensuring evidence is handled
correctly and contamination is prevented
- Improves accuracy of investigations by providing scientific evidence that
can support or challenge witness testimony
- A degree is not required for this role due to the ability to train on the job,
making it more accessible to lower income individuals and overall, a more
inclusive role
- They work in shifts and are available 24 hours a day to ensure they can
attend crime scenes quickly and are available to the police force whenever
necessary
- Their work supports justice for victims because evidence is more objective
than human memory
Police Officers/Detectives
- Police officers are often the first personnel to arrive at a crime scene
- Their main priority is to preserve life
- They look after causalities and attend to anyone who is seriously injured
- They also ensure the safety of the scene and those around it
- They must also ensure that evidence at the crime scene is not disturbed
or contaminated
- The police must act fast to preserve a crime scene, this is known as the
‘Golden Hour’, and they must take witness/victims statements, detain
suspects quickly and protect forensic evidence
Strengths
- The police are constantly, readily available 24/7
- They can attend crime scenes at any time during the day or night
- The police are trained to high standards to deal with victims and offenders
alike
- Some even train with specialist skills, ie. mounted police or dog handling
- This expertise makes them more effective at their role
- Additionally, since they have a crucial role of preserving life, they are
trained to tend to anyone that is harmed and administer first aid
Weaknesses
- Budget cuts led to a 44% decline in the number of PCSOs from 2010 to
2019
- Around 600 police stations closed between 2010 and 2018
- This threatens their availability, as not as many officers or units are
available to respond
- Not all officers are trained to the same level in evidence preservation —
mistakes (walking through scenes, failing to secure areas) can damage
investigations
- Discrimination is a major disadvantage of the police - highlighted by the
Stephen Lawrence case
Stephen Lawrence Case
- Stephen Lawrence, a young black man, was attacked by a gang of white
youths on the 22nd of April 1993 – this was a racially motivated attack
which the police failed to recognise
- The way the police dealt with the crime had many flaws
, - Stephen was not given first aid on the scene
- They did not protect evidence (e.g., blood traces, clothing fibres), and
witnesses were not approached effectively
- They failed to properly investigate when some of the suspects were
spotted dumping clothes they may have worn when Stephen was killed
- Due to failures in the investigation by the police, it wasn’t until 2012 that
the gang who attacked and murdered Stephen were found guilty and
convicted
- Overall, police officers are highly important and often effective, especially
because they secure the crime scene and gather the first pieces of
evidence
- However, their effectiveness is limited by staffing levels, variable training,
and human error
- Failures at this early stage can damage investigations beyond repair, as
seen in the Stephen Lawrence case
Scenes of Crime Officers
- Usually the second personnel on the crime scene
- SOCOs (also called Crime Scene Investigators) attend crime scenes to
locate, collect and preserve physical evidence such as fingerprints,
footprints, hair/fibres, blood, weapons and trace materials
- They record the scene using photography, sketches and notes to ensure
evidence is not contaminated and can be used reliably in court
- Approximately 2240 people are employed as SOCOs and related jobs in
Wales
Strengths
- Highly trained in forensic recovery methods, ensuring evidence is handled
correctly and contamination is prevented
- Improves accuracy of investigations by providing scientific evidence that
can support or challenge witness testimony
- A degree is not required for this role due to the ability to train on the job,
making it more accessible to lower income individuals and overall, a more
inclusive role
- They work in shifts and are available 24 hours a day to ensure they can
attend crime scenes quickly and are available to the police force whenever
necessary
- Their work supports justice for victims because evidence is more objective
than human memory
