Assessing the validity of Police and Investigations

Key Factors: Quality, Validity, Fairness, Competence, Honesty and Training

The competence of those who lead and manage determine the quality of an investigation and the Philosophy of an investigation determines its validity. All investigative failures derive from failures of philosophy, leadership and methodology. Prior to 1982 police forces used variations of a system following Byford enquiry into failures in Yorkshire Ripper case. Due to failings in this case, a new methodology known as HOLMES was enforced.

All investigators have a responsibility for carrying out the duties imposed under the Home Office Code, including recording information and retaining records of information. 

The Officer in Charge of the investigation must ensure proper procedures are in place.

The Disclosure Officer must ensure everything is completed with discipline, moderation, cross checking and evidence.

Reviewing an investigation

OIOC – Officer in overall command

SIO – Senior Investigating officer

Functional Manager – responsible for individual functions

Policy books/documents keeps a record on the Police, they are used to 

• Find fact and evidence to prove theory 
• Record Philosophy
•  Record actions taken
• Write information that can assist the defence or undermine the prosecution - record contamination of exhibits or bad character of witness
• Reviewing Investigations ensure compliance with processes are met, because not all investigators may be honest, competent or disinterested. 

It is reasonable to question the quality, validity and fairness if the structure is not defined, records are incomplete – subject to manipulation, and reviews are absent or if there is philosophy prejudice.

Understanding MIRSAP/HOLMES

MIRSAP = Major Incident Room Standard Administration Procedures  

HOLMES = Home Office Large Major Enquiry System – Computer software used by the police

The information is captured –

• Comes in as a Message e.g. M1
• Documents are marked e.g. D1
• Reports come in by officer’s e.g. R1, R1A
• Actions are time dated by the computer e.g. A1 [Actions follow messages, it is impossible for an action to be made prior to knowing the message.]
• Transcripts, statement or document are marked Y1, Y2
• Exhibits are marked with initials of officer who seized it e.g CM1  [E Numbers and X numbers should match.]

The first document to be created is known as the Crime Scene log, this is the key document that all senior investigating officers rely on.

Everything should follow in chronological order, as the HOLMES system allocates a sequential number to all data so that they can be recorded and indexed.

1.       Messages will be read, details of people and lines of enquiry can then be identified

2.       Actions will be raised, instructing an officer to close gap in knowledge of investigation

3.       Action Resulted, next iteration of cycle

4.       Investigation will then be reviewed, any problems can then be picked up before becoming an issue

5.       Result – Conclusions made

Indices

Indexing reflects the quality and accessibility of data held on documents (MIRSAP) or database (HOLMES)

• Nominal index
• Alphabetical Index
• Information Indicies (Message, Action, Statement, Report, Documents, Transcript, Exhibit)
• Index of categories (suspects, vehicles, weapons)

Each index records the date on which it was printed, and the number of days a document is held for. If these dates do not match then the indexing is very poor and highlights a corrupted investigation.

Other examples which show a level of corruption: 

1. Errors in police statements
2. Inaccuracies between police messages and actions
3. Investigation inept
4. Documents proven to be falsified
5. Disclosure failures
6. General failure to follow all reasonable lines of enquiry

This is why when we review an investigation the most crucial target is to look for anomalies, all documents are recorded which must show that it follows a continuous logical sequence. If not, you have every reason to doubt the integrity of the investigation.