Session 1

Course Introduction

Serious & Complex

Crime Investigation 

Conducting Investigations

• Understand the difference between  'volume and priority' crime and  'serious and complex' crime and its  relevance to the investigative process

• Define 'volume and priority' crime and 'serious and  complex' investigations

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Wellbeing

• Ensure the wellbeing and  resilience of the investigative team  and self during a complex  investigation

• Welfare of self and others during an investigation 

Session 2

Introduction to

Investigative Decision

Making & Recording

Conducting Investigations

• Take into account additional  professional considerations relevant  to specific complex investigations

• Procedures for dealing with fatal and non-fatal offences 

• How to manage false accounts, allegations

• Threat, risk, harm and vulnerability of serious and complex  offending

• Demonstrate comprehensive  understanding of the knowledge and  skills required to conduct complex  investigations

• Community considerations 

  • Role of the community in investigations 

  • How they can contribute to an investigation  

  • Impact that an investigation may have on the community

Session 3

Initial Response,

Fast Track Actions

& the

Golden Hour 

Conducting Investigations

• Take into account additional  professional considerations relevant  to specific complex investigations

• Specific investigative legislation applicable eg

  • Sexual offences and offences relating to child protection, Homicide and other offences against the person

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• Fast-track actions 

• Issues/actions associated with first-hand, delayed, third party or anonymous reporting

• Demonstrate comprehensive  understanding of the knowledge and  skills required to conduct complex  investigations

• Conducting and prioritising fast-track responses in an  auditable and retrievable format

• Establishing the level of involvement in an incident or  joint criminal enterprise

Session 4

Introduction to Strategy

in Serious & Complex

Investigation

Conducting Investigations​

• Demonstrate comprehensive  understanding of the knowledge and  skills required to conduct complex  investigations

• Additional strategies that may be required to support the  investigation (e.g. use of media, mass screening etc.)

• Role of internal specialists 

  • Digital or traditional forensics specialists 

  • Area specialists e.g. modern slavery single point of contact  (SPoC) 

  • Digital Media Investigator 

  • Financial Investigator 

  • Senior Investigating Officer

• Briefing and de-briefing using recognised national formats  (i.e. IIMARCH, SAFCOM)

Session 5

Introduction to Crime 

Scene Management

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Conducting Investigations

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• Demonstrate an understanding of the setting up and management of crime scenes

• Understand the specialists who will attend a crime scene

• Explain how to set up cordons

• Analyse the various types of crime scene

Session 6

Serious

&

Complex Investigation

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Conducting Investigations​

Specific considerations to be taken into account 

• Anti-social behaviour and disputes 

• Hate crime (including the importance of proving hostility)

• Public protection (including modern slavery, human  trafficking and domestic abuse) 

• Death and serious injury on the roads  

• Public order 

• Firearms 

• Extremism 

• Terrorism

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Escalation routes 

• Police specialists (e.g. Counter Terrorism officers,  specialist public protection officers etc.) 

• Specialist organisations (e.g. Major Crime Investigative  Support (MCIS)) 

• Specialist resources (e.g. National Injuries Database (NID);  National Ballistics Intelligence Service (NABIS)) 

• Senior officer/supervisor escalation

Session 7

Strategy

Victim & Witness

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Conducting Investigations​

• Understand the intricacies  associated with victim and witness  care during a complex investigation

• Professional support that may be involved 

• Investigation, Working with  Victims and Witnesses and Prosecution and Case  Management, Victim and Witness Care

• How to work with victims e.g. special measures,  withdrawal of support for the prosecution, retraction or partial  retraction

• Victim’s right to review 

• Victim Code

• Initial assessment and management of potential  vulnerabilities of victim(s)/witness(es)/suspect(s)

• Other warrants and orders that may be required e.g.  production orders

• Engage in complex victim/witness interviews

• Dealing with a witness who becomes a suspect in complex  investigations

  • Changes in procedures when a witness becomes a  suspect 

  • Adjustments that will be made to the investigations

  • Processes that should be followed when a witness  becomes a suspect

Session 8

Strategy

Suspect

Conducting Investigations

Demonstrate comprehensive  understanding of the knowledge and  skills required to conduct complex  investigations

• Initial assessment and management of potential  vulnerabilities of suspect(s)

Session 9

Strategy

CPIA & Disclosure including PII

Conducting Investigations​

Demonstrate comprehensive  understanding of the knowledge and  skills required to conduct complex  investigations

• Public Interest Immunity (PII) and disclosure of sensitive  material

  • Classifications of sensitive material relating to Public  Interest Immunity (PII) 

  • Where the line is drawn between “sensitive” and “highly sensitive” 

  • Who decides what is in the public interest, or not

Session 10

Case management

including cold case review

Conducting Investigations

• Liaise with specialists in relation  to complex live (or cold) cases

• Role of the CPS, early engagement and pre-trial case  conferences

• Early engagement of CPS in any  serious or complex investigation. 

• The role of the CPS during an  investigation and at specific times such as pre-trial case  conferences

• Case discussions prior to engaging a specialist e.g.  Forensic Medical Examiner

  • Cost 

  • Procedures associated with engaging with specialists

  • Their role in an investigation or cold case

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• Logistics of disclosure during complex or major  investigations e.g. case management systems and databases

• What is meant by a cold case review  and the processes associated with conducing these reviews  and the benefits of conducting these.