Crime/Incident Recording/Investigation Policy

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1. Statement of Policy

The aim of this policy is to provide clear and consistent guidance to Dyfed-Powys Police (DPP) officers and staff in relation to the standards of crime and incident investigation, and to ensure reassurance to the public that any incident reported to the police will be recorded in line with the National Crime Recording Standards (NCRS) and the Home Office Counting Rules (HOCR) for recorded crime, appropriately risk assessed and with all safeguarding issues addressed by police or partners. This policy aims to ensure that Dyfed-Powys Police has effective systems and governance in place for crime recording, supervision and allocation to support the investigation process and standards.

This policy has been created in line with the College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice (APP) for Investigation and should be read in conjunction with national standards and powers and policies of relevant partners.

Applies (but not limited) to: All categories of Dyfed-Powys Police officers and staff, whether full-time, part-time, permanent, fixed term, temporary (including agency staff, associates and contractors), seconded staff and volunteers. Police officers, staff and volunteers accessing and using Force assets and property must have due regard to the contents of this policy.

2. Policy Scope

This policy must be followed, together with the relevant procedures and guidance notes, by all police officers and staff involved in any aspect of the recording, allocation and investigation of crimes and incidents within DPP.

Staff, officers and volunteers can find all relevant internal guidance material for this policy on the Policies and Procedures page of the intranet.

It provides clarity of roles and responsibilities, identifies the standards required and provides a reference for the decision-making process. The policy highlights the roles and functions within Response Policing, the Crime and Incident Hub, the local Investigation Units and Specialist Crime departments.

The public must be reassured that any crime reported to the police will be recorded in line with the Home Office Counting Rules (HOCR), appropriately risk-assessed and that all safeguarding issues will be addressed by police or partners.

It is essential for maintaining public confidence in the future that any decision regarding the recording, allocation and outcome of investigations is victim-focussed, proportionate, robust and consistent.

3. Powers and Policy/Legal Requirements

Any crime or incident disclosed to police must be recorded appropriately. A substantiated crime must be recorded as per Home Office Counting Rules using the in-force crime recording systems. Any Non-Crime Incident will be recorded on the force command and control system (STORM) and requires updating by the officer dealing with the incident. This ensures that, should any future incidents occur, they are easily identifiable and can be highlighted to partner agencies.

If an investigation requires the involvement of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the appropriate guidance and policies of the CPS must be used to assist investigators with regards to investigation decisions, outcomes, victims, witnesses and suspects.

For cases that involve vulnerable people, other DPP policies and those from other relevant agencies and national bodies (such as National Crime Agency and College of Policing) provide guidance and best practice.

Other internal policies around vulnerable or minority groups and individuals can provide further guidance around the recording and safeguarding standards of our policing response.

This policy should be read in conjunction with:

DPP Internal

Graded Response and Deployment Policy
Adult at Risk Policy
Crime Data Quality Audit Policy
Hate Crime Policy
Domestic Abuse Policy
Investigation and Prosecution of Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) Policy
Intelligence Policy
Investigation Interviewing Policy
LGBT Liaison Officer Policy
Missing Persons Policy
Public Protection Unit Policy
Stalking and Harassment Policy
Vulnerability Policy
Fraud Policy
Data Protection Policy
Health and Safety
DPP Code of Ethics

External

College of Policing National Decision Model (NDM)
College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice on Investigation
Home Office Counting Rules for Recorded Crime (HOCR)
National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS)
Nation Standards for Incident Recording (NSIR)
Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE)
Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996
Police and Justice Act 2006
Police Reform Act 2002
CPS Policies
Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR

4. Options and Contingencies

4.1 Crime Recording

All crime related incidents must be recorded on the force Command and Control System (STORM) to ensure that an effective audit trail has been created. All crimes must be recorded in accordance with the NCRS and HOCR. The Crime and Incident Hub (CIH) is responsible for the recording of all reports of crime that do not require initial police attendance (see Graded Response and Deployment Policy), and the verification of all reported crimes including those undertaken by others.

4.2 Triage and Assessment

To aid robust and defensible decision-making around investigations, an Investigatory Framework (IF) must be used, consisting of the following elements: Victim’s Views and assessments relating to Vulnerability, Solvability and Proportionality. This will be undertaken by the Crime and Incident Hub.

Making appropriate triage and assessment decisions at the earliest opportunity is vital to ensure that we have the capacity to manage the volume of crime and therefore deliver an effective investigative response. Inappropriate triage and assessment will create excessive demand on investigators and ultimately impact on the quality of service given across the force area.

4.3 Crime and Incident Allocation

To ensure that Dyfed-Powys Police makes the most efficient use of resources, investigations must be allocated to officers for investigation based on a number of factors such as:

The THRIVES risk assessment (Threat, Harm, Risk, Investigative opportunities, Vulnerability, Engagement, Safeguarding)
The seriousness/complexity of the investigation (Professionalising Investigation Process (PIP))
The requirement for a nationally registered PIP Level 3 Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) to manage the investigation.

This ensures that the correct investigator with the requisite skills, training and knowledge is matched to each investigation from the outset.

4.4 National Decision Model

Dyfed-Powys Police must use the National Decision Model (NDM) when making decisions and to review and evaluate past decisions and actions. The NDM must also be used to support training and promote learning.

4.5 Investigation Standards

Dyfed-Powys Police must follow the Professionalising Investigation Programme (PIP) to ensure that appropriately trained and accredited staff are allocated to the correct level of investigation. The national standard, which DPP follows is:

PIP 1 – Priority and Volume crime investigations
PIP 2 – Serious and Complex investigations
PIP 3 – Major investigations
PIP 4 – Strategic management of highly complex investigations.

When operational demands and resources are such that appropriately skilled staff are not available for deployment, measures must be applied to support the investigation to reduce risk to the public, the individual and the organisation that may arise due to that lack of availability.

4.6 Response Policing Roles & Responsibilities

For Emergency Response or reports which require attendance, officers must comply by following the Golden Hour Principles Aide Memoire in terms of their duties and mindset during allocation and attendance at incidents.

Police officers receiving direct reports of crime related incidents from members of the public or identifying a crime during their duties must record the crime as soon as possible. The overarching practice must be ‘record to investigate’.

Response Policing areas of responsibility are:

INITIAL RESPONSE

Preserve life and protect public and property
Identify specialist or partner support
Proactivity and actionable tasking

CRIME & INCIDENT MANAGEMENT

Golden Hour principles
Protect and preserve evidence
Accurate and ethical recording
Effective handover

SAFEGUARDING

Identifying and protecting the vulnerable
Accurate assessment of risk and action
Signposting and sharing of information and risk

SPECIALIST SKILLS

Continuous professional development
Utilise specialist skills - utilising partners
Problem Solving Approach

INVESTIGATIONS

Conducting proportionate investigations utilising THRIVEs
Identifying specialist support or ownership

ETHICS & OUTCOMES

Legitimate action and appropriate outcomes
Debriefing and learning the lessons
Audit and review

The primary role of Response constables is safeguarding the community we serve; responding to incidents; recording crime and reports of ASB; delivering on the Policing Plan and the Chief Constable's priorities, whilst upholding organisational standards and ensuring that the Code of Ethics underpins all areas of work.

The primary role of all Response sergeants is to provide supervision in the delivery of the Policing Plan and the Chief Constable's priorities. They are responsible for exercising day-to-day supervision of officers and police staff, ensuring that organisational standards are upheld and that the Code of Ethics underpins all areas of work.

All staff must comply with Dyfed-Powys Police Policies on Staff Development, Development Assessment Profile (DAP), Equal Opportunities, Health & Safety, Management of Police Information, Data Protection and Information Security and act in accordance with Force Guidance documents and protocols.

4.7 Crime & Incident Hub Roles & Responsibilities

The Crime and Incident Hub (CIH) are responsible for the recording of all reports of crime that do not require initial police attendance (see Graded Response and Deployment Policy). The CIH are responsible for the verification of all reported crimes including those undertaken by others.

All incidents must be transferred to the CIH via the Command and Control system. CIH assess and respond to these incidents as soon as reasonably practicable and in line with the caller’s availability.

CIH areas of responsibility are:

CRIME & INCIDENT RECORDING

Accurate assessment of crime report
Identifying appropriate record – RTC/ASB/CRIME
Verifying and assisting crime recording from others

CRIME & INCIDENT ASSESSMENT

Triage and assessment of non-crime incidents
Applying Investigative framework
Identifying appropriate resource and response to incidents

INVESTIGATIONS

Proportionate Investigation plans
Desktop based investigations
Review and outcome, or reallocate

MONITOR & CONTROL

Dashboard of demand across the force (live investigations, risk, major incidents and trends, performance, Victims’ Code of Practice)
Predictive and analytical monitoring (reviewing demand daily, weekly and monthly using SPLY or evidence to plan ahead)

OUTCOMES

Application and verification of crime and incident closure (accurate finalisation of crime and incidents)
Auditing of each process

The primary role of CIH Investigators is safeguarding the community we serve; responding to incidents; investigating crime and reports of ASB; delivering on the Policing Plan and the Chief Constable's priorities, whilst upholding organisational standards and ensuring that the Code of Ethics underpins all areas of work. They are responsible for recording, assessing and investigating crimes, liaising with the victim and keeping them updated.

The primary role of CIH supervisors is to provide supervision in the delivery of the Policing Plan and the Chief Constable's priorities. They are responsible for exercising day-to-day supervision of officers and police staff, ensuring that organisational standards are upheld and that the Code of Ethics underpins all areas of work. They monitor demand, workloads and performance, and liaise with other departments as required.

Crime Recording specialists in the CIH verify and assist crime recording and the application of outcomes by others.

4.8 Local Investigation Units Roles & Responsibilities

Each Local Policing Area (LPA) have a local Investigation Unit (IU). The locality and resource numbers are aligned to demand but their functions are categorised as below:

IU areas of responsibility are:

CUSTODY & SUSPECT MANAGEMENT

Live custody matters
Coordinating outstanding suspects
Safeguarding and vulnerability plans

INVESTIGATIONS

Conducting proportionate Investigations utilising THRIVEs
Identifying specialist support or ownership

SAFGUARDING AND ASSESSMENT

Bail and RUI management
Problem solving Policing (utilising OSARA based approach to behaviours, trends and demand)
Criminal Justice administration

DEMAND & PERFORMANCE

Victims’ Code of Practice (VCOP) – 12 Victims’ rights
Audit & Review
Environmental scanning

The primary role of local IU Investigators is safeguarding the community we serve; responding to incidents; investigating crime and reports of ASB; delivering on the Policing Plan and the Chief Constable's priorities, whilst upholding organisational standards and ensuring that the Code of Ethics underpins all areas of work. They are responsible for investigating crimes, dealing with live custody matters, coordinating outstanding suspects, liaising with the victim and keeping them updated.

The primary role of local IU supervisors is to provide supervision in the delivery of the Policing Plan and the Chief Constable's priorities. They are responsible for exercising day-to-day supervision of officers and police staff, ensuring that organisational standards are upheld and that the Code of Ethics underpins all areas of work. They monitor demand, workloads and performance, and liaise with other departments as required.

4.9 Specialist Crime and Incident Investigation Roles & Responsibilities

Specialist Crime is categorised within this policy as the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Offender Management Unit (OMU) across the LPAs. There are other specialist departments who assist and coordinate the policing response, but they do not predominantly retain investigation ownership.

Specialist Crime areas of responsibility are:

RISK MANAGEMENT

Suspect management – outstanding, custody and post-custody matters
Live incidents
Multi/joint agency enquiries
Safeguarding and vulnerability plans (for matters requiring specialist skills)

INVESTIGATIONS

Serious and Complex investigations
Major investigations
Death or serious injury
Specialist skills – assisting or utilising others

OFFENDER MANAGEMENT

MOSAVO
MAPPA
IOM/WISDOM schemes
DA Safeguarding
Child Sexual Exploitation
Targeting – focused on priorities within local policing areas

DEMAND & PERFORMANCE

Enhanced Victim service
Crime Management - investigation standards across all areas
Audit & Review – victim compliance, investigation timescales, accreditation and continuous professional development
Environmental scanning – learning lessons, delivering and identifying best practice

The primary role of all detective constables is safeguarding the community we serve; responding to incidents; investigating crime and managing offenders in their specialist field; delivering on the Policing Plan and the Chief Constable's priorities, whilst upholding organisational standards and ensuring that the Code of Ethics underpins all areas of work.

The primary role of all detective sergeants is to provide supervision in the delivery of the Policing Plan and the Chief Constable's priorities. They are responsible for exercising day-to-day supervision of officers and police staff, ensuring that organisational standards are upheld and that the Code of Ethics underpins all areas of work. They monitor demand, workloads and performance, and liaise with other departments as required.

OIC and Supervisor Updates

The OIC will provide an Initial update within 24hrs of the crime being recorded. The supervisor will update the crime within 48hrs of the crime being recorded, there after all updates must be recorded as below:

Following the Initial update, the OIC must provide a meaningful update at intervals no longer than 28 days.

Following the initial supervisor review, the Supervisor must further review the investigation at intervals no longer than 28 days.

Inspectors must review and endorse their crimes every 60 days.

Crime Closure

All crimes must be assessed and reviewed prior to closure by the supervisor, who applies the appropriate outcome. The supervisors are assisted by a template which guides them to the relevant outcome. All outcomes must be verified by the Crime Data Integrity Unit or the Crime Audit Team.

5. Take action and review

This policy is owned by the Criminal Investigation Department. The review process is conducted by the appropriate CID Manager every two years to ensure the continued effectiveness of the policy, and taking into account any changes to legislation, force procedures, Home Office guidance, College of Policing guidance etc. The effectiveness of the policy is monitored on a regular basis over and above the two-year review period taking into account any challenges to the policy and any identified inefficiencies in relation to its implementation. Any major concerns are escalated as appropriate.

In the case of any queries regarding this policy, it’s content, or associated guidance documentation, individuals must contact Dyfed-Powys Police CID senior representative.

Appropriate promotion of this policy takes place which includes awareness raising when relevant training inputs and presentations are provided to staff across the force. The policy is available on the force Intranet and Internet. Publication via the Internet will ensure availability for public view. The Internal Review process may highlight issues with this policy and associated guidance. If this is the case relevant action must be taken. Where there are issues identified the CID representative must work closely with representatives from the relevant departments to address the issues and ensure that lessons are learned.

CODE OF ETHICS CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

This policy has been drafted in accordance with the Code of Ethics and has been reviewed on the basis of its content and the supporting evidence and it is deemed compliant with that Code and the principles underpinning it.

HUMAN RIGHTS ACT CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

This policy has been drafted in accordance with the Human Rights Act and has been reviewed on the basis of its content and the supporting evidence and it is deemed compliant with that Act and the principles underpinning it.

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Section 4 of the Equality Act 2010 sets out the protected characteristics that qualify for protection under the Act as follows: Age; Disability; Gender Reassignment; Marriage and Civil Partnership; Pregnancy and Maternity; Race; Religion or Belief; Sex; Sexual Orientation.

The public sector equality duty places a proactive legal requirement on public bodies to have regard, in the exercise of their functions, to the need to:

eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and any other conduct that is unlawful under the Act;
advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it;
foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.

The equality duty applies to all protected characteristics with the exception of Marriage and Civil Partnership, to which only the duty to have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination applies.

Carrying out an equality impact assessment involves systematically assessing the likely or actual effects of policies on people in respect of all the protected characteristics set out above. An equality impact assessment should be carried out on any policy that is relevant to the public sector equality duty.

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT COMPLETED: September 2024

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Crime/Incident Recording/Investigation Policy

1. Statement of Policy

2. Policy Scope

3. Powers and Policy/Legal Requirements

4. Options and Contingencies

5. Take action and review