1. Criminal Investigations Part 3
Characteristics of the Investigator

2. Personal and Learned Qualities
a. Training
- basic through advanced
b. Observation
- training and experience
Personal qualities
a. Intellectual
- objective / logic / common sense

3. Qualities, cont. Psychological a. Emotional stability b. Detached
c. Inquisitive
d. Self-discipline
e. Perseverance

4. Qualities, cont. Personal characteristics a. Good physical condition
b. Observation / memory skills
c. Develop “5 senses”
d. Honest
e. Unbiased

5. Qualities, cont. f. Unprejudiced f. Writing ability g. Sensitivity
h. Dedication
i. Creativity

6. Qualities, cont. Knowledge of life and people - street language
- ethnic beliefs and traditions
- setting up informants
Knowledge of laws and processes
- laws of arrest
- laws of search and seizure
- keeping abreast of the law

7. Investigative Responsibility
Final responsibility
- all personnel
Cooperative / coordinated effort
- departmental effort
Sharing of information
- administration
- patrol
- detectives

8. Trained to investigate
Rising crimes rates
- personal crime
- property crime
Competition for tax dollars
Criminals are more elusive
- area to area / state to state
Changing MO’s

9. Trained, cont. Withdrawal of general public
- greater friction between police and public
- afraid for personal safety
Large number of cases assigned
More intelligent / educated recruits
Increased police training

10. Interrelationships with others
Patrol officer
- knowledge of the street
Dispatchers
- information received
Prosecutor’s staff
- know what is expected
Defense counsel
- know what to expect

11. Relationships, cont. Physicians / coroners / medical examiners
- who to contact
- what to ask
Crime laboratory
Victims / citizens
- how to treat / show respect

12. Preliminary Investigation
Initiation of criminal investigation
- begins immediately / initial response
- each is unique
Arrive quickly as possible
- suspect at or near scene
- injured persons / protect others
- locate witnesses
- attempt to alter scene
- weather conditions

13. Preliminary, cont. Finding out precisely what happened
Locate witnesses / other sources of evidence
Determining steps to take
Attempt to understand:
- motivation of victim and/or witnesses
- in reporting crime

14. Preliminary, cont. Record:
- three major types of information collected
a. What has been done
b. What has been learned
c. What remains to be done

15. Follow-Up Investigation
Additional information
Clarifying information
Recover stolen property
Interrogation of suspect
Preparing the case for court

16. Law Enforcement Officer’s Approach
Believe nothing told
- truth lies in physical evidence
- after “truth”
a. Physical evidence cannot lie
- can take any form
- large as a house / small as a fiber
- fleeting as an odor
b. Values of physical evidence

17. Approach, cont. - prove crime committed - suspect at scene
- ID of persons
- exonerate innocent
- corroborate victim
- suspect may confess
c. Physical evidence does not change
- expected by juries
- lack of: useful information

18. Approach, cont. Information and physical evidence a. Information
‘ primary to locating suspect
- secondary to convicting
b. Physical evidence
- primary to convicting suspect
- secondary to locating suspect

19. Approach, cont. Information primary to locating suspect - observations
- contacts
a. Obtain suspect information
- description
- direction of travel
- vehicle or on foot
b. Broadcast all information
- other officers on way to scene

20. Approach, cont. Information primary to convicting
- fingerprints / hair / blood
- eyewitnesses