Introduction
As a consultant hired in City X, I am mandated with the duty of creating and implementing a viable plan to deal with the perpetual cases of daytime robbery attacks in my area. The law enforcement agencies were able to obtain limited information for each robbery that occurred in the area. My responsibility is to create a draft containing strategic, operational and investigating plan to address the crimes and ensure that business goes back to normalcy.
The Investigative/Strategic Operational Plan
On March 14, 2017, 1400 hours, the City X department received a notification informing them that several daytime robberies have constantly been occurring. To combat the situation, I came up with ten investigative steps to mitigate the situation at hand. The first step is the arrival at the scene. This involves dispatching law enforcement to several crime scenes to collect data and information that might be useful in investigating the crime. The officers should be aware of any individual or vehicles leaving the crime scene. Fisher and Fisher (2012) asserted that the scene should be approached cautiously and the entire area scanned thoroughly taking note of any possible secondary crime scenes. Initial observations should be made through looking, listening and smelling to assess the scene and ascertain the safety of the officers before proceeding. Important to note is that an investigator should remain alerted and attentive and one should assume that the crime is continuing until determined to be otherwise.
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The second step involves securing and controlling persons at the scene. The law enforcement agencies will begin by identifying and interviewing any potential witness at the crime scene, or that might have witnessed the crime happening. It is important to identify all individuals at the scene such as suspects, witnesses, and bystanders. After their identification, the next step involves securing and separating them. All people identified as either witnesses or suspects will be taken for interrogation, and their credentials will be scrutinized and recorded for future references.
The third step is documenting and evaluating the scene . All the evidence found and observations made by the first responders will be recorded, and the information will be documented and preserved. After the information has been properly collected and documented it will be tagged, and a chain of custody will be established to avoid incidences of contamination and inadmissibility of the evidence. The law enforcement agencies will be tasked with the duty of logging the sequence of events based on the information gathered which will help in recreating the crime scene.
The fourth step is processing the scene . The investigators will assess the scene and after that determine the specific teams or units that will be needed in processing the scene. Newburn, Williamson and Wright (2012) stated that a forensic team would be dispatched to help in processing and to collect the evidence. The police unit will assist in interviewing and securing the crime scene. The emergency response team will also be dispatched to deal with any injuries or cases of death at the scene. Accurate measurements of the exact location and relative positions of the evidence should be taken using the triangulation method if there are at least two fixed points within the designated area.
Step five involves crime scene analysis and assessment . Investigators will employ the use of technologies such as the Automated Fingerprint Identification System to evaluate if any fingerprints collected at the crime scene matches with another in the system. Video surveillance will also be crucial in assessment to see if there is any footage near the crime scene. CCTV cameras in the buildings around the crime scene will be assessed to determine if there are any leads to the crime perpetrators. Any trace of DNA that has been left behind will be analyzed in the laboratory to try and find the suspects.
The sixth step is about synthesizing the data. Investigators will have a mandate of compiling previous robbery reports and work parallel with other jurisdictions so that data can be shared regarding robberies. A suspect modus operandi can be very vital in helping law enforcement agencies in identifying and apprehending the criminals. Synthesizing, in the context of the justice system means to connect, combine or amalgamate data by their order of importance to be utilized in the investigative process. It involves solving a puzzle through putting pieces of information together. Another importance of synthesizing data is that it ensures that information remains organized.
Profiling is the seventh step in carrying out the investigations . After data has been synthesized and collected, the department will profile the robbery crimes to help the department apprehend the suspects. A special task force will be created that will involve the profiling unit. The importance of profiling is that it gives police officers descriptive information about the individual who probably committed the offense. Turvey (2011) pointed out that the descriptions may include demographic and psychological characteristics hence narrowing the range of likely offenders helping investigators concentrate their resources and time in searching suspects. The measures that will be taken to the pattern of robbery activity will include police reports, crime reports, and the evidence collected during the crime scene investigation. Profilers will turn their attention in the identification of what methods were used to break an entry, goods stolen during robberies, analyze trace evidence to match with other crime scenes, the tools used in the robbery, the timelines within which the robberies lasted, any impression or markers left behind and footwear among others.
The eighth step is the creation of a task force . The task force that will assist in the investigation of this crimes include the patrol units, criminal profilers and psychologists, forensic unit, patrol car units, bicycle patrol units, surveillance unit and investigators and on foot patrols.
Step nine involves the allocation of funds . Funds will be essential in maintaining manpower. The task forces will also require funds to sustain the personnel needed. Communication equipment such as radios should be bought so that the units can effectively reach each other. The police forces should also be equipped with the right equipment such as stunt guns, bullet proof vests; hand guns and pepper spray to ensure their safety in this delicate operation. Funds will also be important in ensuring that their patrol cars are fully functional with working lights, voice command system, computers, and cameras. The motorcycle unit should also be equipped with equipment and supplies such as a computer system that can be kept at special compartment in the rear. In cases where there are insufficient funds, we can borrow more funds from financial institutions such as banks that will be paid back after a period. The insurance companies covering the affected business can also channel in money to our investigation as a way of compensation. The government, through the security department, can also fund our operations.
The tenth and the final step is about patrolling . After undertaking the previous steps effectively and efficiently, all the members of the task force will have the profile of the potential suspects and the locations that robbery could occur next. Since all the robberies occur during the daytime, all streets will be thoroughly patrolled during the day. The areas with limited traffic movement will be put under strict surveillance. The surveillance units will also be strategically stationed in several potential areas of the target by the robbers. The patrol units will also patrol the city and the nearby neighborhood. The patrols can be classified into three groups, the car patrol, the foot patrol and the bike patrol. This will be important as it will allow the units to cover more ground during the patrols. The profiling units will remain vigilant to ensure that they are periodically updating the task force with details that will help in capturing the suspects. The forensic units will continue working on all the crime scene evidence collected at the crime locations.
Technological Assistance Required
The technical assistance that will be employed in this mission includes the use of Automated Fingerprint Identification System. This will be used to collect the finger prints and then comparing with the ones in the database for matching. Video technology will be used for surveillance. Computers will also be effective in this operation to map and analyze various crime patterns and commonalities within the robbery attacks. Radios will be important to enhance communication among police officers. Photographing equipment like cameras, black lights, lenses, and video cameras will also be crucial in the investigation. Other technological tools that can help in the crime scene include fingerprint kit, trace evidence kit, impression, kit and a blood collection kit.
Investigative Units
The forensic unit will be very crucial in analyzing the crime scene for any evidence especially the trace evidence. They will carry further laboratory tests that will assist in profiling the criminals. The police unit has a role will help in interviewing witnesses and interrogating suspected criminals. They will also secure the crime scene to avoid incidences of tampering with potential evidence. The emergency response unit will be used to offer medical assistance to casualties. The profiling unit will assist in synthesizing the information and coming up with a profile of the criminal and their potential location. The patrol units will also be tasked with the job of carrying out patrols on the potential targets and neighborhoods to in a bid to apprehend the suspects.
Analyzing the Pattern of Robbery
Analyzing the pattern of robbery is important to prevent the case of a subsequent occurrence. Computer technology and crime mapping can be used to determine the commonalities in the robberies according to Chainey and Ratcliffe (2013). The analyst can also use the modus operandi commonalities through careful review of incident reports and narratives attached to it. The crime patterns can also be established through crime mapping to determine the geographical proximity. Exceptional volume can also be found through threshold analysis, deliberately or unconsciously. Review of the robbery incidence can also be done on a daily basis to determine a pattern. Another important aspect in analyzing the pattern of the robbery that would help is the natural intelligence of the investigator. With previous data and long term experience, the investigators can use their wits to help them determine where next the robbers are most likely to attack.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the step by step ten point operation will ensure that the criminals are brought to book, and future robberies are mitigated. The operation requires a multi-agency cooperation involving various units such as the forensic department, the police, profiling units and the patrol units to achieve maximum success. Technological assistance is also crucial for this operation to be fruitful. These advancements will help in the investigation and the subsequent apprehension of the suspects. We are therefore confident that the next time the robbers attempt to steal, the units on standby will react to prevent the crime and arrest the criminals. With help from investigators and criminal profiles, it will be easier to identify potential suspects and subsequently capturing them.
References
Chainey, S., & Ratcliffe, J. (2013). GIS and crime mapping . John Wiley & Sons.
Fisher, B. A., & Fisher, D. R. (2012). Techniques of crime scene investigation . CRC Press.
Newburn, T., Williamson, T., & Wright, A. (Eds.). (2012). Handbook of criminal investigation . Routledge.
Turvey, B. E. (2011). Criminal profiling: An introduction to behavioral evidence analysis . Academic press.
