When law enforcement officers investigate a crime, they use a variety of tools to piece together the facts of what happened. This includes interviews and interrogations, physical evidence like fingerprints and blood samples, and information from witness statements. These pieces of evidence and information help police create a report that could be used to file criminal charges or a civil complaint.
The first step in an investigation is the police will look at all the information they have gathered and decide if there are enough grounds to arrest someone. This is called establishing reasonable suspicion. If there is, then an arrest will be made. If there isn’t, then the case will be passed to the Crown Prosecution Service who will decide whether or not to prosecute the suspect.
If you are a victim of a crime, or a potential witness, the investigating officer will contact you to discuss what happened. This might involve speaking to you or arranging for an interpreter to be called in if the officer believes you have difficulty understanding English or are deaf or hard of hearing. The investigating officer will explain what they are doing with the investigation and ask you a series of questions. They will also give you a copy of the leaflet, ‘Information for victims of crime’ and their contact details.
Depending on the nature of the case, police investigations may include conducting surveillance and checking databases such as the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and the National Crime Information Centre (NCIC). Police can also utilise public tips and informants to assist in suspect identification. They must record and document every piece of evidence they find at the scene or receive from a witness. This is to ensure that no one can tamper with it in the future.
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