Expert Advisors

The database of Expert Advisors used to assist investigations in complex cases held by the Operations Centre within the National Centre for Policing Excellence (NCPE) has recently been revamped to better provide an accurate and efficient route to scientific and specialist knowledge. We spoke to the Head of Operations, Detective Chief Superintendent Anne Harrison, on how Senior Investigative Officers (SIOs) can get the best from these experts.

The Operations Centre takes several calls every day from SIOs seeking guidance from experts such as archaeologists, entomologists or palaeontologists. Ms Harrison explains: “We are trying to professionalise the database and move away from the time when people would say it is just a ‘yellow pages’ type directory.”

When a partially buried body is found or there is something unusual in an investigation, this is when the database kicks in. Based at NCPE at Wyboston, the Operations Centre aims to provide a more complete package for the SIO or officer tasked with the enquiry.

Operations consists of four units; the Operations Centre, Crime Operations Support, Uniform Operations Support and the Serious Crime Analysis Service (SCAS). “When you call to locate an expert, you will speak to an experienced Detective Sergeant who has worked on numerous major crime enquiries and will be able to advise on any such enquiry,” explained Detective Chief Superintendent Harrison.

“The DS will talk through the scenario with the SIO, or the DC tasked with the action, and explore the full range of expertise available to them.

“Sometimes people phone not knowing what they need. Sometimes they think they need a psychiatrist when it is a forensic clinical psychologist that maybe more helpful. Or they think they only need a palaeontologist but an environmental profile may also help.”

Some expertise can be provided without going externally from the service. Within Operations, there are internal Behavioural Investigative Advisors, geographic profilers, a national advisor on investigative interviewing, family liaison strategy and search.

Advisors, whether that is a regional crime support advisor or the Detective Sergeant in Crime Support, aim to provide a more comprehensive package where they may suggest that the SIO also seek additional advice from other experts available, such as a specialist on stomach contents, for instance.

Part of the database now includes details of SIOs who have expertise in dealing with unusual types of investigations such as anyone who has dealt with a satanic-type murder, a case like the torso in the Thames, or an honour-based murder – anything out of the ordinary where an SIO would like to talk to someone who has had experience of that kind of investigation.

“Sometimes, people call for something specific but find that they get a much fuller package than they bargained for,” said Ms Harrison.

Part of the development of the database includes all experts completing a thorough CV including all their academic and professional qualifications, professional bodies they are registered to, such as the Register of Forensic Practitioners, their areas of expertise, cases they have worked on and references are now taken to verify they are genuinely an expert in their field.

In enhancing the crime support function, the NCPE have produced a document for SIOs explaining the elements they might want to include in terms of reference that should be drawn up between them and the expert.

To get the most from the expert, the guide addresses a number of areas explains Ms Harrison: “We have tried to address all of the issues to make it clear that you give the expert a full brief of the facts of the case. You determine precisely the areas you want him to address, the timescales for the production of the report, so everything is clear at the outset so there isn’t a misunderstanding.

“We have previously found that expectations did not match up with reality. On occasions it was because the SIO hadn’t ma