Professionalizing Investigation

This report discusses the concept of professionalizing investigation and its significance in criminal cases. It focuses on a case study of Sian O' Callaghan and Becky Godden Edwards, highlighting the critical assessment of the police investigation. The report also examines the role of the investigating officer and the improvements that could have been made. It provides a step-by-step analysis of the investigations and the reasons behind certain decisions. The report concludes with the outcomes of the case and the importance of following guidelines and procedures in criminal investigations.

Professionalizing Investigation
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Critical assessment of investigation by the police of Sian O' Callaghan case.................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8
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INTRODUCTION
An examination or investigation of an early attempt, made for supporting specialization
in criminal investigation is known as professionalizing investigation. This report is based on a
case study of Sian O' Callaghan and Becky Godden Edwards (Halliwell Murders) in which a taxi
driver, Halliwell driver pledge for guilty to murder of both women (Fulcher, 2017). Both women
found missing after they left nightclub and get into a taxi. Sian O' Callaghan body was found
after 4 days of murder and in 24th March, 2011. Whereas, Godden Edwards body found after 8
years later while investigating murder of Sian O' Callaghan. This study will discuss critical
investigation made in both of the cases along with areas where, some improvements could have
been made for better and quick decisions. It will also show step by step investigations along with
reasons as why murderer, Halliwell was not found guilty before for murdering Godden Edwards
and why her body was not found earlier. There are some acts that were being breached during
investigations of these cases of murders. Roles and allegations have been made on senior
investigating officer Steve Fulcher because of not following procedures on the treatment of
suspects.
Critical assessment of investigation by the police of Sian O' Callaghan case
In regard to the case of Sian O' Callaghan, 22 years old, from Swindon reported missing,
went out for night club and never came home, found guilty to taxi driver, Christopher Halliwell.
He was arrested after step by step investigation that includes:
19th and 21st March Becky Godden Edwards
Initially after starting investigation, Sian O' Callaghan captured on CCTV while she was
leaving nightclub and she shared message with her boyfriend Becky Godden Edwards. Her
boyfriend then replied at 3.24 and found that her mobile phone was in the Saver make forest
area. At around 9.45, Reape, Sian O' Callaghan's boyfriend informed to police and accordingly
police issued their first public appeal on 20th march. So, in this context it can be said that police
should have started investigation earlier as soon they received information about missing.
23rd and 24th of March
After that as per the timing when she was last seen in CCTV and the timing when her
phone was found on, they assumed that this journey could only have been made in a vehicle.
After 1 day of searching and investigation around 400 police members joined for searching Sian
O' Callaghan and also 1 anonymous donor offered £20,000 reward if anyone give information.
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So, from this effort it can be said that all police members and general people worked hard in
finding out Sian O' Callaghan alive. After that on 23rd of March, police announced to track
number of hot spots (Wallis and O'Callaghan, 2018). In this answer, senior superintendent Steve
Fulcher of Wilt shire police said that investigation is already moving at a rapid pace. When they
did not get any evidence then on 24th of March, police appealed for immediate investigation for
witnesses of a green Toyota avensis with taxi markings that all were seen between Swindon's
night club and forest. As per the appeal, one taxi driver, Halliwell arrested as suspicious of
kidnapping. After that day, body of Sian O' Callaghan was found at Oxford shire in a shallow
grave (Brookman, Pike and Maguire, 2019). So, from this step of investigation it can be said that
all police members did a great job in finding out one suspicious.
When suspect was arrested then he said and requested to the arresting officer, Steve
Fulcher to got to a police station but officer made decisive gamble. He rejected advice given by
both junior and senior officers and he ordered that Christopher should be taken to Barbury
Castle, an Iron Age hill fort South of Swindon. In against of this, he also said that he has an
emergency powers. After forcing to Halliwell, police team were taken to place where taxi driver
left Sian's body after he killed her. So, from this investigation and action, made by investigation
officer, Fulcher that he denied to taxi driver for using his right and knowingly bring him to
Barbury Castle as it was against the right of Halliwell. Because of this action, he was forced to
resign from his post of police investigation. It is believed that it was not a right action and
decision made about Fulcher because he was the only one because of whom, cases of both Sian
O' Callaghan and Becky Godden Edwards sort Halliwell (The Murders of Becky Godden and
Sian O' Callaghan- How Halliwell Was Brought to justice, 2019.).
After that for making sure that if Sian O' Callaghan was sexually assaulted or not
further forensic investigations was being done. In this context, Fulcher, senior superintendent
said that O' Callaghan had not been sexually assaulted. So, it can be said that till now,
investigation was being done in an effective and systematic manner.
23 January, 2014
In the case of Fulcher, it is said by decision maker and judge that Fulcher did not went as
per the PACE rules and according to this he should have read rights of Halliwell. Even after
helping out in catching murderer, Fulcher found guilty for not following all rules and for gross
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misconduct. He was given a handed written warning for keeping his job and not to commit same
mistake in the future. But overall up to this investigation it can be said that, Fulcher made a
great job and it should have been made better if he would have followed all guidelines of PACE
and acts. He helped the police force in finding out the murder e of not only Sian O' Callaghan
but also of Becky Godden Edwards, who was murdered by the Halliwell in the same manner
and it was sort after the 8 years of her murder. So, overall it can be said that following rules and
guidelines of criminal evidence act and others play a vital role for investigating any case in an
ethical manner.
16 May, 2014
A new lead officer detective superintendent sean memory takes over the case and try to
solve the case immediately. He searched lot and collect many evidences of both the cases Sian O'
Callaghan and Becky Godden Edwards. He gathered all the information of case and also found
the murderer (Baker, 2018). A search was conducted by team members of police at Halliwell's
former home that is situated in Swindon. The team members found nothing in the forest and they
were not able to found any evidence. Judge Mrs Justice Cox ruled both of Halliwell's confessions
were inadmissible as evidence because Flucher had bleached police and criminal evidence act
guidelines. According to the rules of PACE, he should have cautioned the killer and given him
access after discovering that Sian was dead (Priambodo, 2018).
Flucher was also found guilty as he had breach rules which is wrong. Flucher tell that the
intention of taking Halliwell to some other place was to know about Becky's body back. The aim
of Flucher was not wrong and he only wanted to help police in getting evidence for the murder
case. It was a plan of Flucher to identify that whether Becky was dead or not. Becky was back to
home and this all happened with the help of Flucher. If he did not take Halliwell with him or
interact with him then Halliwell would never tell that where she was.
The step taken by Flucher was good as it help in finding Becky and solve the cases . It is the
responsibility of investigator officer to collect all the details about cases and find the criminal.
The step taken was necessary at that time to identify that what happened and with the case of
Sian a new case was also opened that was of Becky (Mughan, Li and Nicholson-Crotty, 2020).
If investigator officer did not take taxi driver with him to know the truth then he will not
be found guilty and he had breached the rules, take actions against the rights of Halliwell. By
doing this mistake Flucher was forced to resign from his job and jury did not trust taxi driver.
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The action taken was wrong and illegal according to the rules and regulations of law. He had
breached rules made by laws and was forced to leave the job because it was not allowed (Sian
and et.al., 2020).
On 15 June 2015 , a spade was found in Halliwell's shed which was retested for soil
samples, matching the field in which Becky's remains was found. The investigator was having
doubt on taxi driver and that was the reason for taking him and making some deal to solve the
problem. If Flucher did not investigate about the case of Sian O; Callaghan then case will remain
unsolved and the criminal will repeat the same thing in future again. With the case of Sian O'
Callaghan, Becky Edwards case was also solved which remain unsolved earlier. After the trial,
the victim's mother, Karen Edwards paid tribute to Mr Flucher for bringing Becky their beautiful
girl home. She said that she will always respect him for making good decisions regarding the
case. She also said that he had to face problems or consequences in future but the work he had
done was remarkable. To solve the case he had to lost his job but it was necessary to find the
truth of both the women (Fatsis, 2019).
On 19 September, 2016 after identifying all the details and gather all relevant information
and evidences it was found that Halliwell was guilty for murder. He was punished and given
punishment for the whole life. The jury after analysing all the documents and evidences
presented found that Halliwell was guilty and give him a whole life sentence for murder and he
will not be able to get released and punishment which was given will not be reduced because he
has committed crime. Now, no one will try to do something like this as one person is being
punished and everyone should learn from this case (Custer, 2018).
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CONCLUSION
It has been summarized from the above study that professionalizing investigation is
necessary to identify or gather whole information about case. To establish facts and get
evidences, a investigator should use tools such as, information, interview, interrogation and
instrumentation. In the case there was a 22 year old British woman Sian Emma O' Callaghan
who disappeared from Swindon, Wiltshire, having last been seen at a nightclub. After that she
was seen with her boyfriend in CCTV. Police issued their first appeal for getting information and
start searching for her. The police check the time from nightclub to the forest by tracing mobile
phone location. After searching a lot police make an urgent appeal for green Toyota Avensis
with taxi marking.
After sometime, taxi driver appear in court and pleaded that he is guilty for murder.
According to the jury at Bristol Crown Court found Christopher Halliwell guilty for the murder.
He was given life imprisonment with a whole life order for the murder, which means that he will
not be released from prison and not eligible for parole. After investigating a lot about the case
and many evidences were collected to reach the final decision and found Halliwell guilty for
murder of Edwards.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Baker, E., 2018. Criminal Justice and the “New, Deep and Special Partnership” between the eu
and the uk: A Critical Test for the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice?. European
Journal of Crime, Criminal Law and Criminal Justice. 26(1). pp.1-19.
Brookman, F., Pike, S. and Maguire, E.R., 2019. Dancing around'Miranda': the effects of legal
reform on homicide detectives in the USA and the UK. Criminal Law Bulletin. 55(5).
pp.725-763.
Custer, B. D., 2018. Applying to university with criminal convictions: A comparative study of
admissions policies in the United States and United Kingdom. Journal of Higher
Education Policy and Management. 40(3). pp.239-255.
Fatsis, L., 2019. Grime: Criminal subculture or public counterculture? A critical investigation
into the criminalization of Black musical subcultures in the UK. Crime, Media,
Culture. 15(3). pp.447-461.
Fulcher, S., 2017. Catching a Serial Killer: My hunt for murderer Christopher Halliwell, subject
of the ITV series A Confession. Random House.
Mughan, S., Li, D. and Nicholson-Crotty, S., 2020. When law enforcement pays: Costs and
benefits for elected versus appointed administrators engaged in asset forfeiture. The
American Review of Public Administration. 50(3). pp.297-314.
Priambodo, B. B., 2018. Positioning Adat Law in the Indonesia’s Legal System: Historical
Discourse and Current Development on Customary Law. Udayana Journal of Law and
Culture. 2(2). pp.140-164.
Sian, S., and et.al., 2020. Enacting accountability: The case of the Asili di Carità, 1913–
1926. Accounting History. 25(2). pp.237-260.
Wallis, R. and O'Callaghan, E., 2018. Historical reports of Common (Bare-nosed) Wombats'
Vombatus ursinus' in the Warrnambool area, Victoria. Victorian Naturalist. The. 135(6).
pp.178-180.
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Online
The Murders of Becky Godden and Sian O' Callaghan- How Halliwell Was Brought to justice.
2019. Online Available thorough.
<https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2019-09-02/the-murders-of-becky-godden-and-
sian-o-callaghan-how-christopher-halliwell-was-brought-to-justice>
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