Critically Discussing Senior Investigating Officer's Role in Crime

This essay critically examines the pivotal role of the Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) in criminal investigations. It delves into the responsibilities of the SIO, including crime scene management, evidence collection, interviewing witnesses and suspects, and decision-making throughout the investigation process. The essay utilizes real-world case studies, such as the Jodie Chesney murder, the Bethany Maria Beales murder, and the Levi Bellfield serial killer case, to illustrate the SIO's impact on investigation outcomes. It explores both the positive and negative consequences of the SIO's actions, highlighting the importance of effective leadership, thorough investigation, and the proper handling of evidence. The essay also includes a literature review that supports the key arguments, emphasizing the SIO's role in ensuring justice and providing closure to victims and their families.

Critically discuss the role of the
Senior Investigating Office and its
impact upon criminal
investigations. Use relevant cases
to support your discuss

Table of Contents
Contents...........................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Main body........................................................................................................................................1
Senior investigating officer..........................................................................................................1
Role of Senior investigation officer in cases...............................................................................1
Criminal cases and role of senior investigation officer in it........................................................1
Impact of senior investigation officer upon criminal investigation.............................................3
Literature Review........................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Senior investigating officer role in crime investigation is vital or crucial in whole findings
of crimes. Officer is able to serve their services to local and residential people and also helps to
understand need of various communities (Iden and Eikebrokk, 2014). They are responsible for
overall crime investigation and accountable to gather accurate data after conduct depth research
based on criminal activities. They are the integral part of law enforcement procedure and
accountable for gathering, identifying and examining all evidence from crime location. The
present report is based on the role of senior investigating officers which play significant role in
whole crime investigation. It explains the impact of senior crime investigation officer upon
criminal investigations.
Main body
Senior investigating officer
Senior investigating officer play their role in investigating for some criminal activities,
they have in charge of criminal investigation in law enforcement. The investigation is effective
research for material to bring offender to justice. They deal with several serious crimes in
London, for example, sexual offences, murders, fraud, serious assaults, burglaries etc. Senior
investigation officer actively take participation in the wide range of evidence collecting and
criminal investigation tasks include witnesses, victims, suspects and technical sources. Senior
crime investigation officers are the person who handle overall cases and investigate with the help
of their team members in order to provide justice to people.
Role of Senior investigation officer in cases
SIO covers each and every thing from decision making and setting up, initial response
and managing the criminal investigation to physical and forensic searching, core investigative
strategies and communication, witnesses and suspects and managing victims. The role of senior
investigation officer is to conduct inquiries to collect evidence to convict suspects and prosecute
and to detect who committed crimes (Fyfe, Stevenson and Woolnough, 2015). They conduct
interview in which they witness and suspects need to answer their questions, officer examines
conduct research and evidence through computer databases which is essential for solving the
case effectively. They take all the decisions related to crime and focuses on everything about the
same.
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Criminal cases and role of senior investigation officer in it
Case 1- Jodies Chesney murder case-
Jodies Chesney is 17-year-old girl was knifed to death in Romford in London, she
approached by two men and stabbed without the word being exchanged. Jodie with friends play
in nearby children's playground in Harold hill when she was attached by two men, she was dead
after the approached. She was attached by the gang of balaclava clad youths, DCI Dave
Whellams investigate this case. He is the Detective chief inspector in London, who in charge of
Jodies case and efforts to gather evidence for the murder. Attack will happen at around 9:20 pm
at part in Romford Essex in London. The girl is died at scene after the attack happened, officer
play their vital role in this case. Dave Whellams conduct interview and investigate the whole
situation, he asked questions nearby people for example, Teresa Ferenden who was 49-year-old
lady lives opposite scene, she heard the shouts of Jodie Chesney and ran to help her. Jodie
boyfriend is one of the eye witness of this case or entire murder scene. Detective of this case
investigate the murder of Jodie have been given more time to question the teenage suspect. After
the whole investigation officer find out that 16-year-old boy is included in approached and have
been arrested or charged with her murder. On the other side on 10 March 18-year-old man is
arrested on suspicion. Officer play their role effectively and appropriately; he secured the
warrant for his further case detention. Officer arrest three another people on suspicion of
assisting the offender. DCI Dave Whellams take interview of witness and suspects of this case
and analyze evidence appropriately which help to find out the better outcomes.
Case 2- Bethany Maria Beales murder case-
Bethany-Maria Beales is a dancer and Actor, she is the aspiring actress who plummeted
13 floors from the luxury tower block in London (McCarthy, 2014). It is one of another murder
cases happened in UK which has been investigated by Edelle Michales. Actress plunged from
one of the London's largest buildings, she was killed and then fall from 13th floor building from
36 storeys. After the night out with her friends in West End in London she came back to home, a
woman and a man followed her over the two days both are aged. Edelle Michales play effective
role as they have in charge of investigation and continuing treat the death as suspicious. Officer
gather information more about the murder case, they gather evidences and cross check the
explained story by eye witnesses of crime as it is the main role of Senior investigation officer.
Investigator take statements of Bethany-Maria mother and other family members which is
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essential for finding the better outcomes. After that officer protect and secure the crime scene as
it is the part of their job role. Before stepping towards investigation Edelle Michales controlled
all the situation, they put sentries at all possible entrances in crime scene. Officer gain conduct
exterior survey before entering into crime scene because it is required. They walk around the
scene to see if any obvious evidence is apparent. During the whole investigation investigating
officer is taking nots and keep recording of his sensory discover which help to find out the
results. He asked her friends few question related to the case study and perform effectively with
its team members. Officer arrest many people's as suspicious and conduct depth investigation, he
takes statements to the other people around crime scene about any criminal activities. Role of
senior investigation officer is to evaluate physical evidence possibilities which is essential,
officer measure any physical evidences and examine scene to know more about what happened
here, what type of evidence must be present and when did it happen. He is responsible for all
over the investigation, they take sample of blood and signs of victim struggle and also take
visible foot prints. They prepare notes which helps to serve total evidence available from the
crime scene, officer capture scene photographs and take overall close up and medium range
shots. After gathering the whole evidence, he conducts final survey and discus with their team
members.
Case 3- Levi Bellfield serial killer
Levi Bellfield is serial killer, he killed so many peoples and attempt murder of Kate
Sheedy in London. Chief inspector Colin Sutton investigate their case, he claims serial killer
was at centre of rape of the 14-year-old schoolgirl. The role of officer in this case is to
investigate the whole crime scene appropriately, need to conduct research and collect evidence
which is beneficial for them as support to final results (Inspectorate, 2014). He sent all the blood
sample to chemical laboratory for testing the blood, he took footprints and include more team
members for depth investigation. Investigation officer communicate consistently with forensic
department in context of murder cases in which Levi Bellfield is involved. Officer prohibited the
crime scene, in which no one else must be entered and permitted to touch anything. He conducts
the detailed search, go over every angle of scene in the attempt to locate even the fewest particle
of evidence. Officer role is to lead all parts of murder investigation, Chief officer Colin Sutton is
the investigator and manager and he is in charge of their team of specialist officers. Furthermore,
the role of crime investigator is to processing the whole crime scene for gathering evidence,
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packaging, photographing crime scenes etc. he is accountable for transporting and labelling
evidence, briefing investigators documenting autopsies and testifying in court.
Investigation officer role is to keep accurate records of all the collected evidence from the
investigation and to keep all the evidences in secure storage place. They play important role in
entire investigation and must assure that every item is considered for research opportunity and
evidential value to establish whether the activity must be raised.
Impact of senior investigation officer upon criminal investigation
Senior investigation officer role put positive and negative impact upon criminal
investigation. If officer cannot conduct investigation and interview appropriately, in that case
they cannot be able to find positive results that impact on entire investigation. If investigation
officer does not evaluate the scene and measure physical evidence properly, they cannot be able
to solve the crime or murder case for example Jodie and Bethany Maria murder case. Without
making investigation plan and strategies related to crime case Chief inspector Colin Sutton
cannot be capable to investigate effectively which put negative impact on case and bring
difficulties in conclusion (Ollila and Yström, 2017). Without leadership skills they can not be
able to lead a team and range of members effectively which effect the case and final outcomes. If
investigation officer does not respond to calls from police to attend murder scene at time the
whole investigation put on hold and suspicious remove the evidence on crime scene. If officer
cannot preserve the crime scene the evidence is not accurate and become contaminated that make
negative impact on crime investigation and team members does not find the person who killed or
harm the other local peoples or persons.
But on the other side when investigation officer conducts proper interview and work
closely with police, they can be able to investigate crime scene appropriately. Furthermore,
officer must work closely with forensic scientists and national crime agency which helps to
provide better results as it put positive impact on murder investigation. When he takes the lead in
searching evidence that may impact positively and support the later criminal case. Investigation
officer investigate crime scene properly and must make decision based on identifying physical
evidences which is essential for victim. If they think through the procedure, it impacts on
criminal research and they can be able to solve case more easily. Officer investigate and
determine valid information in various ways which effect on criminal investigation and provide
all aspects that is beneficial for results.
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Literature Review
According to Levenson, (2015) crime investigation officer role is to search crime scene for
collecting useful evidence such as hairs, fibers and fingerprints for later analysis at clinical lab.
The most important role of the officer is to take notes and photograph he crime scene of their
observation. They closed the case with positive results which provide justice to victim as well as
their family members. Discussed by Balmer, Pooley and Cohen, (2014) Investigation officer role
is to make video for current incidents or crime scene which they attending. They need to use
scientific techniques to collect biological evidence which impact on whole investigation and get
the better outcomes. With the help of using scientific methods they can be able to gather all
evidences easily. The main role of officer is to catalogue physical and biological evidence
founded in crime scene such as sample of hair, and blood from victim floor. With the help of
writing report about crime scene and evidences they can be capable to take decision.
Investigation officer should attend the court to provide evidence as stage of the trial procedure.
As per view of Fruhen and et.al., (2014). Officer need to focus on task even with difficult
circumstances, they have to spend more time at the crime location which is under investigation
and store all the prof at safe and secure place. If the investigation officer work in several
environments it is easy for them to perform effectively. When officer travel to crime scene many
times it impacts on investigation and make them capable to search from different ways.
CONCLUSION
From above it has been summarized that senior investigation officer play multiple task and
have many responsibilities. Jodies Chesney murder case, Levi Bellfield serial killer and Bethany
Maria Beales murder case are the three different types of criminal cases that will be investigated
by three crime investigation officers. It has been concluded that officer work and performance
typically impact on criminal investigation. Furthermore, officer role is to handled evidence with
care and prepared for forensic group to run laboratory tests in order to results. The most
important think is that senior officer recorded everything accurately before all the evidences is
passed to lab for further processing.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Inspectorate, G., 2014. Crime investigation. Dublin: Garda Síochána Inspectorate.
Aleksandra Basinska, B., Wiciak, I. and Maria Dåderman, A., 2014. Fatigue and burnout in
police officers: the mediating role of emotions. Policing: An International
Journal of Police Strategies & Management. 37(3). pp.665-680.
McCarthy, A., 2014. Leading during uncertainty and economic turbulence: An investigation of
leadership strengths and development needs in the senior Irish public
sector. Advances in Developing Human Resources. 16(1). pp.54-73.
Ollila, S. and Yström, A., 2017. An investigation into the roles of open innovation collaboration
managers. R&D Management. 47(2). pp.236-252.
Fyfe, N.R., Stevenson, O. and Woolnough, P., 2015. Missing persons: the processes and
challenges of police investigation. Policing and Society. 25(4). pp.409-
425.
Iden, J. and Eikebrokk, T.R., 2014. Using the ITIL process reference model for realizing IT
governance: An empirical investigation. Information Systems
Management. 31(1). pp.37-58.
Levenson, L.L., 2015. The Problem with Cynical Prosecutor's Syndrome: Rethinking a
Prosecutor's Role in Post-Conviction Cases. Berkeley J. Crim. L.. 20.
p.335.
Balmer, G.M., Pooley, J.A and Cohen, L., 2014. Psychological resilience of Western Australian
police officers: relationship between resilience, coping style,
psychological functioning and demographics. Police practice and
research. 15(4). pp.270-282.
Fruhen, L.S and et.al., 2014. Safety intelligence: An exploration of senior managers'
characteristics. Applied ergonomics. 45(4). pp.967-975.
Online
Murder investigation launched after woman falls from tower in City. 2019. [Online]. Available
through : <https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/09/levi-bellfield-stopped-murdered-final-victim-
detective-says-8324994/>.
ROMFORD STABBING. Who is stabbing victim Jodie Chesney. 2019.[Online]. Available
through : <https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8550101/jodie-chesney-stabbing-where-
harold-hill-london/>.
https://www.crime-scene-investigator.net/possiblehomicide.html
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