This weeks topics

Evidence and Procedure Custody Officers Duties

Identification.

Interviews

This week is the last of the formal sessions, with next week being devoted to final revision. The study topics are the last three chapters from Evidence and Procedure.

The first chapter to look at is Custody Officers Duties. This is a massive chapter for someone looking for promotion. There are so many sections that are relevant to an aspiring sergeant. This is the only chapter in the whole syllabus that relates specifically to the role you are hoping to be qualified to do.

Check out the section ‘Custody Officers checklist’ that lays out a whole list of important areas that are easy to test. Who can a detained person ask to be notified of their detention is a good example. This can be the subject of a question where the question writer provides a list of names, and the relationship and asks which of the below would be notified of ‘Browns’ detention. It is worth remembering a person likely to take an interest in the detained person can be notified. That covers a long list of people.

Another good area in which to ask questions is the section on delay of rights, understand the reasons why rights can be delayed and the offences for which this applies, and try to relate them to circumstances that you can think up. People you have had in custody, can you justify the delay and if so why. That will help you to understand the reasons.

Relevant time v Review time is also an interesting topic to make a comparison chart on. Review time starts when detention is authorised, while as a general rule, Relevant time starts on arrival at the police station or on arrest (if already there).

Another area a good question writer may well go into is the issue of searching, what property can you retain, and to what extent can you search someone who is in detention and why. This is another area where a comparative list of three columns will pay you dividends, one for on arrival normal, one for strip searches and one for intimate searches. If you make your rows across, who, when and why, that will give you a good understanding of all three areas.

However, there is so much in this chapter that could be tested these are only headlines, and I cannot emphasise how important it is to really know the whole chapter. I have left this to last so it is potentially as fresh in your mind as it can be.

The next chapter to look at is Chapter 11 Identification. It is important that you have a good understanding of when an Identification Procedure must be held. Get a good understanding of what the difference is between procedures when the suspect is NOT known and when the suspect is known. Equally get to understand what happens when a suspect becomes known during the procedure and how that changes the procedures available. That should be the foundation for all that is to follow in this chapter. Get an understanding of which Identification procedure should be used, and when. Once you have that clear, the rest should follow. This is one of those occasions when a list of the important components would be a great aid to your learning. As with all this study programme it is very important that you have a really good understanding of roles that you will have to take on when you have passed the exam, and taken up your new role with stripes on your arm. There is a role in the showing of photographs for a Sergeant (or above) make sure you have a good understanding of that role (supervising and directing the showing of the photographs)

There are some conditions for taking of Intimate samples that would be a great area for a good question writer. It is also worth noting that a Non Intimate sample may be taken whether someone is in police detention or not, provided one of three conditions applies.

Our final chapter this week is Interviews, and that contains the section on the caution which one and when it should be given. This is potentially a minefield for the candidate and an excellent area for the examiners. Historically the area about interviewing a person charged with an offence is a good area for the examiners to test. The other area that is really well worth having a good look at is the section on ‘Special Warnings’. This topic covers two different sets of circumstances, both of which lead to the same end situation where in interview a suspect can be asked to account for their actions. This is one of those areas where a comparative list may well help understanding of what is potentially a complex section.

So there we are, we have now worked right through each of the four books. Well done, that is the end of our formal studies, and next week we will have a look at revision and exam technique.

Top Tips

There are two different worlds in the Police promotion exam. There is the ‘real world’ which is the world you operate in where your internal policies may well affect how law and procedures are interpreted. The other world is the OSPRE part 1 world. In this world only the law and policies as printed in you syllabus document apply. Don’t get them muddled up. Just because that is how we do it in the real world does not mean that is how it is in OSPRE world. Keep the two separate. I am not saying either one is right or wrong, but they are likely to be different, keep it that way.

Lastly my normal warning, I am not one for selecting certain topics and leaving things that are not likely to come up. No-one except your examiner knows what is in your exam, and the best way to pass is to have a good knowledge of all four Blackstone’s books.

Remember it is now only 14 days to go to the exam; keep working hard it is well worth the effort when the results are published and you are on the pass list!

Finally if you are having a problem visit my Part 1 forum on www.policeoracle.com and if I can help you I will. That makes the assumption a knowledgeable officer does not get there ahead of me.

Good luck and keep studying!

The Trainer

Article written by Phil Waters, Cert Ed. Phil is an ex Surrey Inspector from their Training School and was a training consultant for National Police Training. He now runs Executive Guidance Ltd, assisting officers studying for the OSPRE Part 1.