The police investigation is the process that detectives undertake to establish the facts about a crime. This article outlines the procedures that investigators follow, including how they document and collect evidence. It also explains how they communicate with each other and the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) to ensure that all elements of the case meet the standard of proof for conviction.
Depending on the nature of the crime, police will often want to interview witnesses who have personal knowledge of what happened. These might include people who saw the incident, and their family members and friends. The police will ask them what they saw, heard, smelled, touched or tasted. This information is recorded by police officers who have been specially trained in the identification of crime scenes and will be used in court.
If a suspect is arrested, the police will then conduct pre-arrest investigations, and they might need to take the person in for questioning at the police station. The police may have to take blood samples and urine, photograph injuries, and carry out a fingerprint examination. They should always obtain consent before using invasive techniques and make sure they read the suspect their rights.
The police will then start to compile reports, witness lists and expert analyses. This will form a file for the PPS, who will decide whether to press charges or not.
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