What are the Responsibility of the First Officer?

What will be an ideal response?


The initial response to a call by the responding officer is a critical phase of any criminal investigation. This response is usually made by patrol officers who must be prepared to initiate a preliminary investigation until they are relieved by superior officers or specialists (for example, detectives or crime- scene specialists) who then assume responsibility for their specific functions at the scene
Improper actions by responding patrol officers can cause a loss of evidence or otherwise conduct so prejudice to an investigation that a subsequent successful criminal prosecution becomes impossible.
Actions to be taken by a First Officer on scene:
1. While en route
to the location, officers must be alert to the possible presence of perpetrators or perpetrators’ vehicles fleeing from the scene.
2. Upon arrival at the location, officers should, if possible, first verify that a crime has been committed. Officers entering premises under these circumstances are not permitted to search the premises for evidence. The protective search is limited by law to a “sweep” of the premises to discover victims or perpetrators.
3. Administering first aid to and summoning medical assistance for any victims present must be a top priority of responding officers.
4. If the perpetrator is at the scene and probable cause for arrest exists or an arrest warrant has been issued, the perpetrator should be arrested in accordance with departmental policy and local law.
5. Communicate to dispatch the time of the officers’ arrival at the crime scene. Superiors must be informed of the apparent nature
of the offense discovered by the officers. When possible, reports should be factual in nature.
6. The identification and preliminary interviewing of witnesses are extremely important considerations for officers arriving at a crime scene.
7. Officers should be prepared to brief investigators and other authorized personnel when they arrive on the scene.

Criminal Justice

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