What do Senior Investigating Police Officers want from Behavioural Investigative Advisers?

Authors: Cole, T. and Brown, J.

Pages: 191-205

DOI: 10.4324/9780203809259-18

Abstract:

BIA: How can a BIA be of assistance in this case? SIO: I would like the name, address and Criminal Record Office number of the offender please. This quote outlines an apocryphal conversation between a Behavioural Investigative Adviser (BIA) and Senior Investigating Officer (SIO). Typically the BIA is invited to an investigation and attempts to ascertain ‘what the SIO wants’ in relation to support and advice. Sometimes the BIA can provide the advice specified by the SIO, but on other occasions the BIA will state why this may not be possible and provide alternative suggestions as to the type of advice that may be more appropriately provided and investigatively effective. Whilst such one on one consultation and agreement over terms of reference is necessary for the provision of appropriate advice in an individual case, there is a significant gap in the research literature in identifying what SIOs want from BIAs, when they want advice, and in what format. It is argued here that if BIAs are to be of optimal use to investigations, identification of SIO needs and wants is a necessary prerequisite for the provision of useful and relevant behavioural advice. This chapter takes a proactive customer focused approach, innovatively asking SIOs themselves what they actually want in relation to behavioural investigative advice. Through tasking the investigators to describe a difficult to detect murder investigation in which they were SIO, the role and potential role of a BIA, from the viewpoint of the SIO, has been explored and explicitly articulated for the first time within a UK context.

Source: Scopus