To examine the operating models of international homicide squads to build our national capability

Please note that only the Executive Summary is published on the Churchill Fellowship website, as the Report itself is only for distribution to a specific law enforcement audience.

Tim examined a range of jurisdictional models, comparing them to the Victorian Police Homicide Squad’s ‘Operating Model’. He was interested to see how the different models impacted upon homicide solvability and the health and wellbeing of investigators. Through this project he discovered a range of complexities - It is not just about numbers of investigators relevant to the homicide rate. It is not just about the processes and structure of the units and/or the service delivery frameworks relevant to those units. It encompasses to a large degree, the social dynamic the unit operates within, the size of the geographical area it spans, the specific motivators for and types of homicides it investigates, and the legal framework in which the unit operates. It of course also relies upon the passion and dedication of the investigators themselves. Tim did discover a number of key factors common to all homicide units visited that effect solvability and the health and wellbeing of their staff. In examining these factors, whether they relate to capacity, process/structure and/or their respective service delivery frameworks, and how they might be considered in the Victorian context. This allowed him to refine his own understanding and beliefs around how Victoria Police might evolve and refine its Homicide Squad operating model into the future.

Tim used this information to distil the research learnings into 3 key strengths and weaknesses of the Victoria Police Homicide Squad’s operating model:

Strengths:

1. Streamlined access (legislated authority) to intelligence, such as that provided by the Request Management System (RMS) to capture phone and other intelligence data immediately upon commencement of an investigation,

2. Large crew/team based investigation model with Tactical Intelligence Officers (TIOs) on each investigation crew utilised to leverage off that intelligence and provide immediate avenues of enquiry, and;

3. Ability to charge without the need for specific prosecutorial authority.

Weaknesses:

1. Increasing residual load and capacity constraints, caused in part by a lack of human resource investment at command and squad level and the investigation of ‘non homicide’ related matters such as deaths in custody,

2. Increasing complexity of homicide investigations, particularly with regard to digital forensic evidence (CCTV, video analysis, phone data, etc…) and increasing disclosure obligations outstripping capacity, and;

3. A lack of investment in capability building around innovation, best practice and training. The Victoria Police Force’s Homicide Squad operating model, and similarly Crime Command operating model, is in need of reform (articulated further in key findings and recommendations) to develop an adequately resourced, sustainable operating model aimed at maximising ‘solvability’ and ensuring the ‘health and wellbeing’ of investigators.