Police

The police are a specialised group of individuals whose primary role is to enforce the law, responding to emergency calls and patrolling. Their responsibilities vary on a daily basis depending upon what crime they are attending however typically when they arrive at the scene they follow a set of procedures which are universal. The police are typically the first officials at the scene of the crime and there primary role is to attend any causalities or victims. Once the causalities are stable they are to then ensure to corner off the scene to preserve as much evidence as possible, which will help with the investigation process. It is also the police officers role to may an assessment as to whether they need to investigate the crime further.  If they are intending to investigate the crime further they will need to make appropriate lines of enquiry, to ensure the correct establishments are involved, (such as detectives, forensic team or firearms specialist).

Relating to the Paul Morin case there were two different police forces involved, this is because Christine Jessop originally went missing within the county of York therefore it was there responsibility to investigating the missing person. However several months later the body of Christine Jessop was found in Durham, therefore it became their duty to investigate the murder.

Firstly, when the first attending officer attended the house of Christine Jessop after her disappearance it can be argued that he did not carry out his role correctly. This is because the officer did not corner off the scene to protect any evidence within the household. As a result of this many of Christine’s family member and family friend entered the house and potentially contaminated any evidence which may have been left by the abductor, it will never be known how much evidence may have been destroyed within the first several hours of the investigation that may have led to the successful deterrent of the murderer.

Also a primary role of the police force is to conduct house to house interviews, which are particularly important within the nature of this investigation. This is to receive any vital information that could give the police force leads, to help with the investigation. Referring back to the Paul Morin case the police did not interview the community surrounding the Jessops’s house instead just targeted particular houses such as Paul Morin. As a result of not conducting house-to-house interviews the police force may have missed vital information that may have played some relevance within the investigation.

When the body of Christine Jessop was found the police force cornered off the pathway leading to the body to ensure that the public were unable to attend the scene and potentially contaminating any evidence. However members of the Durham Police Force did not carry conduct themselves in the correct manner when investigating the crime scene as they littered the crime scene with cigarettes buds, didn’t wear protective clothing therefore the evidence they collected can all be deemed as contaminated.

The role and responsibilities of the police force would differ depending upon the nature of the crime they are attending. Their primary role will remain the same, as they will carry out an initial response to the crime, and potentially detain any suspects. However if the police officers were involved within a kidnapping their main responsibility would be to search for the missing individual, however if they were the first officials to attended a murder scene their main responsibility would be to secure any potential evidence which may be vital within the case, and to detain a potential suspect.