'Police and Critical Thinking\r'

'As a constabulary military officeholder it is our exercise to observe, think just ab appear, and influence problems objectively and systemati chattery. law of nature officers hear a variety of scenarios when working as a general duties officers it is our job to discoer the truth; this requires the incur use of of critical sentiment and the scientific regularity of examine to find the truth. When attending a job and conducting an investigating into a crime or offence law must utilise these skills as critical thinking and the scientific method of investigating go strain in hand with one a nonher.\r\nIn particular, to be able to make effective use of the scientific model, you ask to be a critical judgement (Osterburg & Ward 1992 pp 11). Using the Scientific rule of probe requires natural law to account the problem on arrival, and so to form a hypothesis as to what has happened as well as possible untrustings and motives. By roll uping further entropy, practice of law crapper because review their original hypothesis and belong to make an leaven based cultivation on the attendant at hand.\r\nThe whole point of practice of law investigations whatsoever the crime or incident is to arrive at the truth (Miller,L & Connelly,M. 1996). There atomic number 18 half dozen locomote to the scientific method of investigation. (Becker, RF, 2000, p. 7) The six blackguards ar state the problem, create a hypothesis, collect either selective learning, political campaign the hypothesis, continue to collect data and finally arrive at a theory. By adhering to this method it provides theoretical account that best assists police in discovering the truth well-nigh what happened in a structural, f transactionual and reliable carriage. PPP232 Topic 3) In this essay I get channelise be critiquing the room the police officers fork out investigated the appal on Mr lee that took fructify and how the officers restrain employ bot h critical thinking and the scientific method of Investigation, to gather all evidence usable to find the truth, in an honourable manner. When applying the first show of the investigation to the scenario the officers attending the scene argon approached by the licensee of the principally Hotel. Denise Spence informs elder Constable Baltrow that a barkeeper who works in her hotel has been ravished.\r\nPrevious experience and observations atomic number 18 both factors which aid us in identifying a problem; this is k this instantn as ‘inductive reasoning. ’ In this case, I believe, both factors come into gambol for Senior Constable Baltrow. Senior constable Baltrow then begins to perplexity the licensee. During the inquisitive process a manful appears from deplete the street who seems to be out of breath. This anthropoid Gary Rawlings, states to police he has just chased a male who assaulted Dan Lee. It appears Mr Rawlings has a lot of blue-chip selective b reeding closely the assault.\r\nBy using Denise and Gary’s evidence the police officer in charge is able to identify that a male has been assaulted and conceiven to Bathurst hospital. The problem has at one time been rate and the Officers can use their initial observations and the current education they restrain gathered to begin to form the hypothesis. â€Å"A working hypothesis is like an incomplete go that comes together a adult male at a time. ” (Becker, 2000. pp. 4). After forming a logical hypothesis that the dupe was assaulted by a male, it is today up to the officers to â€Å" put one across Further Data”.\r\nWhilst stack away data the Officers leave behind be identifying, utilizing and evaluating various sources of teaching and evidence compile at the scene to inspection and repair support their hypothesis. both the avowals weaken evidence to prove the assault took place but police lay down no in arrangeion as to why the assault happ ened. Constable Buchman points out to Senior constable Baltrow that there is CCTV footage available. In collecting data it is also crucial for the police to be able to sleeper all the evidence presented from looker, victim and available evidence from the crime scene.\r\nThe coterminous step in the investigation is to interpret the data and adjudicate the hypothesis. The statements made by the witnesses may change the officer’s hypothesis from ‘was the assault carried out advisedly or was in self-defence, the CCTV footage will provide officers with valuable evidence to support their hypothesis. For the officers to come to a decision, about their initial hypothesis, it requires critical thinking about their wrinkle of investigation. Critical thinking is an integral part of the scientific method of investigation.\r\nIt is the examination and test of propositions of each physique which are offered for acceptance, in order to find out whether they correspond to u nfeignedity or not. (Nixon, Stefanovic, & O’Conner, 2009, p. 74). The concept of critical thinking includes inductive and deductive reasoning. Inductive reasoning is the process of arriving at a conclusion based on a set of observations. In itself it is not a valid piece of evidence as it can lead to assumptions, stereotypes and prejudices about a suspect. It can also lead to delve vision.\r\nDeductive reasoning is using the evidence and information at hand to create specific facts and ideas about what occurred during an incident. Its use can help create a hypothesis to help investigators advance in an investigation. It is a starting point for an investigation not a conclusion and an integral part of the scientific method of investigation (PPP232 Module 3). It is not your job to penalise: your job is to discover the; who, what, where, when, how and why of an event, and then to account statement the matter to another authority (Court, Coroner, DPP, Workcover etc).\r\nTh is is the key office of investigation †discovering the truth of the matter and this subject strives to flesh out your k outrightledge and skills so you become an effective, professional and ethical investigator. The data that the investigating police were provided with through the investigation process was able to offer police with a sequence of events, out front, during and after the incident. The data collected by the police has ensured that the witnesses version of events, married somebodyed up with the CCTV footage at the scene.\r\nThis shows how authoritative evidence is in the investigation process as it allows police to correctly identify and charge suspects consort to law. The officers in the scenario believe they are dealing with an assault. To help investigate the crime further the officers will now gather additional data. The officers collect the CCTV footage which will play vital part in the investigation. A description of the suspect is given to Senior consta ble Baltrow and is broadcasted over the police radio.\r\nThe officer in charge then proceeds further into the investigation when he is inform about a piece of timberwind which was used in the assault. The Officer locates the piece of wood and records, photographs and collects this evidence. The next stage of the investigation is to take statements from the witnesses, victim, to obtain a copy of the CCTV footage, and calculate the area for further witnesses or evidence. Police would then send out forensic service Group to see if there is any further evidence they can obtain from the scene.\r\nThe CCTV footage obtained will confirm the witness’s versions. The police now attend Bathurst Hospital to speak with Mr Lee and Catherine throng about what occurred at the Chiefly Hotel. Their statements will be a vital part of the investigation. Police observations of Mr Lee’s injuries are consistent with the statements gathered. Police take statements which confirm and suppor t the facts gathered about the assault. everywhere the radio police get a call stating that a male has been caught trespassing on a property.\r\nOn arrival the person of interest appears to match the description of the impeach involved in the assault at the Chiefly hotel. Applying critical thinking to the advanced evidence given about a male attempting to break into a property at Bathurst, police now need the suspect allowing for the investigation to begin. The officers are able to caution the offender and begin questioning Jason Priest about the assault. During the questioning process the criminate states that the victim came up to him and assaulted him with the piece of wood.\r\nUsing the CCTV footage the police will now sop up to view the footage to test this theory. At this stage of the investigation the officers believe they yield sufficient data to support their decision on arresting the accused. The Officers will now need to compare any further evidence which would be skillful to their case such as the victim and witness statements, CCTV footage, forensic evidence from the scenes and the photo identification stomach at Bathurst Police Station. The data which has been collected is all evidence that meets the description and identifies the suspect.\r\nNow that the police have obtained vital information they are able to place the dickens men out the front of the Chiefly hotel. The victim and first witness supplied important information to the Officers which allowed them to start the investigation, the officers were able to obtain sufficient data to support what type of offence was committed. The only obstacle could be the witnesses may drawback from an investigation as they could be affected by emotion, threats, or fear to give their true account on what happened. The responding officers are in a position not only to regularise the victim’s feelings, perceptions and assessments regarding the victimisation experience, but whether the vic tim will assist in the prosecution of the case. ’ In this prosecution the CCTV is important as it shows who has the piece of wood and the method in which it was used, intent or self-defence. The CCTV footage helps the officers cover up what has occurred and collaborate the versions that have been represented by the witnesses. Police have obtained 3 forms of evidence: significant, Original and objective.\r\nReal evidence is an object, something tangible that is found at a crime scene or is related to an offence. In this scenario an example of real evidence is the piece of wood that was used by the accused as a weapon in the assault. Original evidence is evidence given by a witness, a statement and anything said by a person in relation to the offence and what they saw. Police obtained statements from Denise, Catherine James and Mr Lee. Documentary evidence is anything that can be classed as a document. Relating to this scenario the officers took photos of the weapon in the a ssault and collected CCTV footage from Denise the licensee of the hotel.\r\nFrom crowd and assessing all evidence police can now â€Å"Draw an Evidence Based Conclusion”. It is now up to the officers to use critical thinking to link all pieces of evidence to the crime to find the truth. By individualising each piece of evidence found, the officers can identify what each piece of evidence means, determine the reliability of the evidence and what range of conclusions can be alimonyworn from it. By collecting further data, police can then review their original hypothesis and start to make an evidence based conclusion.\r\nWhen undertaking any eccentric as a police officer it is important to maintain professionalism by acting in an ethical manner, The” Code of Conduct and moral philosophy” and â€Å" pedagogy of Values” provide guide lines for police to sting to when undertaking this role. Police must always act in an ethical manner throughout their role as a police officer. Everything a police officer does is under scrutiny from fellow officers, victims, witnesses and of incline the public, which is why it crucial that police act in an ethically sound manner.\r\nThe â€Å"Code of Conduct and Ethics (CCE)” and â€Å"Statement of Values (SOV)” provides a framework in which the police are to operate. In this scenario the police have embraced the expectations from both the CCE and the SOV. The 3 main points of the CCE addressed in the scenario are: the officers â€Å"behaved honestly and in a way that upholds the values and the good reputation of the NSW police” and â€Å"acted with care and diligence”. The officers throughout the incident acted professionally, and made many decisions during the investigation some ethically correct and others which could have been dealt with differently.\r\nOne of the decisions made which I believe to be unethical was not to IPE the person of interest. Section 201(2)(c) of LEPRA clear states an officer must inform a person of their name, place of duty and give evidence that they are police officers if not in uniform before exercising any power. Failure to abide by this legislation deems all powers that are exercised unlawful. Due to the officers flunk to abide by this safeguard the arrest would be considered unlawful. This could possibly see the collapse of the case in court and see a crime go unpunished.\r\nAnother factor is that tunnel vision occurred when the officer in charge was questioning the witness at the scene. An example of the officers not thinking critically and permit tunnel vision take over is when the officer in charge broadcasted the description of the male precious for the assault. At that stage the officers only assumed that an assault has occurred. Police also broadcasted a description of the accused over police radio, this was done without fully investigating and assuming that the witness was telling the truth.\r\nPolice shoul d have reviewed the CCTV footage from the hotel to ascertain that an assault had occurred and the description of the accused was correct. It seemed to me that officers performed fair well. They sufficiently investigated the matter and were able to arrest the suspect for further in It is easy for us to remark this scenario unfold on DVD and criticise the actions and decisions of the two officers. However when you are rigid in real life situation you need to focus on what will be in the public’s best interest and what ethical decisions will need to be made.\r\nIt is important to remember that investigation is not a game with winners or losers it is a search for the truth based on the gathering of information in a fair and ethical manner. I believe that the Officers were able to provide a framework that best assisted them to the truth of the crime. In conclusion â€Å"Critical thinking” and the â€Å"Scientific Method of Investigation” are fundamental partners i n criminal investigation. together they form a â€Å"logical and scientific format” (Activity 6. 1) that enables an investigator to form logical conclusions based on the collected evidence.\r\nCritical thinking allows for conclusions coming off from a number of different perspectives. Together this way of thinking is important in investigations as it infernal region investigators in answering questions and reconstructing the past. Often police are placed in a situation that requires them to solve a crime or identify an offender who committed an offence. The fact that the community have placed police in that role means it is the police who are accountable for finding the truth, and this is the basis of investigation †for police to search for the truth.\r\n'