How To Make Your Request
In most cases, you should make your request to your local police force which would hold records on local systems. However, if you would like access to information held on national police systems, such as the Police National Computer , you would need to contact ACRO.
If you no longer live in the UK, contact the police force for the area where you last lived.
If you have been in contact with the police because you were a witness or victim, or because of a traffic accident, then this information may not be available to other police forces. In these cases you should contact the police force you dealt with at the time.
Although you dont have to use them, police application forms will help you understand what details you need to provide so they can find the information you have requested. It will also outline what proof of ID they will need to see. For example, they may ask you when you have been in contact with the police and why, and whether you have lived in another part of the UK. You can make a request verbally or in writing. If you make your request verbally, we recommend you follow it up in writing to provide a clear trail of correspondence. It will also provide clear evidence of your actions.
If Unsure Whether You Are Being Investigated Should You Still Contact A Lawyer
If you are unsure you are being investigated, but you are still concerned about the possibility of an investigation, the first thing that you should do is go see a lawyer. It is absolutely the right choice to make. An attorney will be able to tell you not only what the likelihood of an investigation potential charges are, but an attorney will be able to prepare you for the moment that a charge is brought and will be able to give you a sense of what the outcome will be and what steps you will need to take in your case.
How Long Do Police Investigations Take
Some straightforward investigations take just a matter of hours. If the police are investigating a complex serious fraud, for example, then it has been known to stretch to a number of years. In a murder investigation, the police will usually dedicate substantial resources which shorten the investigation period.
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Why Are Police Reports Important
Police reports are important because they may be vital evidence for your personal injury claim. Furthermore, insurance companies will often demand a copy of your police report before handling your claim.
These reports are typically completed within 10 days of the accident. The Texas Transportation Code Code §550.062 states that crash reports are required for any collisions that cause injury, death, or $1,000 or more damage to property.
What Does Police Bail Mean
It means that you have a legal obligation to return to the police station at the time and date that is specified. Sometimes, the police can impose conditions on your bail. This means that they can prevent you, for example, to go to a certain place or to contact a certain individual. They may require you to live at a certain address.
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What Should I Do If Im Contacted By Police
If youre contacted by police, keep in mind that you dont have to speak to them without having an attorney present. If youre not under arrest, you dont have to remain at the police station and continue talking to them if you wish to leave. Remember that any information you voluntarily provide without an attorney present can still be used in a case against you.
Here’s How To Criminal Process Works From Investigation To Arrest To A Criminal Charge And Resolution
By Stacy Barrett, Attorney
How does a criminal case begin, progress, and end? This article explains the typical life-cycle of a criminal case. Some cases are simple, and others include many twists and turns. You should consult an attorney to discuss how the general information discussed here applies to your case.
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Advice To The Complainant
Remind complainants that the potential threat remains, even if they have reported the incident to police and/or obtained a restraining order. Advise them that they have a primary role to play in ensuring their own safety. Recognize that, although it is not fair, victims may be required to alter their lifestyle and usual routines, schedules, transportation routes and places regularly frequented. Emphasize the importance of self-care in order to avoid extreme stress and exhaustion, which may decrease their ability to stay alert or follow a safety plan.Footnote 93
Advise the complainant not to initiate contact with the suspect or agree to such contact.
Advise complainants to tell the stalker to leave them alone only once and not to respond to the stalker’s subsequent communications, regardless of whether they are threatening or polite. Victims should also avoid trying to bargain or reason with the stalker, as such actions may be perceived by the stalker as encouragement or a sign of weakness, and thus increase the potential risk of harm to the victims.Footnote 94
Advise the complainant to maintain a log of all contact with the suspect, including drive-bys and all unusual events, no matter how trivial they seem or whether they can be definitively attributed to the suspect. Advise the complainant that this includes keeping records of any indirect contact the suspect initiates by having the suspect’s friends and relatives contact the complainant on the suspect’s behalf.
Three Things You Need To Know
There are three important things you probably already know, but you need to remember in this situation. The first is your right to invoke your Fifth Amendment right to remain silent: No person. . .shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself.
The second is your right to deal with the police through an attorney. If you cannot afford one, you will be provided an attorney by the court.
The third is that the burden of proof that you committed a criminal offense is on prosecutor. You never have the burden of proving that you are innocent. You have special protections under the law and do not have to tell them anything.
When the police ask you to come down to the station to be interviewed, respond with these words, I want to talk to a lawyer first. Then call me. You do not have to, nor should you ever, talk to the police if you are a suspect or a possible suspect in the commission of a crime.
Below are some of the objections I hear clients make when I advise them not to talk to the police, followed by how I would likely answer those objections.
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The Police Want Me To Come Into The Station Or Meet Them Somewhere It Sounds Like Someone May Have Told The Police That I Broke The Law Will They Arrest Me When I Meet With Them
They might. If the police want to meet with you and it seems like they are investigating you for having committed an offence, there is a good chance that the police do not just want to meet with you, but also plan to arrest you and try to take a statement from you.
Sometimes, the police ask to meet with people when they already have a warrant for the persons arrest. Other times, they have enough evidence to arrest someone and they simply want the person to meet them so they can be formally placed under arrest. And in other cases, the police do not have enough evidence to charge someone, and they are hoping the person tells them something that gives them enough evidence to arrest them.
If the police want to meet with you, you should consider calling a lawyer for advice before meeting with them. If you meet with the police and they tell you that you are under arrest or that you are being detained, tell them you want to speak to a lawyer immediately. You have the right to speak with a lawyer before the police question you or attempt to take a statement from you.
Your Rights During A Police Investigation
Youre entitled to:
- be kept updated by the police on the investigation
- be told when a suspect’s been arrested and charged
- be told whether or not the suspect will be taken to court
- ask for a review if youre the victim of a crime and the CPS or police decide not to prosecute a suspect
- apply for compensation under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme, depending on the crime
You can read about all your entitlements as a victim or witness of crime in the Victims’ Code and the Witness Charter.
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V Rights At Airports And Other Ports Of Entry Into The United States
REMEMBER: It is illegal for law enforcement officers to perform any stops, searches, detentions or removals based solely on your race, national origin, religion, sex or ethnicity. However, Customs and Border Protection officials can stop you based on citizenship or travel itinerary at the border and search all bags.
Q: What Should I Do If Immigration Officers Arrest Me
A: Assert your rights. Non-citizens have rights that are important for their immigration cases. You do not have to answer questions. You can tell the officer you want to speak with a lawyer. You do not have to sign anything giving up your rights, and should never sign anything without reading, understanding and knowing the consequences of signing it. If you do sign a waiver, immigration agents could try to deport you before you see a lawyer or a judge. The immigration laws are hard to under- stand. There may be options for you that the immigration officers will not explain to you. You should talk to a lawyer before signing anything or making a decision about your situation. If possible, carry with you the name and telephone number of a lawyer who will take your calls.
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Signs That You Are Under Investigation
If you, your friends or family members notice that there are law enforcement officers vehicles either marked or unmarked parked near you, that could be a sign you are being investigated. Another sign would be if individuals are approaching your friends and family or approaching you to ask questions.
These individuals asking questions could be police officers, or they could be informants. An informant is someone working for the police and would not be dressed in uniform, so they would be less obvious The important thing to remember is that people asking questions, especially unusual questions concerning criminal activity, could be a sign that you are being investigated.
Other signs that you are being investigated could include unusual phone calls, text messages, and friend requests on any kind of social media account. Anything that would cause you to be suspicious, like a break in your daily routine or the daily activity of your friends and family would be something that will be worth noting. You will want to know not only when this happens, but where it happens, and how frequently. Then, you should bring this information to an attorney to ask them whether there is any basis to believe that you are under investigation with these facts in mind and with these instances in mind.
Who Decides To Lay Charges
The police do not decide whether or not charges will be laid against someone accused of a crime. Rather, if they decide there is enough evidence, they will refer the case to Crown counsel and recommend whatever charges they feel are appropriate. That referral is called a Report to Crown Counsel and will include victim and witness statements in written, audio or video taped form and all other relevant information. It should be noted that suspects, having the âright of silenceâ are not required to speak to the police.
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The Police Are Interested In You
The most common way people who are under investigation learn about it is when the police come to their door and ask to talk. This often occurs early in the morning, before you have started your day. Law enforcement officers will identify themselves and ask to talk to you. If the officers are asking questions about you, rather than a neighbor or a coworker, you are probably under investigation.
The second most common way to discover you’re under investigation is when law enforcement officers appear at your home to execute a search warrant. This is a sure-fire sign that you are under investigation.
If law enforcement subpoenas your workplace to obtain documents, this could also mean that you, or someone you work with, is being investigated. In some cases, a prosecutor may send you what is called a target letter, informing you that you are indeed the target of an investigation and inviting you to meet with her.
If law enforcement does want to talk to you, you have the right to talk to a lawyer before accepting the invitation.
References
What Happens Next
Depending on the type of crime, it can take quite a long time to gather all the information that is needed.
The police may need to get advice and guidance from the Public Prosecution Service to help in the investigation. This will usually be to do with the type of evidence needed or whether evidence will be used in court.
The police may also ask the PPS for advice about what charges, if any, should be brought against a suspect. Once a suspect has been charged with a criminal offence, they are known as the defendant. The police will then send a case file to the PPS who will decide if a court case is to go ahead.
If you are a victim of crime and the police have not identified someone for the crime committed against you after three months, you should be told.
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What Is A Warrant
A warrant is an official document, signed by a judge. An arrest warrant authorizes officers to take a defendant into police custody. A search warrant authorizes police officers to search for specific objects or materials at a definite location.
In order to obtain an arrest warrant or a search warrant, officers must convince a judge that there is probable cause for the arrest or search.
Arrest warrants typically identify the crime for which a judge has authorized an arrest, and might restrict the manner in which an officer can make an arrest. For example, an arrest warrant might state that officers can arrest a suspect “only between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.”
A search warrant specifics exactly when and where police officers can search. A valid search warrant must also direct officers to search only for specific items. For example, a search warrant for the home of a suspected drug trafficker might authorize officers to search “the premises at 11359 Redwood Road between the hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.,” for any “drugs, drug paraphernalia, packaging material, scales, pay/owe sheets, and U.S. currency.”
S The Police May Take During An Investigation
After an incident is reported to police, the following will likely occur:
- Police officers will meet with the victim in order to investigate the complaint.
- The officers will take an initial report from the victim and any witnesses involved. This report records exactly what happened and helps ensure that all available evidence is preserved.
- The police will gather physical evidence at the site of the incident for forensic examination.
- If there are physical injuries, the police will likely advise the victim to go to the hospital or will see that the victim is taken there right away.
- Following any medical examination, the police will ask the victim to come to the police station to make a formal statement. If the victim is not physically able to go to the police station, the police will make other arrangements.
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When Making An Access Request Include The Following Information:
- Your name and contact details.
- Any information used by the organisation to identify or distinguish you from other people with the same name .
- Any details or relevant dates that will help it identify what you want.
For example, you may want to ask for:
- your interview statements
- Keep a copy of your request.
- Keep any proof of postage or delivery.
When Does The Right Of Access Not Apply
Schedule 2, Part 2, Paragraph 14 of the Data Protection Act 2018 states that:
The listed GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data processed by an individual acting in a judicial capacity or a court or tribunal acting in its judicial capacity.
This means that, for example, a judge’s handwritten notes prepared for legal proceedings are exempt from disclosure under the right of access.
You cannot request personal data that forms part of a judicial decision or in documents relating to an investigation or proceedings which have been created by or on behalf of a court of other judicial authority. This is because there are other access routes through which you can obtain this information the Criminal Procedure Rules – which govern the disclosure of material for cases going through the court process.
The law also allows the police to withhold information in some circumstances. For instance, they can restrict your right to access if this is necessary for the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of criminal offences or the execution of criminal penalties.
In addition, the police may also have to edit the information they send you to remove information about other people.
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