Information about the role of a PIP 1 investigator, including the role purpose, key responsibilities and the skills required.
About the role
A PIP 1 investigator sits within the investigation sector of policing. It's a service deliverer role in the policing professional profiles.
Role purpose
The PIP 1 investigator gathers and examines evidence and undertakes investigations relating to volume and priority crime, placing the victim at the centre of all decisions and actions, to ascertain whether a person should be charged with an offence or if a person charged with an offence is guilty of that offence.
Key responsibilities
Key responsibility statements show the accountabilities for someone in this role. They focus on what is done, not how it is done.
- Collecting and gathering material, intelligence and evidence from a range of sources (including victims, witnesses, suspects, open source, intelligence, digital media and other sources of material) and recording and retaining it in a format that is evidentially admissible to support the investigative process.
- Identifying and planning own investigative actions, considering resources, priorities, and proportionality to pursue all reasonable lines of enquiry whether they point towards or away from a suspect to achieve investigatory objectives.
- Interviewing witnesses and suspects, applying appropriate interviewing principles and techniques to gather all required information, intelligence and evidence within the criminal law and the legal framework to help bring offenders to justice.
- Using relevant powers to identify and arrest suspects, considering the necessity test and other options such as voluntary interviews.
- Undertaking associated search and custody procedures to protect and safeguard the public in accordance with legislation and policy.
- Completing risk and needs assessments and providing appropriate support for victims during an investigation, through the formulation of a victim plan where required, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the victim.
- Completing risk assessments and providing appropriate support for witnesses when planning investigative interviews to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the witnesses.
- Liaising and working with other investigators and supervisors to establish and use appropriate methods for gathering material and to develop procedures to turn material into intelligence or evidence.
- Carrying out analysis, assessing evidence, and evaluating material generated by the investigation to identify offenders.
- Ensuring all material, including exhibits, are seized, examined and retained in accordance with Criminal Procedures and Investigations Act 2006 (CPIA) and other applicable legislation and policy, where necessary whether they are used or not.
- Responding to safeguarding concerns and managing risk in cases, including but not limited to; child neglect, child abuse, and child sexual abuse, offences against vulnerable adults, domestic abuse and sexual offences to protect the most vulnerable people in society.
- Preparing and submitting investigative outcome reports, building case files and managing the disclosure of material to ensure compliance with best practice procedures.
Competencies, values and core skills
The competency and values framework (CVF) provides clear expectations for everyone working in policing. It describes the behaviours required by police officers and staff to be effective in their roles and uphold the Code of Ethics for policing.
Competencies
The CVF has six competencies, which are split into levels. These levels can be used flexibly to allow for a better fit with frontline and non-frontline policing roles, and at different levels of seniority. This ensures that there is consistency throughout all the policing professional profiles. Some roles may contain different CVF levels due to the specialist nature of the role. Those working at higher levels should also fulfil the requirements of the lower levels.
This role should be operating at or working towards the following competencies.
- We are emotionally aware – Level 1: practitioner
- We take ownership – Level 1: practitioner
- We collaborate – Level 1: practitioner
- We support and inspire – Level 1: practitioner
- We analyse critically – Level 1: practitioner
- We are innovative and open-minded – Level 1: practitioner
Values
The CVF has three values that apply to everyone in policing, regardless of their role or seniority.
Core skills
All roles in policing have nine core skills in common. These are split into levels that represent the different levels of policing. This role should be operating at or working towards the following core skills.
- Communicating and influencing – Level 1
- Problem solving – Level 1
- Performance management – Level 1
- Relationship management – Level 1
- Change management – Level 1
- Managing people – Level 1
- Managing resources – Level 1
- Planning – Level 1
- Use of IT – Level 1
Education, qualifications and experience
To achieve effective performance in the role, the following training, registration and learning should be met.
In-role education, qualifications and experience
- Successful completion of applicable entry training and PIP 1 registration by undertaking PIP 1 learning, development and portfolio submission to evidence competence against relevant assessment criteria.
- Demonstrable experience of complex information gathering and problem solving.
- A detailed understanding of the criminal justice system.
- Knowledge and understanding of applicable College guidance.
Continuing professional development
Continuing professional development (CPD) enables everyone in policing to develop and gain recognition for their professional skills, knowledge and competence.
CPD ensures that we continue to provide high-quality policing to keep the public safe and help to drive career aspirations. Discussion of CPD is usually included as part of professional development review (PDR) conversations.
To achieve effective performance in the role, the following registration, training and learning should be met.
Learning and accreditation
- Assessed competence against relevant assessment criteria for this role is required to achieve PIP 2 investigator registration. Maintenance of this registration requires the demonstration of continued competence against assessment criteria as well as evidence of CPD, in line with the College of Policing’s guidance.
- Complete all core training and learning as required by the force.
- Any exemptions to learning and registration requirements are at chief constable discretion, in line with the local force policy.
Professional development
This role should consider the following CPD:
- maintaining PIP 1 registration by keeping a record of recent experience of conducting different types of serious and complex investigations to evidence knowledge and skills gained
- keeping up to date with new and developing legislation (including current guidance on disclosure) and current national policing priorities, for example, vulnerability, that may impact upon ongoing investigations
- keeping up to date with new approaches to evidence-based policing and applying these to working practices
- maintaining a working knowledge of how technology might facilitate offenders to commit crimes
- maintaining a working knowledge of how other government agencies, such as the National Crime Agency (NCA) and His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC), can assist in the investigation of cases
- ensuring that case file management follows current best practice
- ensuring that investigative interviewing techniques are developed and maintained
- completing annual and mandatory training on stop and search (warranted officers only)
- working closely with colleagues in intelligence to develop procedures to support the management of intelligence within investigations
- understanding and developing knowledge of other roles within policing, for example, working alongside colleagues in a different department to further operational knowledge of one another’s roles
- regularly sharing best practice for investigations with colleagues, for example, contributing to relevant knowledge hub communities or delivering informal briefings
- attending and participating in both formal and informal learning and development events, for example, peer teaching opportunities, force-led training and CPD events
Related roles
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