Information about the role of a specialist interviewer – victims and witnesses, including the role purpose, key responsibilities and the skills required.
About the role
A specialist interviewer – victims and witnesses is an investigation position within the investigation sector of policing. It's a service deliverer role in the policing professional profiles.
Role purpose
The specialist interviewer - victims and witnesses undertakes interviews with victims and witnesses who have complex communication needs or vulnerabilities, witnesses who may be of critical importance to major crime investigations and where enhanced conversation management skills are needed. They will sometimes work in partnership with other specialists, such as an interview adviser, depending on the complexity or scope of the investigation.
Key responsibilities
Key responsibility statements show the accountabilities for someone in this role. They focus on what is done, not how it is done.
- Providing specialist interview support to investigations by conducting or providing specialist advice around the interviewing of victims and witnesses to ensure that interview techniques and products are in line with all relevant guidance, legislation and policy.
- Liaising with relevant others to consider specialist sources of support and determine specialist interview plans to support investigative objectives and enable the victim or witness to give their best evidence.
- Using appropriate specialist interviewing methodologies to interview victims and witnesses with complex needs and vulnerabilities.
- Liaising with an interview adviser to establish the nature of the allegation, identify information important to the investigation, explore and consider tactical options for the interview and to discuss any provisions required to support the victim or witness.
- Ensuring all procedural requirements and handover responsibilities are met at the conclusion of an interview to comply with policy and guidance and in support of the investigation.
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 2: supervisor or middle manager
- We take ownership – Level 1: practitioner
- We collaborate – Level 1: practitioner
- We support and inspire – Level 1: practitioner
- We analyse critically – Level 2: supervisor or middle manager
- 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 requirements should be met.
Previous education, qualifications and experience
- Successfully completed the PIP 2 investigator programme including relevant portfolio.
- Successfully completed specialist victim/witness interviewing training.
- Operational experience, including interviewing knowledge, in at least one area; major crime, serious and organised crime (SOC), child sexual exploitation (CSE) and/or public protection interviewing and investigations.
- Knowledge of relevant law, guidance, policy and process for interviews with witnesses and suspects, including achieving best evidence (ABE).
- Knowledge of the criminal justice system.
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.
Learning and accreditation
To achieve effective performance in the role, the following training, registration and learning requirements should be met.
- Assessed competence against relevant assessment criteria for this role is required to achieve PIP 2 specialist 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 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 2 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 on investigations and interview advice provided
- ensuring that case file management follows current best practice
- keeping up to date with new approaches to evidence-based policing, including engagement with academics and others to support research if requested, and apply these to own work
- ensuring knowledge and application of ABE is maintained and developed
- maintaining and updating knowledge of law, practice and procedure relating to investigative interviewing
- maintaining and updating knowledge of police training relating to investigative interviewing
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