Scenes of Crime Officer
What is the work like?
Scenes of crime officers (SOCOs), sometimes called crime scene investigators or crime scene examiners, examine crime scenes to collect evidence. Although SOCOs are not police officers, they are employed by police forces and work closely with the police.
SOCOs recover evidence from all types of crime, ranging from burglary and vehicle theft (known as 'volume crime') to crimes such as rape or murder. Assistant SOCOs or volume crime scene investigators deal with volume crime.
As a SOCO your work would include:
- preserving and protecting the crime scene to prevent evidence being spoilt or destroyed
- finding out what evidence the investigating police officers need and deciding on the best methods for obtaining it
- recording the scene using photography and video
- searching for footprints and marks left by tools or weapons
- collecting fingerprints
- gathering evidence such as fibres, blood, hair, paint or glass using various techniques
- putting samples into protective packaging and sending them to forensic laboratories or fingerprint bureaux for analysis
- producing written records and updating systems with details of evidence.
You may need to give evidence in court or attend postmortems.
What qualifications and experience will employers look for?
Entry requirements vary between police forces. You may be accepted with a minimum of three to five GCSEs (A-C) or the equivalent, preferably including English, maths and a science subject. However, forces often ask for A levels (or equivalent qualifications) and some will expect you to have a degree in a science-related subject. You should check with the force in the area where you want to work before enrolling on a course. See Police Service Recruitment for contact details.
All police forces will carry out a check of your background and employment history. A criminal record may not always prevent you from being employed in the police service, but you must declare any convictions.
You will need normal colour vision, and will usually need a driving licence.
You would need to show that you have scientific ability, either from qualifications or experience. Qualifications or experience in photography can also be useful, and may be essential for some forces. It may be an advantage when looking for work if you have experience of dealing with the public and working in sensitive situations.
In some police forces you will start as an assistant scenes of crime officer (or volume crime scene examiner), recording, recovering and collecting forensic evidence from crimes such as burglaries and car break-ins. You may then be able to progress to work as a SOCO.
What further training and development can I do?
Once you start work as a SOCO, you will spend up to one month working with experienced colleagues in your own force.
You may then attend the Initial Crime Scene Investigator Training Course at the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA), in County Durham. This is a residential course and lasts for nine weeks.
If you are an assistant scenes of crime officer, you may attend a three-week basic training course at NPIA, and then take a four-week conversion course to become a SOCO after gaining some experience.
When you have successfully completed your initial training you will complete a one- to two-year development programme. Following this on-the-job training period you will attend a further two-week course, covering skills and techniques in more detail.
When you have completed your training (or have five years’ experience as a SOCO) you can study for the University of Durham Diploma in Crime Scene Investigation. This is offered by NPIA in partnership with the University, and is studied by open learning.
The NPIA also offers the National Fingerprint Examiner training programme for people specialising in this area, and specialist short courses, such as fire investigation, dealing with major disasters, facial identification techniques and management training.
During your career as a SOCO your employer will usually expect you to attend two-week NPIA courses every five years, to review and refresh your knowledge and skills, and to keep up to date with new developments.
See the NPIA website for details of courses.
Where can I go for more information?
Fir Tree
Crook
County Durham
DL15 8DS
Tel: 01388 762191
Alternatively, you can visit our website at: www.direct.gov.uk/careersadvice
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What salary and other benefits can I expect?
- Starting salaries for assistant SOCOs and volume crime scene examiners can be around £18,000 a year.
- SOCOs can earn up to £26,000 a year.
- Senior SOCOs can earn from £26,000 to over £30,000 a year.
There are additional London allowances and there may be an additional allowance for working shifts.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
What are the hours and working conditions?
SOCOs cover 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which means you would usually work shifts, with an on-call rota.
The job can be physically demanding, involving walking long distances, working at heights or in confined spaces, or being outdoors in all weather conditions. Some of your work will be unpleasant or distressing.
You would spend most of your time out on investigations, but would use a police station as a base to write up your reports, process recovered evidence and prepare statements.
What skills and knowledge will I need?
- a methodical and patient approach
- exceptional attention to detail
- keen observational skills
- the ability to record and report information accurately, both in speech and in writing
- teamworking skills
- the ability to remain calm in unpleasant and distressing situations
- a good level of physical fitness
- the ability to use computers and scientific equipment.
What opportunities are there?
You would find most jobs with regional police forces. Individual forces advertise their own vacancies – visit Police Service Recruitment for links to their websites. Competition for vacancies is strong.
You could also work for the British Transport Police.
With experience you may be able to progress to senior or principal officer with responsibility for managing a team. You could complete further training to manage investigations at major incidents.
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