Investigative interviewing in the future

1. Investigative interviewing in the future The New Zealand Police strategic vision for 2011 & beyond Nina Westera Acting Strategic Adviser: Investigative Interviewing

2. NZ Police • NZ population 4.2 million • National police service • 12 semi-autonomous Districts • 11,000 employees

3. The Review 2004 – 2007 • Identify international best practice • Benchmark the current position in New Zealand • Make recommendations on a way forward

4. Benchmarking Current Situation • National survey of sworn staff: witnesses better than suspects, want more skills • Assessment of suspect and witness interviews: suspects better than witnesses, not performing as well as we could • Practitioner focus groups: lack of supervision and knowledge

5. Benchmarking Current Situation • Survey of police and crown prosecutors and judges: fair and patient but lack direction and do not challenge • Review of case law: issues around fairness and special consideration • Consultation other government agencies: similar position to Police

6. Benchmarking Current Situation • Consultation internal parties • Review of training and assessment • Assessment of policy and documentation • Findings: • No national ownership/governance • No national standards and limited guidance on good practice • Limited training and practice • Limited assessment

7. Recommendations • National ownership • Overarching strategy & policy • Ethical principles • Internationally affirmed interviewing model (PEACE) • National standards • Recognition of elements necessary to produce effective interviewers • Comprehensive national training framework, structure and programme • Quality assurance regime • Technology and facilities

8. Strategy and governance Now… • Investigative Interviewing Unit established • Development of an overarching strategy • Business Owner: National Crime Manager The future… • Ensure IIU continues after implementation complete • Steering Group: key stakeholders

9. Strategic vision • Skilled interviewers conducting professional and ethical interviews to gather the most complete, accurate and reliable information for investigations • Using the most reliable method to record all interviews with victims, witnesses and suspects • Using video interviews as evidence-in-chief for all victims and witnesses

10. Where are we currently at? • As per review skill levels can be improved • Interviewing suspects on video introduced in policy in 1992 • Child complainants interviews video recorded since early 1990’s • In 2007 piloted first training for video recording interviews with vulnerable and investigatively important adult witnesses • Evidence Act 2006 broadened ability to use video interviews as evidence in chief

11. PEACE & Ethical principles Now… • Adopted as best practice • National guidance, policy & standards (reviewed by English experts) • Where possible, adopting scientifically validated interviewing techniques The future… • Continuous review and refinement with enhanced understandings & developing practice

12. Competency framework: Now • Dedicated trainers at the Royal NZ Police College • Each level: • National standards • Training • Workplace assessment & accreditation • Training & competency framework: • L1: 7,500 staff trained & recruit training • L2: stand alone training programme • L3: specialist adult witness • Supervision, assessment, accreditation & ongoing development

13. 4 levels of interviewer Level 4: Interview Advisors Advising, managing and co-ordinating Level 3: Specialist Interviewers Adult witness/Child witness/ Suspect Specialist interviewing for major crime Level 2: Advanced interviewers Investigators of serious and complex crime Level 1: Foundation interviewers Investigators of priority crime

14. Competency Framework: The future • L1 refresher training • Emphasis on specialist levels • Currently developing L3: Suspect • Currently reviewing Child Forensic Interviewing – will become L3: Specialist Child • L4 Advisor 2012/13 • Investigator’s Professional Development Programme (IPDP) incorporate L2 • Ongoing development

15. L3: Specialist Adult Witness Ensuring quality interviews: • No one else to conduct video recorded interviews • Interview victims & witnesses to major crime • 5 day training course • Submit two assessments within 6mnths to national trainers • Accreditation • Annual renewal • District and local peer reviews

16. Building expertise • Fostering relationships with international experts: • Assisting us with training and ongoing professional development • Reviewing guidance and training materials • Making NZ Police self-sufficient: • Building our own expertise within Police • Succession planning • Fostering relationships with our academics: • Developing our own experts • Encouraging research in investigative interviewing • Collaborating with international experts • Making data accessible and ensuring research is ecologically valid

17. Key stakeholder buy-in • Our own staff • Broader justice sector: • Crown prosecutors • Judiciary • Other government departments • Non-government organisations • Sharing knowledge, building relationships & working together to make it happen

18. Quality assurance Now: • Process evaluation of L1 implementation The future: • Outcome evaluation – replicate the Review • Ongoing evaluation & review e.g. L3 Witness • Research by different academic institutions

19. Interviewing facilities Now… • Standards for interview rooms • Rooms for victims and witnesses • Multi-agency centres The future… • Portable capability

20. Technology • Data streaming: • Live monitoring during investigations • Workload management • Virtual typing pools • First step stripping the audio • Automatic voice recognition • Portable interviewing units: • Witnesses and suspects • Mobility geographically remote areas, prisons, hospitals • Mobile interviewing for general duties

21. Thank you to… • Mary Schollum • Prof Ray Bull • Dr Becky Milne • Gary Shaw (MBE) • Prof Ron Fisher • Dr Matthew Gerrie • Dr Rachel Zajac • Dr Deirdre Brown • Dr Ian Lambie • Prof Martine Powell • Superintendent Andy Griffith • All those who have added to the wealth of information on memory and investigative interviewing