As a Lead Investigator, you will be welcomed into a dynamic and inclusive investigations team working locally and nationally on a wide range of IOPC investigations. The IOPC is on a journey to develop its culture, perspectives and ethos to support the organisations core outcomes and this is your opportunity to enter into the varied world of investigations, allowing you to develop your mindset and approaches to contribute to improving the police complaints system in England and Wales.
The IOPC is an organisation steeped in history, influenced by significant figures such as Stephen Lawrence and Sir William Macpherson, overseeing the police complaints system in England and Wales and setting the standards by which the police should handle complaints. As a completely independent organisation, we seek to uphold the rights of the public and investigate the most serious matters, including deaths following police contact, to promote learning and influence change in policing. The investigations teams are tasked with upholding our values whilst establishing the facts behind a complaint and reaching conclusions to draw recommendations.
As a Lead Investigator, you’ll lead all aspects of an investigation, from setting out the initial terms of reference, to collecting evidence, interviewing witnesses, drawing conclusions and writing a final report, many of which are published. This means you’ll need relevant experience of undertaking investigations in any sector, such as social work, the probation services, local authority enforcement or regulatory services, as well as fraud or criminal justice.
You’ll be on-call on a rota basis, covering daytime, overnight and weekends. You’ll cover a wide geographical area and occasionally you’ll need to stay away from home to conduct your work. You could be required to work from a variety of locations such as police stations or visiting families at their home addresses.
Additional Information
You will be required to complete the IOPC investigator training programme which includes formal and on the job training, as well as the requirement to build a portfolio of evidence. This will provide you the skills and knowledge to achieve a Professionalising Investigations Programme Level 1 (PIP1) qualification. The PIP1 programme is a mandatory requirement of your role. Failure to engage may result in disciplinary processes.
If you have already achieved PIP1, you will need to provide clear evidence that your PIP1 status remains active. If this evidence is not provided before beginning the programme, you will need to complete the PIP1 programme in full.
All investigators, whether joining with PIP1 or completing PIP1 with the IOPC, will need to engage fully in the PIP revalidation processes. Revalidation ensures that your skills and knowledge are enhanced and maintained in line with the PIP requirements. Failure to engage could mean your PIP1 status becomes inactive and may result in disciplinary processes.
Core Investigations
Our core investigations teams are based across five regions: Greater London; South East; Wales and South West; Midlands and Central; North East and North West. Our investigation teams carry out hundreds of independent investigations every year.
Main Responsibilities
* Leading independent investigations into criminal and misconduct allegations in accordance with agreed IOPC guidelines.
* Conducting investigations within agreed timescales, budget and quality standards.
* Drafting and agreeing Terms of Reference for allocated investigations.
* Undertaking investigative actions, including interviewing and taking statements, preparing case files and making recommendations for criminal and/or disciplinary action.
* Taking part in criminal, misconduct and inquest proceedings where necessary.
* Reporting to your Operations Team Leader on investigation progress, areas of risk and resourcing requirements.
* Participating in the 24-hour on call facility and being prepared to work unsociable and extended hours.
* Visiting incident scenes and supervising scene management where required to ensure that all necessary action is taken to preserve and recover evidence.
* Attending post-mortems and briefing the pathologist as required.
* Writing investigation reports upon completion of the investigation for submission to the IOPC decision maker.
* Communicating effectively with complainants, bereaved families and other internal and external stakeholders.
* Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team with decision makers, lawyers, press officers and others.
* Taking responsibility for personal development in a dynamic and constantly evolving investigative environment.
* Assisting the Directorate in achieving its key deliverables. Preparing disclosure schedules for court and inquest proceedings.
* Reviewing unpleasant material, liaising with traumatically bereaved families, robust external scrutiny of actions and decisions.
* Receiving close management support/training and having access to an extensive employee assistance program.
* Identifying potential learning for police forces to consider improving the service they provide and prevent harm to the public.
The Ideal Candidate
Desirable Technical
* PiP2 qualification or equivalent investigative experience
Essential Experience
* Conducting investigative interviews, evidence gathering, analysis and presentation.
* Evidence of effective oral and written communication skills.
* Evidence of excellent analytical and report writing skills; ability to reach and document clear, rational, evidence-based and independent decisions based on analysis of existing and emerging information.
* Experience of engaging effectively with a diverse range of people and stakeholders, and evidence of a commitment to equality and diversity within the workplace.
* Delivering a high standard of work within demanding timescales.
* Identification of operational and organisational risk.
* Working effectively in a changing environment.
* Full driving licence valid for driving in the UK
Essential Skills and Abilities
* Ability to show initiative and adapt in a changing environment.
* Writing investigation reports upon completion of the investigation for submission to the IOPC decision maker.
* Communicating effectively with complainants, bereaved families and other internal and external stakeholders.
* Ability to recognise your development needs and be proactive in addressing them.
* Ability to prioritise and manage tasks effectively to deliver quality outcomes within demanding timescales.
* Ability to work effectively in a team with diverse ideas and people.
* Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing and adapt communication styles as appropriate.
The role requires clearance to BPSS
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