The task is greater than the title: Professionalising the role of the senior investigating officer in homicide investigations

Abstract

The authors argue that the Police should acknowledge that the basic premise of a professional organisation lies in having an appropriate corpus of professional knowledge. The attainment of knowledge as a necessary foundation for the discipline and practice of investigation requires a radical change to the current training and development of investigators. The development of Senior Investigating Officers (SIO) expertise should be recognised as requiring the summation of relevant theoretical and conceptual domain knowledge, enhanced decision-making skills and the accumulation of investigative experience that allows ready access to conceptual and practical models for action. An understanding of how other disciplines can assist the investigative process requires more than a superficial familiarity with their methods. The emphasis should be on the acquisition of critical thinking and complex problem-solving skills.