Crime Assessment Principles and the National Literature Policy

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.24.036897

I note you seek access to the following information:

In response to a 999 report of a theft of a vehicle. The call handler classified it as an R response grade. A subsequent complaint received a reply that Home Office guidance was followed. The documentation relied upon were the NSIR (National Standard for Incident Recording), NCRS (National Crime Recording Standard) and NCMPG (National Contact Management Guidance and Principles). The document within the MPS utilised to assess whether to make a response is the Crime Assessment Principles flowchart (CAP). The CAP screens out cases where CCTV is not known or where there is a time gap of more than twenty minutes.

1. Where specifically in the national literature quoted does the Metropolitan Police rely on to screen out the investigation of crime where pursuable lines of enquiry are present?
2. Where specifically in the national literature does the Metropolitan Police interpret as appropriate to screen out cases where CCTV is not known or where there is a time gap of more than twenty minutes?
3. Who authorised the Crime Assessment Principles, when were they last reviewed?

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

Q1 - Where specifically in the national literature quoted does the Metropolitan Police rely on to screen out the investigation of crime where pursuable lines of enquiry are present?

There is no national guidance around screening in/out the investigation of crimes. There is guidance on reasonable lines of enquiry but screening decisions are left up to individual forces.

Q2 - Where specifically in the national literature does the Metropolitan Police interpret as appropriate to screen out cases where CCTV is not known or where there is a time gap of more than twenty minutes?

The CAP referenced in the link below provide guidance on whether to refer a crime for secondary investigation or for it to be closed due to the absence of proportionate evidential leads to pursue. This is based on the likelihood of the crime being solvable through a proportionate policing response considering all the circumstances of the offence and the needs of the victim. CAP supports the balanced judgement between providing the best service we can to victims of crime and focusing our resources where it matters most. The review in 2021 and the amended CAP removed the time frame and placed the emphasis on professional judgement.

CCTV provides a key opportunity to solve crime. Previously, where CCTV was identified but was not ready for viewing and collection, it was not allocated for secondary investigation. Instead it relied on the owners of the CCTV to notify us that it was ready for the crime to be reallocated for further investigation. The review identified that this was not providing good service to victims as no one was chasing up CCTV owners and so investigations stalled. Cases of CCTV awaiting collection will now been allocated for secondary investigation, so that there is a default to pursue this line of enquiry.

Q3 - Who authorised the Crime Assessment Principles, when were they last reviewed?

CAP was introduced in 2013 and has been refined to its current version, dated December 2018. In January 2021, Commander Jon Savell as Head of Investigations commissioned a formal review of CAP. The changes were implemented in July 2021. Crime Assessment Principles – The MPS currently uses the Crime Assessment Principles (CAP) in order to guide decision-making on screening crimes in or out for secondary investigation. This is based on ‘six principles’ that indicate whether a crime is likely to be solvable. In addition, they consider the three wider factors of risk and vulnerability of the victim, public interest and professional judgement, taking into account all the circumstances of that specific crime.