Peter James: Need You Dead

CID— Criminal Investigation Department. Usually refers to the divisional detectives rather than the specialist squads.

CIM— Critical Incident Manager. Usually a Chief Inspector who takes control of critical incidents when they are assessed as being beyond the scope of Ops-1, either due to their seriousness or the complexity of the volume of other demands on Ops-1.

Commanders

Gold (or strategic) Commander — The gold commander sets the strategy and assumes and retains overall strategic command for the operation or incident.

Silver (or tactical) Commander — The silver commander commands and coordinates the overall tactical response in compliance with Gold’s strategy, and is the tactical commander of the incident.

Bronze (or operational) Commander — The bronze commander is responsible for the command of a group of resources, and carries out functional or geographical responsibilities to deliver the requirements set by Silver in their tactical plan.

CPS— Crown Prosecution Service. The public agency that conducts criminal prosecutions in England and Wales.

CSI— was SOCO — Crime Scene Investigators (Scenes of Crime Officers). They are the people who attend crime scenes to search for fingerprints, DNA samples etc.

CSA— Command Secretarial Assistant. A secretary to senior officers.

DSI— Death or Serious Injury. The most serious category of road-traffic crash or criteria for incidents that may require post-incident procedures.

DV— Domestic Violence. Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive and/or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged sixteen or over who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality.

DVLA— Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority. The government agency that registers motor vehicles and issues driving licences. An important source of intelligence in many enquiries.

Europol— The European Union law enforcement agency. Assists police and other enforcement bodies in EU member states in their fight against serious international organized crime and terrorism.

FLO— Family Liaison Officer. The trained and dedicated officer deployed to work with a bereaved family to provide support, information and to identify lines of enquiry.

FLUM— Flash Unsolicited Message. A direct short message sent between computer screens, mainly in the control room, to alert other controllers or supervisors to either a significant incident or an important update on an ongoing incident. It flashes up, alerting the recipient to its content immediately.

GBH— Grievous Bodily Harm. Serious physical injury deliberately inflicted on a person by another.

Gold Group— a senior group of police, local community, politicians and other stakeholders drawn together to manage the impact of a critical incident.

Golf 99— The call sign for the divisional duty inspector who is expected to take ground command of critical incidents, working usually in partnership with Ops-1 for the CIM.

GPS— Global Positioning System. A satellite-based navigation system made up of a network of twenty-four satellites placed into orbit, which allows precise locations of a GPS-enabled device to be identified.

HOLMES— Home Office Large Major Enquiry System. The national computer database used on all murders. It provides a repository of all messages, actions, decisions and statements, allowing the analysis of intelligence and the tracking and auditing of the whole enquiry. Can enable enquiries to be linked across force areas where necessary.

HTCU— High Tech Crime Unit. Now renamed Digital Forensics. The body which examines and investigates computers and other digital advisors. Part of SCC.

IDVA— Independent Domestic Violence Advisor. Specially trained advocates who work to enhance the safety of domestic violence victims and that of their children. IDVAs normally work with their clients from the point of crisis to assess the level of risk, discuss the range of suitable options and develop safety plans.

IFA— Independent Financial Advisor.

Intel Cell— Intelligence cell. A dedicated team of officers and staff who provide the intelligence research and analysis to a major crime or incident.

Interpol— International law enforcement agency. It has 190 member states and assists in cross-border investigations, especially involving terrorism, cybercrime and organized and emerging crime.

IPCC— Independent Police Complaints Commission. The body that oversees the police complaints system in England and Wales and sets the standards by which the police should handle complaints. Its decisions are made entirely independently of the police and government.

ISA— Individual Savings Account.

ITU— Intensive Therapy Unit. The ward in a hospital where the sickest patients and those requiring the most specialist care are treated.

The Keep— the central records office for Brighton and Hove City and East Sussex County Councils.

Letter of Request— the formal request sent by one country’s prosecution service to another asking for permission for the police to carry out enquiries and investigations within the other’s territory.

LST— Local Support Team. The standing unit of officers who provide public order, search and low-level surveillance tactics on a division.

MDT— Mobile Data Terminal. The in-car computer that officers use to access the CAD and other police databases.

MetCU— Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Image Circulation Unit.

MIR-1— Major Incident Room 1. One of the large rooms in the Major Incident Suite where most of the investigation team work and brief.

Misper— short for ‘missing person’.

Murder Investigation Manual— the College of Policing Authorized Professional Practice document that provides structure, advice and guidance for the investigation of murder.

MO— Modus Operandi (method of operation). The manner by which the offender has committed the offence. Often this can reveal unique features which allow crimes to be linked or suspects to be identified.

NPAS 15— the call sign for the helicopter that provides air support to Sussex Police.

NPT— Neighbourhood Policing Team. A team of officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) who are dedicated to a particular geographical area, primarily to reduce crime and improve people’s feelings of safety.

Ops-1— the call sign of the Force Control Duty Inspector, who has oversight and command of all critical incidents in the initial stages.

PCSO— Police Community Support Officer. These are uniformed neighbourhood officers who work in communities but do not have police powers such as arrest, search, use of force etc.

PIM— Post Incident Manager. A senior officer who is trained and deployed to facilitate, manage and assure the integrity of the post-incident procedures and to ensure that officers’ needs are addressed in a manner which does not compromise the investigation. Post-incident procedures are carried out following an incident where a firearm has been discharged, which has or may have resulted in death or serious injury, revealed failings in command or caused danger to officers or the public. Also used following incidents involving some other form of contact with the police whereby a member of the public suffers death or serious injury.