ABSTRACT
Dismemberment cases can present highly complex, pressurized investigative challenges to police forces and senior investigating officers (SIOs). All UK police forces train their SIOs on a nationally accredited development programme, designed to equip the officer to meet the investigative and management requirements of the role. Some dismemberment cases may present relatively standard resourcing and investigation profiles for the police, with high levels of information at the initial response. Dismemberment and dispersal cases generate high staffing requirements, which will present capability and capacity issues for all but the biggest forces. The identification of the victim in dismemberment cases is key to establishing the lines of enquiry, such as scene, evidence and suspects. Dismemberment cases have the potential to be low-information homicides, much more difficult to interpret and develop lines of enquiry designed to bring about the identification of victim(s), offender(s), forensic evidence and witnesses.
