ABSTRACT
Police decision makers face greater accountability than ever before for their decisions and their associated management of critical incidents. The emphasis for particular scrutiny (quite rightly) is on the effectiveness of the decisions made in major inquires. The police service has seen a vast increase in the transparency of police decision making and the need for police officers of all ranks to justify, record and explain their decision making. Focusing upon the challenges and responsibilities faced by an investigator, this chapter reviews and explores the lessons learned from historical investigations whilst proposing approaches for effective decision making by the contemporary investigator.
