what to say when cop ask are you in hurry

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I. Basic Guidelines on Approaching Victims of Crime

Background

The way people cope every bit victims of crime depends largely on their experiences immediately following the crime. Equally a law enforcement officer, you are commonly the commencement official to approach victims. For this reason, y'all are in a unique position to aid victims cope with the firsthand trauma of the crime and to assist restore their sense of security and control over their lives.

Circumstances of the crime and the crime scene decide when and how the outset responding officers are able to address victims and their needs. This publication recognizes that each criminal offense and crime scene is unlike and requires officers to prioritize their performance of tasks in each state of affairs. Generally, officers must nourish to many tasks, including assessing medical needs, determining facts and circumstances, advising other personnel, and gathering and distributing suspect information. It is helpful to continue in mind that apprehension of the suspect is the primary duty of law enforcement and that accomplishing this task helps not only the suspects current victims but potential victims likewise. Sometimes the first responders must delay their attendance to the victims if the situation requires. For example, if the criminal offence is ongoing, or if the collection of prove or investigation of the criminal offence is extremely fourth dimension-sensitive, first responders may not exist able to direct their immediate attention to the victims. However, equally presently as the most urgent and pressing tasks have been addressed, officers will focus their attention on the victims and their needs. At this betoken, how the officers respond to the victims, explain the competing constabulary enforcement duties, and work with the victims is very important.

By approaching victims appropriately, officers will gain their trust and cooperation. Victims may then be more willing to provide detailed information about the crime to officers and after to investigators and prosecutors, which, in turn, volition lead to the conviction of more criminals. Remember that you are there for the victim, the victim is non in that location for you.

Yous can assist victims past understanding the three major needs they have after a crime has been committed: the need to feel safe; the demand to express their emotions; and the demand to know "what comes next" after their victimization. The information in this handbook is designed to show you how to run across these needs.

Tips for Responding to Victims' Iii Major Needs

Victims' Need To Feel Safe

People often experience helpless, vulnerable, and frightened by the trauma of their victimization. As the offset response officeholder, you can respond to victims' demand to experience safe by following these guidelines:

• Introduce yourself to victims by name and title. Briefly explain your function and purpose.

• Reassure victims of their prophylactic and your concern by paying shut attending to your ain words, posture, mannerisms, and tone of vocalization. Say to victims, "Y'all're rubber now" or "I'm hither now." Employ body language to show concern, such as nodding your head, using natural middle contact, placing yourself at the victim'south level rather than standing over seated victims, keeping an open up stance rather than crossing your arms, and speaking in a calm, sympathetic vox.

• Ask victims to tell you in just a sentence or two what happened. Ask if they have whatever concrete injuries. Accept care of their medical needs starting time.

• Offer to contact a family fellow member, friend, or crisis counselor for victims.

• Ensure privacy during your interview. Comport it in a place where victims experience secure.

• Inquire simple questions that let victims to make decisions, affirm themselves, and regain control over their lives. Examples: "Would you like anything to beverage?"; "May I come up within and talk with yous?"; and "How would you like me to address you, Ms. Jones?"

• Clinch victims of the confidentiality of their comments whenever possible.

• Ask victims about any special concerns or needs they may have.

• Provide a "safety net" for victims before leaving them. Make telephone calls and pull together personal or professional support for the victims. Give victims a pamphlet listing resources bachelor for help or data. This pamphlet should include contact information for local crisis intervention centers and support groups; the prosecutor's office and the victim-witness help office; the State victim bounty/assistance office; and other nationwide services, including toll-complimentary hotlines.

• Requite victim'due south—in writing—your proper name and information on how to reach you. Encourage them to contact yous if they have any questions or if you can exist of further assistance.

Victims' Need To Express Their Emotions

    Victims need to air their emotions and tell their story after the trauma of the offense. They demand to have their feelings accustomed and have their story heard by a nonjudgmental listener. In add-on to fear, they may have feelings of cocky-arraign, anger, shame, sadness, or denial. Their most common response is: "I don't believe this happened to me." Emotional distress may surface in seemingly peculiar ways, such equally laughter. Sometimes victims feel rage at the sudden, unpredictable, and uncontrollable threat to their safety or lives. This rage can even be directed at the people who are trying to help them, perhaps even at law enforcement officers for not arriving at the scene of the crime sooner. You can reply to victims' need to express their emotions by following these guidelines:

• Avoid cutting off victims' expression of their emotions.

• Observe victims' body language, such as their posture, facial expression, tone of voice, gestures, eye contact, and full general appearance. This can assistance you empathise and respond to what they are feeling as well as what they are maxim.

• Assure victims that their emotional reactions to the offense are not uncommon. Empathise with the victims past saying things such as: "You've been through something very frightening. I'k lamentable"; "What you' re feeling is completely normal"; and "This was a terrible crime. I'm distressing it happened to y'all."

• Counter whatever self-arraign by victims by saying things such every bit, "Y'all didn't do annihilation wrong. This was non your fault."

• Speak with victims equally individuals. Do non just "have a report." Sit down, accept off your lid, and place your notepad aside momentarily. Enquire victims how they are feeling now and listen.

• Say to victims, "I desire to hear the whole story, everything you can remember, fifty-fifty if y'all don't think it'due south important."

• Inquire open-ended questions. Avoid questions that can be answered by "yeah" or "no." Enquire questions such as "Tin you lot tell me what happened?" or "Is at that place anything else you can tell me?"

• Prove that you lot are actively listening to victims through your facial expressions, body linguistic communication, and comments such as "Take your fourth dimension; I'm listening" and "Nosotros can take a break if yous like. I'm in no hurry."

• Avert interrupting victims while they are telling their story.

• Repeat or rephrase what y'all think you heard the victims say. For example, "Let'south see if I understood you correctly. Did you say. . .?"; "So, as I empathize information technology, . . ."; or "Are you saying. . . ?"

Victims' Need To Know "What Comes Next" After Their Victimization

Victims often take concerns almost their role in the investigation of the crime and in the legal proceedings. They may likewise be concerned almost bug such equally media attention or payment for wellness intendance or property damage. You can assistance relieve some of their anxiety by telling victims what to look in the backwash of the crime. This will likewise aid fix them for upcoming stressful events and changes in their lives. You can respond to victims' need to know about what comes next later their victimization by following these guidelines:

• Briefly explain police enforcement procedures for tasks such as the filing of your report, the investigation of the law-breaking, and the arrest and arraignment of a suspect.

• Tell victims well-nigh subsequent police force enforcement interviews or other kinds of interviews they can expect.

• Discuss the general nature of medical forensic examinations the victim will be asked to undergo and the importance of these examinations for law enforcement.

• Explain what specific information from the crime report volition be bachelor to news organizations. Talk over the likelihood of the media releasing whatever of this data.

• Counsel victims that lapses of concentration, retentivity losses, low, and concrete ailments are normal reactions for law-breaking victims. Encourage them to reestablish their normal routines every bit quickly as possible to aid speed their recovery.

• Give victims a pamphlet listing resources available for help and information. This pamphlet should include contact data for local crunch intervention centers and support groups; the prosecutor'due south role and the victim-witness assistance office; the State victim compensation/assistance part; and other nationwide services, including toll-gratis hotlines.

• Ask victims whether they have whatever questions. Encourage victims to contact you if you tin be of farther aid.

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Source: https://www.ncjrs.gov/ovc_archives/reports/firstrep/bgavoc.html

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