Recurring concern

Unreliable CRIS investigation information and review processes

First to latest report 13 Oct 2014 — 21 Jan 2022

Reports that mention this concern
3
Times this concern has been raised
3
Stated actions linked to this concern
5

What this concern includes

Includes failures in the named CRIS investigation process, including accessing and reviewing relevant CRIS information, accurately recording and communicating incident information, assigning or completing required actions, supervisory review and critical assessment before closure.

What is not included
  • Excludes police crime-recording failures not specifically involving the CRIS investigation process.
  • Excludes general police investigation, staffing, training or communication deficiencies unless they directly impair CRIS information handling or review.
  • Excludes failures in downstream action after a CRIS investigation has been reliably reviewed and closed.
  • Excludes the underlying death, offence or incident where no CRIS process deficiency is identified.

Reports and published responses 3 reports

See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response

  1. East London

    AI-generated summary

    Anthony Walgate and 3 others · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth and Jack Taylor were four young men who were drugged with GHB and murdered. The report raises concerns about serious investigative failings, including how sudden deaths were categorised, the allocation and support of homicide investigations, leadership, recording and review of investigative actions, handwriting verification, death notifications and the response to coroners’ concerns. It also identifies concern that users of the Sleepyboy website could engage escorts without verifying their identities.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Closure of CRIS investigations without completion review and critical assessment of non-suspicious classification

    Wider context from the report

    “A further, related, matter of concern is that the CRIS was closed by supervising officers without any review of whether the actions had been completed or any critical assessment at detective sergeant level or detective inspector level of whether the investigation had established that the death was non-suspicious (MC4B). ”

    Source location

    Anthony Walgate and 3 others · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 20 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Introduce tighter governance for unexpected deaths under investigation, including action tracking, local progress oversight and dip sampling.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “The existing MPS Crime Report Information System (CRIS) has functionality that allows supervisors to issue key actions and track progress against an investigation. Already used extensively within criminal investigations, it will need to extend to Crime Related Incidents (CRI), also recorded on CRIS, used as a means of recording unexpected death investigations, and will allow key enquiries and forensic submissions to be tracked and progress reviewed.”

    Source location

    2022-0017-Response-from-MPS_Published
    Page 7 · response
    Published 25 January 2022

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Add a DS and DI curriculum lesson on reviewing and signing investigative actions as complete.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “As part of a forthcoming revision of the existing MPS Death Investigation Policy, stricter guidance will be introduced which will mandate tighter governance around those investigations classed as ‘unexpected death – under investigation’. The Head of Profession for Investigation will ensure that this includes the following:”

    Source location

    2022-0017-Response-from-MPS_Published
    Page 7 · response
    Published 25 January 2022

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Amend and publish the Death Investigation Policy to require recording post-mortem recommendations, rationale for non-compliance, structured death-investigation definitions, supervisor actions and ADR use.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “Review of Death Investigation Policy and associated guidance on police attendance at Coronial Inquest, role and responsibilities of officer in attendance and expectations on the capture of any comments/findings by the Coroner and police response and subsequent action.”

    Source location

    2022-0017-Response-from-MPS_Published
    Page 10 · response
    Published 25 January 2022

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Issue CONNECT policy guidance reinforcing supervisors’ responsibilities for reviewing and recording investigative actions as completed.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “b. The CONNECT Investigation platform is replacing CRIS. When it goes live, all new investigations will be recorded and investigated on CONNECT. Outstanding actions on a CONNECT investigation are clearly visible, so when an investigation is going through the two-stage closure process (OIC’s Supervisor & Crime Management Services) it will be clear to the user that an action has or has not been completed. Where an action is marked as complete, it needs a supervisor to review, agree and show the action as complete. The CONNECT Action Plan functionality therefore assists in mitigating the risk of closing an investigation when actions are still outstanding. As with CRIS, it does not – and cannot – prevent a supervisor marking an action as complete when this is inaccurate.”

    Source location

    2022-0017-Response-from-MPS_Published
    Page 13 · response
    Published 25 January 2022

    Open published response

  2. Inner North London

    AI-generated summary

    Jeroen ENSINK · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Dr Jeroen Ensink was stabbed to death in a wholly unprovoked attack on 29 December 2015. The report identified multiple concerns involving police recording and information-sharing failures, including failures to identify and communicate possible mental health problems and issues in the handling of evidence and custody records.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to review CRIS information before interview

    Wider context from the report

    “15. The interviewing officer did not read the CRIS report, and gave evidence that it was not MPS protocol so to do. The CRIS report contained a record of the question mark over ████████ mental health. ”

    Source location

    Jeroen ENSINK · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 4 · concerns

    Open source report

  3. Inner South London

    AI-generated summary

    Arsema Dawit · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Arsema Dawit, aged 15, died on 2 June 2008 after being stabbed by a former friend who had been stalking her; the inquest jury concluded that the death was unlawful killing. Concerns included the recording and classification of the initial police report, inadequate and untimely investigation, insufficient supervision and communication with the family, gaps in investigative procedures, and reluctance to use interpreting services.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to accurately record and communicate incident information on the CRIS

    Wider context from the report

    “(1) The senior reception officer prematurely classified the offence, failed to reclassify it when the full details were known at the end of her interviews and entered a misleading entry on the CRIS that the Inspector whom she had briefly asked a question, had been informed of the incident, which he had not, but others assumed he had been. He was clear that had he known the full account of the incident, he would have required further steps to be taken at the outset. Is the SRO appropriate to complete the CRIS in such a case and is the system of recording and reviewing the entered principal offence now understood by reception officers? ”

    Source location

    Arsema Dawit · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 1 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Provide continuously available policing toolkits and a Reception Services Manual with checklists and flowcharts for recording, escalating and investigating threats to life and other relevant risks.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “In support of such better decision making, a further innovation since 2008 has been the refashioning of our sometimes unwieldy policies and procedures into a series of user-friendly ‘toolkits’, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from any MPS computer workstation. These are designed to be clear, concise guides, ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ and checklists which can support any frontline officer or staff member before, during, or after dealing with any situation which they may be unfamiliar with. For example, links to an easy to follow flow chart of necessary actions setting out how a ‘Threat To Life’ should be recorded, reported, and progressed is now included in a bespoke online reference guide, the Reception Services Manual, for use by Public Access staff. This manual contains, inter alia, specific guidance on how to deal with:”

    Source location

    2014-0442-Response-by-Metropolitan-Police
    Page 3 · response
    Published 13 October 2014

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent position was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    PAO training and business processes are considered sufficient for accurate crime recording and useful initial investigation.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “The current PAO training course was designed centrally in conjunction with MPS training command, known as ‘Met Training’ and is delivered by dedicated trainers from Met Training. It takes place over 13 days and is a mandatory requirement before a new staff member can take up a post within the MPS. Attendance and successful completion of the course is monitored by line managers on the trainee's home Borough Operational Command Unit (‘BOCU’). The curriculum of the course covers all aspects of the role of staffing a front office or other public access point. Topics covered most relevant to the Dawit case include:”

    Source location

    2014-0442-Response-by-Metropolitan-Police
    Page 2 · response
    Published 13 October 2014

    Open published response

Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.

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Data last updated 7 September 2026