Victim Identification Officer (CAID)
Role Purpose
To identify victims and potential victims of child abuse and to provide evidence that supports the investigation and prosecution of suspects; by examining the digital, visual and audio content of photographs, video and social media interactions.
Key Accountabilities
Triage exhibits where necessary and export exhibit data into force systems, to enable the creation of forensic images and initial image categorisation.
Categorise pictures and videos to identify all indecent images and grade them in accordance with National Categorisation Guidelines.
Apply filtering systems to pictures and videos and compare indecent images to non-indecent images, to identify victims, locations and suspects.
Upload confirmed indecent data to the Child Abuse Image Database (CAID), to build and enhance the capability of CAID. Refer images to the National Crime Agency (NCA), to enable the NCA to circulate these internationally.
Edit pictures and stills, and sanitise the images for circulation internally within police forces, to support the identification of victims, the safeguarding of victims and potential victims, the prevention of crime, and the prosecution of offenders.
Identify the locations of scenes of warrants and the property recovered, including serial numbers of cameras and other devices, to support the investigation and prosecution of suspects.
Extract logs from social media sites and analyse conversations and other communications between individuals; to support the identification of victims, potential victims and offenders; and to support the investigation and prosecution of suspects.
Where potential victims and offenders are identified initiate investigation, safeguarding and prosecution processes as appropriate; to prevent further abuse.
Contribute to the Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA), providing updates on offenders, and update records to support and enable joined up public agency management of offenders.
Behaviours
All roles are expected to know, understand and act within the ethics and values of the Police Service.
The Competency and Values Framework (CVF) has six competencies that are clustered into three groups. Under each competency are three levels that show what behaviours will look like in practice.
It is suggested that this role should be operating or working towards the following levels of the CVF:
Resolute, compassionate and committed
Inclusive, enabling and visionary leadership
Intelligent, creative and informed policing
Education, Qualifications, Skills and Experience
Prior Education and Experience:
Successfully complete initial training and undertake further training to achieve Professional Investigation Programme (PIP) level1 and 2 accreditations.
Successfully completed Level 1 of the Public Protection Learning Programme (PPLP).
Completed the College of policing national Categorising IIOC – Grading / CAID Awareness.
Will have completed the College of Policing / NCA-CEOP Victim ID course
Experienced in using the full range of Victim/offender/location ID software and facilities within CAID.
Skills:
Good communication skills with the ability to listen, empathise, provide support and adapt language, form, and message to meet the needs of different people / audiences.
Skilled in the use of use IT packages, systems and/or databases to fulfil role requirements.
Able to break down complex problems into component parts and determine appropriate action in investigations.
Ability to work effectively in a team to achieve shared objectives, demonstrating awareness of individual differences and providing support and advice as required.
Able to review own performance objectively and to maintain and enhance competence and professional standards.
Able to appropriately prioritise and plan own work.
Able to proactively develop effective working relationships with colleagues, partners and other stakeholders.
Able to produce clear and concise reports and other documents within best practice procedures.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Keep up-to-date with changing legislation and current national priorities relating to all key areas within Public Protection and how these might affect child abuse cases.
Keep up-to-date with all technological advances that might facilitate offenders in committing crimes against children.
Maintain a working knowledge of how other agencies, such as the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP), can assist in investigating child abuse cases.
Analyse the impact of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) Learning the Lessons reports relating to child abuse cases.
Familiarise yourself with National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) reports on child protection issues and associated inspections.
Read the Crown Prosecutions Service’s (CPS) guidance relating to cases of child abuse and identify how this can be applied to working practices.
Ensure that regular conversations with line manager take place regarding the emotional and psychological welfare of the officer.
Maintain a working knowledge of local, regional and national specialist support agencies for referrals.
Develop a working knowledge of multi-agency responsibilities.
Professional Registration/Licenses
PIP Accreditation
Assessed competence against relevant professional standards for this role is required to achieve PIP accreditation. Maintenance of this accreditation requires the demonstration of continued competence against professional standards as well as evidence of CPD, in line with the College’s Model.
Links to other Profiles
Child Abuse Investigator
Domestic Abuse Investigator
Missing Persons Coordinator
Rape and Specialist Sexual Assault Investigator
Sexual Offences Investigation Trained Officer
Sexual or Violent Offender Manager
Modern Slavery Investigator