Crime and intelligence - Crime recording: standard operating procedure (N05a)

1. Summary of changes

1.1 The following amendments have been made to this standard operating procedure (SOP) on 10 August 2021:

• terminology updated throughout

2. What this procedure is about

2.1. This SOP provides guidance and information in regards to crime recording within Kent Police. This includes:

• highlighting important parts of the Home Office Counting Rules (HOCR) and National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS)
• an explanation of different Crime Related Incidents (CRIs) recorded on Athena and a list of outcome codes, introduced in April 2014

Compliance with this SOP and any governing policy is mandatory.

3. Detail the procedure

3.1. This SOP relates to the administrative processes in respect of the creation, recording and finalising of crime reports and Storm records that have been created for police to investigate allegations of crime. This process follows the guidelines as set out by the National Crime Recording Standards (NCRS) and the Home Office Counting Rules (HOCR).

3.2 The NCRS was adopted nationally in April 2002. The aim was to encourage a more victim-focused and consistent approach to crime recording, enabling more accurate comparisons to be drawn between forces, and internally between divisions. The HOCR covers crime categories such as theft, criminal damage, burglary, violence and sexual offences.

3.3 The Investigation Management Unit (IMU) are responsible for ensuring compliance with the HOCR and NCRS, as most crime reports are created by IMU. IMU also ensure compliance from CRU who have authority to create crime reports that fall within their own remit.

3.4 The Force Crime and Incident Registrar (FCIR) and the Data Accuracy Team (DAT) are responsible for audits that assure the quality of the crime recording process, and how divisional staff use outcome codes. The FCIR is the final arbiter on all crime recording matters.

3.5 Crimes are recorded on Athena, which is the IT system used by Kent Police for recording, managing and investigating crimes, cases, intelligence and custody.

3.6 Once police have received an allegation of a crime, a crime report must be created on Athena as soon as possible and in any event within 24 hours. There are exceptional circumstances which may extend this to seven days.

3.7 Storm logs, also referred to as crime related incidents, are created when police attend an allegation of crime. If it is discovered that no recordable crime has occurred, the Storm Log (CRI) should be updated with a rationale detailing why no crime report is required, and closed using the appropriate codes. Where a crime report is created, this should be added to the associated Storm Log (CRI). Both tasks are to be completed within 24 hours of the allegation being made.

3.8 Reports of domestic abuse are subject to the same protocol for crime recording, and fall under the overarching strategic plan Op Unity. All reports that are considered to be domestic related should have on the Athena report DASH, safety planning and a risk assessment (as agreed with PS and their details highlighted), in line with the principles of RARA (Remove Risk, Avoid Risk, Reduce risk, Accept Risk).

3.9 Where a victim is reporting a crime which has occurred in another force, e.g. Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), British Transport police (BTP), details of the alleged crime will be recorded on Storm as a CRI, and transferred to the force in question. Under no circumstances should the victim be told to contact the force in question directly.

3.10 All recording decisions must be taken in line with the NCRS/HOCR. A belief by the victim (or a person reasonably assumed to be acting on behalf of the victim), that a crime has occurred is usually sufficient to justify its recording and any investigation which follows is then taken forward with an open mind to establish the truth. This is in accordance with the NCRS.

3.11 Cancelled crimes relate to crimes already recorded on Athena. Once a report of a crime has been created on Athena, it can only be considered for cancellation if one of the following five criteria is satisfied:

1. where, following a report of an incident which has subsequently been reported as a crime, Additional Verifiable Information (AVI) comes to light which determines that no crime has actually been committed
2. if the reported incident was recorded as a crime in error, administratively (e.g. duplicate) or facts being incorrect
3. where the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) endorse an MG3 with no evidence of an offence having been committed
4. the crime was committed outside the force area of Kent Police
5. these criteria can be applied to crimes recorded at any time during the financial year and may include offences recorded in previous years

3.12 There may be times where the initial crime classification of the offence needs to be changed to a different offence. In these instances the Officer in the Case (OIC) will update the crime report so IMU may consider the request. For information relating to reclassification, cancelled crimes and other aspects of the HOCR, for example the principal crime rule or the finished incident rule, officers should refer to the HOCR for further information.

3.13 The HOCR make reference to Dedicated Decision Maker (DDM). The DDM is situated within the Investigation Management Unit. The various functions of a DDM are contained within the HOCR General Rules.

View the Home Office Counting Rules and include review and authorisation of taken into Consideration (TICs), application of alternate offences.

3.14 There are a number of Non-Crime Investigations (NCI) that can be created on Athena where a substantive crime has not been confirmed, but intelligence, or further investigation is required. 

3.15 From 1 April 2014, the Home Office introduced a new set of codes - outcome codes - to be used by forces. Kent Police incorporates these codes into its disposal code system on crime reports for Athena. These outcomes were introduced to strengthen police decision making by recognising the full range of possible outcomes, and provide greater transparency in policing. None of the outcomes in the list are weighted in any way and all outcomes are of equal importance which highlight the right result of the investigation.

Before an outcome can be applied to any recorded crime, a number of details need to be entered on the crime report. Along with HOCR the required details are contained in the following documents:

• Home Office Circular 16/2008 Cautioning of Adult Offenders
• Code of Practice for youth Conditional Cautions January 2013
• ACPO Guidance on Policing Cannabis - Use of Cannabis Warnings
• Police Operational Guidance on issue of Penalty Notices for Disorder
• ACPO Guidance on the use of Community Resolutions (CR) incorporating Restorative Justice (RJ)
• Home Office Data Quality Assurance Manual

4. Equality Impact Assessment (EIA)

4.1. An EIA has been carried out and shows the proposals in this policy would have no potential or actual differential impact on grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, transgender, disability, age, religion or belief or sexual orientation.

5. Risk assessment

5.1. This SOP has been assessed as medium risk.

6. Consultation

• Investigation Management Unit
• Human Resources
• Finance
• Health and Safety
• Legal
• Freedom of Information
• IT Security
• Equality and Diversity

7. Monitoring and review

7.1. This policy will be reviewed every two years by the DCI Investigation Management Unit with the next review scheduled to take place in August 2023.

8. Security

8.1. Kent Police have measures in place to protect the security of your data in accordance with our Information Management policy (Policy W1000 – Information Management).

9. Retention and disposal of records

9.1. Kent Police will hold data in accordance with our Records Review, Retention and Disposal policy (Policy W1012 – Records Review, Retention and Disposal).