Professional witness: how it works

Step 1: initial reconnaissance

We place great emphasis on prior planning and preparation, so we offer a free reconnaissance service to any government body considering using our services.

We ask the client to provide an initial brief on the area in which surveillance is required and the type of problems involved.

One of our senior managers will visit the location and carry out a full reconnaissance, at the time of day that problems occur. Where necessary, our senior manager will take video footage of human traffic and of suitable observation points.

Step 2: feasibility study

Using the data from our initial reconnaissance, we draw up a full feasibility study outlining options for acquiring footage and identifying issues including:

• operatives required
  
• suitable observation points
  
• surveillance hours
  
• use of outside observation points and empty properties
  
• risk assessment and health and safety
  
• our fixed fee for the surveillance, based on operatives and days required.

The study will also identify the scope for surveillance at secondary locations and our ability to cover these with mobile teams.

The feasibility study is provided free, irrespective of whether clients employ us.

Step 3: police liaison

In some case, our footage may be used as evidence of criminal activity to secure arrests and subsequent convictions.

We are more than willing to report any activity witnessed to a pre-designated police officer or control room or to work with the local authority or police as required. Ideally, we prefer not to inform anyone of our presence in the area so as not to risk compromise.

Any evidence gained of criminal activity is available to the police and our staff will provide statements at any appropriate police station.

Step 4: health and safety

Once a local authority has commissioned us to carry out an operation, we carry out a full risk assessment and prepare specific operating procedures for the assignment.

A copy of each risk assessment will be made available to the local authority or police before each operation begins, on request. This will cover issues including general health and safety, extraction, compromise and working in hazardous environments.

We are fully insured for all the surveillance services we offer.

Step 5: the surveillance operation

One of our senior managers will carry out a final reconnaissance just before the operation begins, to ensure nothing has changed significantly since the original risk assessment and that the static observation points selected are still viable.

Unlike many other surveillance companies, we are happy to carry out mobile surveillance. Operating only from static vehicles and empty properties limits filming to the operative’s field of vision, which cannot provide the court with a full picture of events over time.

Step 6: preparing evidence

Our fixed fee package includes two sets of unedited VHS tapes of video evidence, suitable for submission in either criminal or civil proceedings.

If any criminal activity is witnessed and arrests made, the original Mini DV tapes will be offered to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) within 12 hours of the relevant period of surveillance ending.

When the surveillance operation ends, any designated organisation will receive the videos mentioned above and a full report on our findings. Statements required for criminal proceedings will be prepared in conjunction with the police as soon as possible after the criminal activity is witnessed.

Civil court appearances will be charged at a standard daily rate, as quoted within the fee document. For criminal cases, we will invoice the CPS.

To find out more about our services, please contact us.