Re: FOI Request to Op Grange - "A full murder investigation team"

by Doug D 13.03.16 19:08

Far too much is being read into this FOI request response.

The only question asked was:

How many Police officers and civilian staff were on this operation [Operation Grange] on 30/11/2015 and 31/12/2015, respectively.

and the Met have replied.

We already knew the team had been cut back to four and to come up with their usual ‘national security’ or ‘ongoing investigation’ type excuses to not answer would have been nonsensical.

The sentence “I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full” is their standard response when they answer a request and relates to the specified question and absolutely nothing else.

by Guest 13.03.16 19:31

I think the carrot idea could be plausible. I'm sure in past FOI's the units individuals comprised weren't specified, or we would've seen MIT mentioned long ago. Granted the numbers are only at 4 now, and it's an easy answer. But the FOI asks for the numbers, not unit.

Perhaps previously the team was overseen by an Intelligence unit, which didn't need to be mentioned by nature.

by Doug D 13.03.16 20:22

Haven’t looked too far but we have known it was an MIT at least as far back as March 2013:

‘In responding to a Freedom of Information request, the Met said: "A major investigation team is assigned to Operation Grange.

"This is made up of one detective chief inspector, three detective inspectors, five detective sergeants, 19 detective constables, six police support staff.

"The MIT is assisted by three murder review group officers.

"Staff numbers are open to change depending on the needs of the review.

"The MIT also continues to work on its existing outstanding homicide cases."

It also confirmed that Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood is the senior investigating officer and that he is "supervised" by Detective Chief Superintendent Campbell "who has oversight of this investigation".

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/306549/Scotland-Yard-squad-hunting-Madeleine-McCann-costs-6-228-a-day

I know it’s Wiki but this muddies the waters as well as anything else:

Murder/Major Investigation Teams (MIT) are the specialised homicide squads of the Metropolitan Police in London, England. Forming part of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command, itself part of the Specialist Crime Directorate, there are 24 MITs within the Met. MITs investigate cases of murder, manslaughter, attempted murder where the evidence of intent is unambiguous, or where a risk assessment identifies substantive risk to life.^[1] They also undertake investigations into missing persons or abductions where there is a reason to suspect life has been taken or is under threat and other investigations identified for specialist needs.^[1]
MITs were established in 2000 to replace the former Area Major Incident Pools (AMIPs) as part of Scotland Yard's Serious Crime Group. In 2001, there were 31 murder investigation teams operating in London, made up of 834 police officers, 182 civilian staff, and 14 senior detectives.
Currently, all homicide investigation in London is undertaken by the Specialist Crime and Operations Directorate's Homicide Command, which is split geographically into six units (West, Central, East, Northwest and South), each led by a Detective Superintendent. Each of the Command Units has 4 Major Investigation Teams (MITs), consisting of 50 staff, led by a Detective Chief Inspector (DCI), who performs the role of senior investigating officer (SIO).

This cross-references to:

1/. Metropolitan Police Service - Specialist Crime Directorate". Met.police.uk. Retrieved 2009-06-08.

but this link no longer works.

This entry fits/confuses the bill so well for this case, it almost makes you think it could have been edited/’corrected’ by a certain former PPC for a South Coast resort.

Funnily enough the Met's own site makes no mention of ‘Major’:

Homicide and Serious Crime

The Homicide and Serious Crime Command is responsible for the investigation of homicide and other serious crimes in London.

Murder Investigation Teams investigate:

▪   All murder, manslaughter and infanticide offences;
▪   Deaths within the workplace or mass disaster where culpability for the loss of life is likely to be an issue in criminal court
▪   Attempted murder where the evidence of intent is unambiguous or where a risk assessment identifies substantive risk to life
▪   High-risk missing persons where there is a substantive reason to suspect life has been taken or is under threat
▪   Linked series of two or more stranger rapes which are beyond the capability of SCD2 Sapphire Command or other 'critical incidents'
▪
Additionally, the teams provide advice for the MPS and other police forces on 'High Risk' situations.

http://content.met.police.uk/Site/homicideseriouscrime

by Guest 13.03.16 20:29

All rather demoralising, thanks for the links Doug D.

by Verdi 13.03.16 20:54

This is nothing new as far as I know - Operation Grange has always been headed by DCI Homicide Squad. A very young child has been missing for almost nine years, not seen or heard of since 3rd May 2007 - no evidence to prove abduction or any other specific crime, the absence of which naturally leads to thoughts of homicide. They're hardly likely to stick the case in the Met lost and found department are they?

I believe the PJ headed by Goncalo Amaral, knew which direction to follow only he was prematurely removed from the case - and there it ended. Had Operation Grange taken the same route, I think the case would have been solved years ago but they didn't did they? Instead, in a few weeks time, the case will again be archived washing x million quid down the drain.