Read on for details of how to get a demo of this product…
Interviews with suspects must be properly recorded. This means using a device that complies with the PACE rules, and which is approved for use by your chief officer. (See FAQs.)
You’ll also be aware of the ABE Interview protocols, meaning that interviews with some victims and witnesses should be recorded in a secure fashion.
Some of you may be involved in disciplinary or whistleblowing investigations and, again, best practice for these interviews is that they are recorded.
Unfortunately for many of us, our working patterns have changed and a fixed recorder or a couple of portable ones simply won’t do.
One or two machines, centrally held, do not make for an effective use of resources, as you travel miles to collect the device and the same distance to return it after use.
Luckily, there’s another way…
Working with our friends at INTEC for Business, we are excited to be able to offer you a software solution – a PACE recorder that will sit on your laptop.
This innovative product offers both audio and audio-visual recordings. Throughout the interview, a sound bar gives a clear indication of recording levels, giving you confidence in the integrity of the recording.
The software logs start and end times, and records all breaks, pauses and restarts. The information you enter about the persons present forms part of that log.
You can access and replay the ‘working copy’ at any time, and can distribute it electronically, allowing you to easily send copies to your lawyers, to the defendant or for transcription.
The ‘master copy’ has a checksum performed and recorded in the log, which shows that the recording has not been altered in any way, and the copy is written to removable media of your choice for sealing and secure storage.
If you’d like to know more, click this button or read on…
Oh, and if you need training in how to interview suspects…
All you need to do to arrange a demo is to complete the form below and we’ll get in touch! (If you’d rather, you can email pace@purpletraining.uk).
Frequently Asked Questions
Q : Does our chosen device have to be approved by UK police forces?
A : You don’t need a specific make or model or something that someone else approves.
Under PACE Code E, what matters is that the device is an “authorised recording device” that meets certain functional and security requirements as set out in the Code. For police forces, devices are authorised by the Chief Officer of Police. For non-police investigators (e.g. regulators, councils, or other public bodies) the equivalent person within that organisation (such as the Head of Investigations) normally designates the equipment as the authorised PACE recording device in its procedures. That authorisation normally requires that :
- Staff are trained to operate it.
- It is used according to manufacturer instructions.
- It complies with local operating procedures.
Q : What are the requirements for a secure digital recording device
A : Requirements include :
- Visible indicator showing recording is active.
- Recording created as secure digital files whose integrity can be verified (for example by the use of a checksum (hash value) recorded in the interview log).
- The recording is typically created and stored locally and can later be transferred to a secure server or network.
- Access strictly controlled to authorised users.
- The original recording (master file) must be preserved unaltered ; all copies for working use, transcription, or disclosure should be made from this original, but any change to that file would be evident, with reference to the aforementioned checksum recorded in the interview log.