Optimising engagement between forensics and policing: Avoiding the dialogue of the deaf

Forensic science is increasing in the scale and scope of available or emergent capabilities to aid criminal investigations. Concurrently, investigations are increasing in complexity, with disciplines such as forensic ecology having an input into police work. The many specialisms comprising forensic ecology are helping authorities to counteract the trans-national and inter-jurisdictional criminal operations which are driven by global interconnectedness and the Internet. These factors, when combined with a rise in public oversight, and the media’s unrealistic expectation that all crimes are solvable, produce a challenging environment for police investigators. This paper explores the author’s experience of effective communication between police investigators and forensic practitioners and reflects on an emergent consultancy model of engagement. This option presents a change in the police operating environment, often with improved investigative outcomes.