POL00115666
POL00115666
Security Operations Team
SUBJECT: Summarising of Tape Recorded Interviews
The purpose of this circular is to advise Security Managers to changes in the
requirements for summarising taped recorded interviews. As a result of
discussions with Legal & Compliance Team, it has been agreed that there is
no longer a requirement to prepare, as previously required as part of the
summary, a verbatim preamble from start of interview up to the stage that a
Post Office® friend is offered. Accordingly, from the date of this circular it will
be acceptable to prepare an abridged preamble along the lines of the
following:
®
Record of Tape
Recorded Interview
Person Interviewed Exhibit No:
Mrs Anne SMITH (AS) Number of pages:
Place of Interview Quids Inn Post Office®
43 Eccleston Road
Wigan Signature of
WN4 0SS interviewing officer
usa Inibit
Date of Interview 01% July 2***
Time commenced 1026 Time concluded 12.33
Duration of interview hr 40mins Tape reference no 053436, 053437 &
053438
Interviewing Officer(s) David JONES (DJ) Graham Peters (GP)
Other persons present
Tape Person
counter speaking Text
times
0010 Usual introductions made, caution administered and explained.
Forms POL001 & POL003 completed. AS declines the presence of
a Post Office® friend or solicitor.
The exception to this abridged style will be summaries prepared by new
recruits, or Security Managers considered to require development to which
the additional check-step of a verbatim preamble is considered necessary by
the Security Team Leader. Such requirements will be indicated by your
Team Leader.
Irrespective of the style of preamble, then the summary itself must cover:
POL00115666
POL00115666
Security Operations Team
e Verbatim, all admissions relating to the offence or offences under
investigation and the questions and answers leading up to them along with
the tape counter time(s). These will include ambiguous admissions (e.g.
one of the main elements of the offence may be missing - “I borrowed the
money but would have put it back”) and qualified admissions (e.g. raising a
potential defence - “I borrowed the money as my Branch Manager said I
could”).
e When any admission is made to an offence which is not the immediate
subject of investigation but which might be taken into consideration, the
tape counter time(s) should be noted and a brief description given in the
record of interview. The summary should contain sufficient information to
enable Legal & Compliance Team to formulate charges that adequately
reflect the gravity of the offender’s conduct and how the case might best be
presented in court.
e Main salient points must be recorded verbatim. These will include
statements or questions about intent, dishonesty or possible defence, as
well as matters such as knowledge of key facts, any description of
duties/procedures or assertion that others were involved.
e The issue of whether a prosecution will follow should not normally be
discussed in the context of an interview but, if it is, it must be recorded
verbatim.
It is essential that all legal and business formalities remain adhered to and
that the full explanation of the caution continues to be offered. Periodic
checks will be conducted on submitted enquiries to ensure ongoing
conformance.