The Application of a Blend of UK Police Service Assets in a Specialist Search

The object of this abstract is to provide an overview of the role of the Police Search Advisor (PolSA), how they interact with geologists, botanists and forensic archaeologists and to demonstrate the pragmatic deployment of search assets and techniques ‘in the field’, in other words how they actually “search”. The role is in fact that of a manager and was established in 1984 based on the role of a Royal Engineer Search Advisor. (The historical development of the PolSA role is dealt with in more detail in a paper submitted by my colleague Inspector Colin Hope) A PolSA is responsible for the planning, organisation, management and control of Counter Terrorism, Crime and Missing Person searches and advising senior officers on search related matters. (Association of Chief Police Officers, 2011)