Investigative Interviews: Guidelines for national Veterinary Services and Law Enforcement (próximamente en español)

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), in collaboration with the
International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), has developed these
guidelines to assist Veterinary Services and Law Enforcement to prepare for
and conduct investigative interviews.

Veterinary Services undertake a wide variety of investigations across
outbreak investigation, animal welfare, food safety and compliance. Law
Enforcement may need to become involved in such investigations when
potential legal violations or criminal activities are suspected (e.g. agro-crime
and agro-terrorism). There may also be cases where Law Enforcement lead
an existing investigation and require support from Veterinary Services.

Interviews are a core aspect of any type of investigation as they establish
facts gathered from speaking with and listening to the people involved.
To enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the investigative process,
it is crucial to plan for and know how to conduct investigative interviews.
Despite the importance of structured communication in clinical and disease
investigation settings, these skills are typically not included in veterinary
curriculum training, and access to such training for working veterinarians
is often limited. Veterinary Services can enhance their investigative
capabilities by drawing on the extensive experience and good practices of
Law Enforcement. In turn, Law Enforcement may lack experience of working
with Veterinary Services or not be familiar with standard farming practices
and animal health norms. Thus, fostering a mutual knowledge exchange can
contribute to a more effective and well-rounded approach to investigations.