The Challenge
Wiltshire Police’s Forensic Collision Investigation Unit (FCIU) attends around 60 fatal road collisions each year. With road closures costing up to £1 million an hour, these high-stakes investigations demand speed and precision.
“The reports we produce are anything from 10 to 25,000 words, and we’re probably talking about five seconds of time, in more detail than you would ever imagine, really.”
– Forensic Collision Investigator
At the time, the team relied on disconnected tools – PDFs, email chains, and spreadsheets. There was no centralised system for logging evidence, assigning tasks, or tracking case progress. When someone was off work, it was difficult for them to pick up where they left off or see what had changed.
The lack of structure made it difficult to identify where time was being lost or what new equipment could help. The team couldn’t analyse timelines or justify investment in tools that could accelerate evidence capture and reduce closure time.
“To achieve any form of ISO compliance, you’ve got to be really rigid around how you do a process. Doing it by exchanging PDFs just wasn’t the solution”
– Forensic Collision Investigator
The Solution
FCIU worked with Wiltshire Police’s internal development team to build a tailored investigation workflow in HaloITSM – from initial evidence logging to task handover, asset tracking, and final reporting.
Each case now follows a clear, structured path with full visibility of who’s involved, what equipment is used, and how long each step takes. Investigations that once relied on static documents are now fully traceable and auditable.
"Within five seconds, we can have a report out that says what asset has been at which jobs, with which people, and who used it. Compared to any other Forensics team in the country, it’s unique.”
- Forensic Collision Investigator
Change management was also transformed. Instead of blanket notifications or disjointed approval chains, the team can now ensure that only the relevant people are looped into changes, streamlining updates without sacrificing control.
The team can also spot patterns across cases, pinpointing where delays happen, what tools are making a difference, and where future investments should go to reduce disruption.
"We did a lot of work to make every process as good as Halo, and when the team’s complaining about losing five seconds on a job, I know I’ve succeeded.”
-Forensic Collision Investigator
The Results
HaloITSM has helped the FCIU modernise their investigative process, from reactive and manual to structured, transparent, and data-informed:
- Four-hour time saving per investigation through clearer workflows and fewer manual steps
- Real-time audit trails showing asset use, personnel involvement, and all changes
- ISO-aligned processes, reducing risk and supporting formal compliance requirements
- Smarter change management, with targeted notifications and full visibility
- Improved handovers when staff are unavailable, with a clear timeline of activity
- Faster reporting, with case summaries, asset usage, and task history available in seconds
- Better decisions about kit, staffing, and workflow improvements based on real case data
With full oversight of each case, the team can now analyse delays, justify new equipment, and act on trends – something most FCIUs still struggle to do without manual processes or external support.
"Halo gives you that accountability. If something doesn’t go right, we can track it, investigate it, and fix it properly. We need to know what that looks like in cold hard numbers, and being able to track everything is really important. It’s something I don’t think any other FCIU in the country can do autonomously.”
- Forensic Collision Investigator
The system now plays a central role in how Wiltshire Police approaches forensic investigation, supporting the team to work faster, stay in control, and respond effectively in the most demanding situations.