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ASUP Training Guidelines
The Association for the Study of Unexplained Phenomenon is dedicated to the
use of standardized police and journalists investigation tools when working in the
field. To that end the following guidelines are offered.
Standard Police Procedures
When working on a field investigation it is suggested that there he a team of no
less than four and no more than 8 researchers at the scene. Manpower should
be allocate as such:
First team on the scene is responsible for overall scene security. The passenger
in the team one vehicle should be noted as the official RECORDER or
GATEKEEPER at the scene and position himself at the only access point to the
scene, where he will duly note who and when each other team enters the area
and further notes where they intend to go. It is also the recorders responsibility
to have each team synchronize their timepieces to his time.
Lead team is the most senior team on the scene and will make all job allocations
to the other team. The Supervising lead investigator will pair up with the least
experienced investigator at the scene, who will work as his partner and be the
team recorder.
All other teams will be of two investigators, one being the recorder for each
team. Assignment as recorder should be at random.
Team recorder will have a notebook and take legible notes that include time in
and out of the scene, a running log of movement through the area with good
timekeeping and what the team encounters. For all practical purposed the
recorder can use a digital or analogue recording device, but those notes must be
placed in writing in the recorders individual notebooks before leaving the scene.
Each team member will be responsible for having the supervising investigator
sign their notebooks before leaving the scene for the day.
Teams should never break up or work independently!
Journalism Guidelines
First and foremost, corroboration is most important. It is the team’s responsibility
to interview everyone at the scene. Each potential witness should be interviewed
separately with two investigators and notes of those interviews should be taken
by both investigators. Do not lead a witness. Allow them to tell their story, their
way. As for clarification when need be, but do not introduce terminology or
suggest what might have happened or how to interpret it.
During the interview make note of how the witness is behaving, mannerisms,
ticks, does he address the investigator with eye contact, etc. His the witness
uneasy? Do you note the use of similar phrasing between witnesses? As the
witness his relationship with others who are being interviewed. Does he or she
wish to suggest others to be interviewed? Why? Be sure to find out the
witnesses own timeline. When did he arrive at the scene, what time was it when
he witnessed an event. Be sure he outlines the scene for you in total, where
were people standing at the time, what did others say at the time, etc.
Be sure to ask if the witness would agree to further interviews in the future.
Be sure your notes are complete for each witness you interview. Including name,
address, phone and e-mail for each and as many alternative methods of contact
as possible. Ascertain where the person works, what are his interests and
hobbies, relationships and marital status, religious beliefs, etc.
Be sure your field supervisor sees and signs your notes before you leave the
scene.
Virtually all types of investigations will lend themselves to these guidelines.
Whenever a team member has witnessed an event he or she is to be interviewed
as if they were a civilian witness and the same note taking should be followed.
No exceptions.
Tools of the trade
Toys are nifty, but none are as sensitive as a good investigator!
All team members must have a notebook and pen!
Tape recording devices, digital or analogue are also very helpful.
A digital camera is similarly helpful, should be over 3 Meg/pixel per frame.
A film camera is also desirable for long time exposures and infrared.
Digital thermometer with instance readout.
GPS handheld device.
Video - cam-corders, etc.
How to use them….
That notebook is the key to success, use it often. Record everything in the book,
it is the prime tool used by the follow-up team to reconstruct what has transpired
and is a legal document, once it is notarized.
Obviously the digital camera, if you have one, should be around your neck and
ready to use. Shoot the scene as you first find it plus anything you find of
interest.
Some thoughts on film cameras. First, when you shoot film, never allow the lab
to cur the film into strips…. Keep the entire roll in one piece. This could be
important later. You can shoot B&W, color print, slides or infrared. If you are
shooting anything, film or digital, make notes in your notebook of each frame you
shoot , where and when. This is important!
The digital thermometer with instant readout is good, if it is working correctly and
if you make note of where and when you are using it and if you team partner
takes a photo of you using it, showing exactly where you were at the time.
The GPS handheld is a godsend, believe me. Especially in the field in an outdoor
location, but remember, make copious notes of exact readouts as you go…
immediately, batteries and memory devices have been know to die or disappear
in hot spots and the only hope of using the information you had from that GPS
may be your notebook entries.
Video makes the bottom of the list for us.
Why? Because we are not out there to prove anything to anyone else.
We are not producing a TV show and while the video may be entertaining to
show to others, it takes up an entire team to do it properly. If you have the extra
manpower and the space to utilize video, by all means do so, but never come
back to the team leader or coordinator and tell him or her that the other tools
were rendered useless excuse the video interfered with the investigation. You
can’t shoot video with lights and expect infrared to work! Video should be utilized
only after you have the three team minimums covered, that is to say, your
gatekeeper (primary recorder at the door), the supervisor and at least one
investigative team. So, to shoot video you have to have 8 people in the team,
preferably 10!
Please note: ASUP does not exist to feed a network TV show or special. Yes, we
have taken part in many, perhaps too many, but our primary interest is in
documentation and investigation, not an entertainment production. We will work
with filmmakers and producers when necessary, but not to the point where the
quality of our work suffers.
ASUP will regularly publish its findings for others to read and comment. We do
offer selected studies for publication in magazines from time to time, but those
cases are about one in 100. It is nice to be recognized, but that is not our
primary purpose.
Things we do not do…
We are not exorcists, we may report on exorcisms (rarely) but we do not perform
them. To the best of our knowledge only the Catholic Church and certain ultra-
orthodox Jewish sects perform exorcisms and then only rarely.
We do not purport to be able to “clear” or “Cleanse” a haunted house. Yes, we
have done it, and we do not prohibit it in the future, but we do not advertise
ourselves for that purpose and if asked, we will disavow any intention to do so.
Things we do….
We will assist other research organizations whenever possible. The ASUP was
originally recognized for going into cases where other were having a problem.
When invited we will do our best to help.
We do investigate haunting, ghosts, UFOs, Cryptozoological phenomenon and
virtually all other kinds of paranormal activity for the purpose of study and
reporting.
We hope these guidelines will be of help in understanding ASUP’s intentions.
©2006 – ASUP (All Rights Reserved)
The Association for the Study of Unexplained Phenomenon is dedicated to the
use of standardized police and journalists investigation tools when working in the
field. To that end the following guidelines are offered.
Standard Police Procedures
When working on a field investigation it is suggested that there he a team of no
less than four and no more than 8 researchers at the scene. Manpower should
be allocate as such:
First team on the scene is responsible for overall scene security. The passenger
in the team one vehicle should be noted as the official RECORDER or
GATEKEEPER at the scene and position himself at the only access point to the
scene, where he will duly note who and when each other team enters the area
and further notes where they intend to go. It is also the recorders responsibility
to have each team synchronize their timepieces to his time.
Lead team is the most senior team on the scene and will make all job allocations
to the other team. The Supervising lead investigator will pair up with the least
experienced investigator at the scene, who will work as his partner and be the
team recorder.
All other teams will be of two investigators, one being the recorder for each
team. Assignment as recorder should be at random.
Team recorder will have a notebook and take legible notes that include time in
and out of the scene, a running log of movement through the area with good
timekeeping and what the team encounters. For all practical purposed the
recorder can use a digital or analogue recording device, but those notes must be
placed in writing in the recorders individual notebooks before leaving the scene.
Each team member will be responsible for having the supervising investigator
sign their notebooks before leaving the scene for the day.
Teams should never break up or work independently!
Journalism Guidelines
First and foremost, corroboration is most important. It is the team’s responsibility
to interview everyone at the scene. Each potential witness should be interviewed
separately with two investigators and notes of those interviews should be taken
by both investigators. Do not lead a witness. Allow them to tell their story, their
way. As for clarification when need be, but do not introduce terminology or
suggest what might have happened or how to interpret it.
During the interview make note of how the witness is behaving, mannerisms,
ticks, does he address the investigator with eye contact, etc. His the witness
uneasy? Do you note the use of similar phrasing between witnesses? As the
witness his relationship with others who are being interviewed. Does he or she
wish to suggest others to be interviewed? Why? Be sure to find out the
witnesses own timeline. When did he arrive at the scene, what time was it when
he witnessed an event. Be sure he outlines the scene for you in total, where
were people standing at the time, what did others say at the time, etc.
Be sure to ask if the witness would agree to further interviews in the future.
Be sure your notes are complete for each witness you interview. Including name,
address, phone and e-mail for each and as many alternative methods of contact
as possible. Ascertain where the person works, what are his interests and
hobbies, relationships and marital status, religious beliefs, etc.
Be sure your field supervisor sees and signs your notes before you leave the
scene.
Virtually all types of investigations will lend themselves to these guidelines.
Whenever a team member has witnessed an event he or she is to be interviewed
as if they were a civilian witness and the same note taking should be followed.
No exceptions.
Tools of the trade
Toys are nifty, but none are as sensitive as a good investigator!
All team members must have a notebook and pen!
Tape recording devices, digital or analogue are also very helpful.
A digital camera is similarly helpful, should be over 3 Meg/pixel per frame.
A film camera is also desirable for long time exposures and infrared.
Digital thermometer with instance readout.
GPS handheld device.
Video - cam-corders, etc.
How to use them….
That notebook is the key to success, use it often. Record everything in the book,
it is the prime tool used by the follow-up team to reconstruct what has transpired
and is a legal document, once it is notarized.
Obviously the digital camera, if you have one, should be around your neck and
ready to use. Shoot the scene as you first find it plus anything you find of
interest.
Some thoughts on film cameras. First, when you shoot film, never allow the lab
to cur the film into strips…. Keep the entire roll in one piece. This could be
important later. You can shoot B&W, color print, slides or infrared. If you are
shooting anything, film or digital, make notes in your notebook of each frame you
shoot , where and when. This is important!
The digital thermometer with instant readout is good, if it is working correctly and
if you make note of where and when you are using it and if you team partner
takes a photo of you using it, showing exactly where you were at the time.
The GPS handheld is a godsend, believe me. Especially in the field in an outdoor
location, but remember, make copious notes of exact readouts as you go…
immediately, batteries and memory devices have been know to die or disappear
in hot spots and the only hope of using the information you had from that GPS
may be your notebook entries.
Video makes the bottom of the list for us.
Why? Because we are not out there to prove anything to anyone else.
We are not producing a TV show and while the video may be entertaining to
show to others, it takes up an entire team to do it properly. If you have the extra
manpower and the space to utilize video, by all means do so, but never come
back to the team leader or coordinator and tell him or her that the other tools
were rendered useless excuse the video interfered with the investigation. You
can’t shoot video with lights and expect infrared to work! Video should be utilized
only after you have the three team minimums covered, that is to say, your
gatekeeper (primary recorder at the door), the supervisor and at least one
investigative team. So, to shoot video you have to have 8 people in the team,
preferably 10!
Please note: ASUP does not exist to feed a network TV show or special. Yes, we
have taken part in many, perhaps too many, but our primary interest is in
documentation and investigation, not an entertainment production. We will work
with filmmakers and producers when necessary, but not to the point where the
quality of our work suffers.
ASUP will regularly publish its findings for others to read and comment. We do
offer selected studies for publication in magazines from time to time, but those
cases are about one in 100. It is nice to be recognized, but that is not our
primary purpose.
Things we do not do…
We are not exorcists, we may report on exorcisms (rarely) but we do not perform
them. To the best of our knowledge only the Catholic Church and certain ultra-
orthodox Jewish sects perform exorcisms and then only rarely.
We do not purport to be able to “clear” or “Cleanse” a haunted house. Yes, we
have done it, and we do not prohibit it in the future, but we do not advertise
ourselves for that purpose and if asked, we will disavow any intention to do so.
Things we do….
We will assist other research organizations whenever possible. The ASUP was
originally recognized for going into cases where other were having a problem.
When invited we will do our best to help.
We do investigate haunting, ghosts, UFOs, Cryptozoological phenomenon and
virtually all other kinds of paranormal activity for the purpose of study and
reporting.
We hope these guidelines will be of help in understanding ASUP’s intentions.
©2006 – ASUP (All Rights Reserved)
