What procedures must be followed to protect the scene?
Protecting the Crime Scene
by George Schiro
Forensic Scientist
Louisiana State Constabulary Crime Laboratory
The nigh important aspect of evidence drove and preservation is protecting the criminal offense scene. This is to keep the pertinent bear witness uncontaminated until it can exist recorded and collected. The successful prosecution of a case can swivel on the state of the physical prove at the time it is collected. The protection of the scene begins with the arrival of the kickoff police officeholder at the scene and ends when the scene is released from constabulary custody.
All law departments and sheriff's offices should include intensive grooming for its personnel on how to properly protect criminal offence scenes. Potentially, any police officeholder can exist put into the position of offset responding officer to a criminal offense scene. The first officer on the scene of a crime should approach the scene slowly and methodically. In some eases this is not altogether practical. The first officer may also be involved in absorbing an uncooperative suspect or performing life saving measures on an injured victim. In either ease the officer should brand mental or written notes (every bit is practical in each situation) nearly the condition of the scene as information technology was upon the officer's arrival and afterwards the scene has been stabilized. The officer should go on notes on the significant times involved in responding to the criminal offense scene (fourth dimension dispatched to scene, fourth dimension left for scene, fourth dimension arrived at scene, fourth dimension left scene, etc.). An endeavor must be made to disturb things as little as possible in assessing the situation. Particular attending should be paid to the flooring since this is the most common repository for bear witness and it poses the greatest potential for contamination. Notes should too be taken if the officer has to modify something in the investigation. Some things the officer should notation include: the condition of the doors, windows, and lighting (both natural and manmade); if in that location are any odors present; if there are whatsoever signs of activity; how EMS or fire personnel have altered the scene; anything essential nigh the doubtable (description, statements, physical condition, mental condition, intoxication, etc.); and anything essential nearly the victim. Once the scene has been stabilized, the scene and any other areas which may yield valuable show (driveways, surrounding yards, pathways, etc.) should be roped off to foreclose unauthorized people from inbound the area and potentially contaminating it. Investigators and other necessary personnel should be contacted and dispatched to the scene, notwithstanding, under no circumstances should the telephone at the scene be used. Once the officer has secured the scene, he or she could practise the following: record witness names and others who may have entered or been at the scene; dissever witnesses and doubtable(s); do not discuss the events or the crime with witnesses or bystanders or let the witnesses discuss these events; listen intently but discreetly; and protect evidence which may exist in danger of beingness destroyed. Whatsoever actions taken should be reported to the investigators.
Many times the arrival of additional personnel can cause problems in protecting the scene. Only those people responsible for the immediate investigation of the crime, the securing of the crime scene, and the processing of the crime scene should be present. Non-essential police officers, commune chaser investigators, federal agents, politicians, etc. should never be allowed into a secured crime scene unless they can add something (other than contamination) to the criminal offense scene investigation. One mode to dissuade unnecessary people from inbound the crime scene is to have only one entrance/exit into the crime scene. An officer can exist placed here with a notebook to take the names of all of the people entering the crime scene. The officeholder tin can and then inform them that by entering the crime scene they may pose a trouble by calculation potential contagion, and the reason that the officer is taking their names is in case the crime scene investigators demand to collect fingerprints, shoes, fibers, blood, saliva, pulled head hair, and/or pulled pubic hair from all those entering the criminal offence scene. This volition sometimes discourage non-essential personnel from inbound the crime scene. The officer can also stop unwanted visitors from entering the restricted areas. If inapplicable people do have to enter the scene, then make sure that they are escorted by someone who is working the scene. This is to make certain that they will non inadvertently destroy any valuable bear witness or leave whatsoever worthless evidence.
Eating, drinking, or smoking should never be immune at a law-breaking scene. Not only can this wreck a law-breaking scene but it can besides exist a health take chances. A command post should be set for such purposes. The post is to exist ready somewhere exterior the restricted areas. It could be a vehicle, picnic table, hotel room, tent, etc. It can be used equally a gathering place for non-involved personnel, a identify for investigators to have breaks, eat, beverage, or smoke, a communication heart, a place for press conferences, a key intelligence area, etc. The best thing most it is that it is away from the criminal offense scene.
Protection of the crime scene likewise includes protection of the criminal offense scene investigators. One person, whether a civilian or a police criminal offence scene investigator, should never be left lone while processing the scene. This is peculiarly true if the suspect has non been apprehended. In that location are many stories of suspects nevertheless hiding at or near their area of misdeed. That is why in that location should always be at least two people working the scene. At least i of these people should have a radio and a firearm.
RECOMMENDED READING:
Fisher, Barry A.J., Arne Svensson, and Otto Wendell. Techniques of Law-breaking Scene Investigation, New York: Elsevior, 1981
- Continue to Part II--Examination and Documentation of the Criminal offence Scene
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