The Crime Scene

1. The Crime Scene People Involved Safety Awareness

2. What is a Crime Scene ? • MVA involving injury or death • FIRES • Treat all fires as a crime scene and try to preserve the point of origin • Homicide • Altercation (fight) • Drug Labs • Drug Grow Operations • Hazmat • Terrorism

3. Arriving at a Crime Scene • The location or site where an offence takes place is referred to as the crime scene. When officers arrive, they have three tasks to perform: • Call an ambulance and assist any injured people at the scene. • Call in reinforcements to help eliminate any hazards that still pose a risk (i.e. fire, bombs) • Continue to search the scene even if witnesses says perpetrators have left • To protect people at the scene police must proceed as if the perpetrators are still there and armed until they search the area themselves and declare it safe

4. CRIME SCENE AWARENESS AND SAFETY • R RESPOND • E EVALUATE • S SECURE • P PROTECT • O OBSERVE • N NOTIFY • D DOCUMENT

5. R: Respond • General Observations on way to scene • Mental Notes • Anything out of place ? • Firefighter Safety is #1 consideration

6. E: Evualate • FACTORS to Look For Approaching Scene: • Suspect(s), witness, victims • BLS, Bio/Chem hazards, SWAT • Weapons • Wires Down • Fire, Gas, Electric • Call - Not In Progress, already at scene. • Ask for assistance • Limit access, one way in/out • People AND Vehicles • Gloves and other PPE • Take Notes • Who, what, when, where, time

7. E: Establish Parameter • Establish Perimeter • Tape/rope • For a Large perimeter- use rope • Outer/inner perimeters • Be aware of… • Footprints • Tire prints • Pavement gouging • Physical evidence (ie: blood) • Suspect escape route • Establish Attendance Log and a PAR • Begin with yourself and anyone past/present • Maintain until Law Enforcement arrives, then turn over to Law Enforcement. • Include in log • Names • Dates • Agency • Time entered • Time exited • Reason entered

8. P: Protect • Safeguard scene until Law Enforcement Arrives from: • Weather • Animals • Traffic (people and vehicles) • Safeguard items within scene • Room in which the patient was treated • Vehicles • Patient’s Cell phone • ID’s, wallets, personal items • No movement of body until authorized by Coroner in case of deceased patient

9. O: Observe • Basic factors • Time of call, arrival • Weather/Temperature • Doors open or locked • Lights on or off • Position of patients and vehicles

10. N otifications • Supervisor • Dispatch • Who will then notify Law Enforcement if they are not already on scene.

11. D: Document • Attendance Log • Call times, arrival times • Initial Patient Contact Time • Patient Contact Report (ePCR) • Sketch if requested by Law Enforcement • NFIRS Number of Incident

12. EMS at Crime Scenes • The goal of performing EMS at crime scenes is to provide high-quality patient care while preserving evidence. • NEVER jeopardize patient care for the sake of evidence. However, do not perform patient care with disregard for the criminal investigation that will follow. • Be aware you may have to justify your actions to Law Enforcement and the District Attorney after the fact.

13. EMS and Protecting/Preserving Evidence • Be aware that anything on or around the patient may be considered evidence. • Whenever in doubt, save or treat an object as evidence. • Develop an awareness of evidence. • Pick a single path to and from the patient if a crime scene is suspected, and maintain it. • Decontaminate equipment AWAY from the crime scene • Remember Bleach + DNA do not mix

14. Types of Evidence • Prints • Blood and body fluids • Particulate (or microscopic) evidence • Chemicals, drug apparatus • On-scene observation of scene details and people • Skid Marks, gouging, damage to poles or trees, fencing- in the case of vehicular homicides

15. Protecting / Preserving the Crime Scene • Success in prosecuting offenders often depends on the condition of the physical evidence taken from the scene of the crime. • To protect the crime scene, the officers must accurately establish two boundaries: the center and the perimeter. • The center of the crime scene is the area in which the offence was actually committed. • The perimeter consists of the surrounding areas where the offender may have been present or may have left evidence. These areas include any entry or escape routes used by the offender. • Crime scenes are preserved for three reasons: • to allow for a thorough search of the scene • to seize and collect physical evidence • to ensure physical evidence seized is admissible in court.

16. Protecting/Preserving the Crime Scene • If evidence is not handled properly it may become contaminated and be inadmissible in court. • Contamination is the loss, destruction, or alteration of physical evidence. This type of evidence is not admissible in court and may lead police to draw inaccurate conclusions. • Investigators keep a police log, a written record of what each officer has witnessed at a crime scene or has learned from questioning witnesses or suspects. • Officers use their logs to document their daily activities. Later, these logs will help officers recall events, particularly when they are called to testify at a trial. Investigators also use photographs, sketches, and other recording techniques to document the evidence found at a crime scene.

17. Officers at a Crime Scene • Four types of officers investigate a crime scene and each has a separate and well-defined role to play. • Patrol Officer– usually the first on the scene. Primary duty is to secure scene and ensure no evidence is tampered with or lost. Usually puts up yellow tape around the perimeter and conducts initial interviews with witness at the scene. They also arrest suspects if the crime is in progress. • “Scenes of Crime” Officer– Trained in evidence collection/preservation. Usually take photographs, lift fingerprints and foot/tire impressions. They also collect blood/hair evidence. These officers usually work on less serious offences such as break and enter and car thefts.

18. Officers at a Crime Scene • “Criminal Identification” Officer– Responsible for searching the crime scene, examining scene for evidence, gathering/analyzing evidence and sending certain types of evidence to laboratories for analysis. • “Criminal Investigation Bureau” Officer– Plainclothes detective with experience in a particular area of crime such as homicide, robbery or sexual offences. These officers are trained to supervise the investigation, interview witnesses, interrogate suspects, and draw conclusions from physical evidence and arrest suspects.

19. Other Roles At A Crime Scene • Team Leader • Assume control - ensure safety of personnel and security at scene • Conduct initial walk-through for purposes of making a preliminary survey, evaluating potential evidence, and preparing a narrative description. • Determine search patterns, and make appropriate assignments for team members. • Designate command post location and ensure exchange of information between search and investigative personnel. • Coordinate with other law enforcement agencies and make sure a cooperative spirit is maintained. • Ensure that sufficient supplies and equipment are available for personnel. • Control access to the scene and designate an individual to log everyone into the scene. • Continuously reevaluate efficiency of search during entire course of operation. • Release the scene after a final survey and inventory of the evidence has been done.

20. Photographer • Photographer and Photographic Log Recorder • Photograph entire area before it is entered. • Photograph victims, crowd, and vehicles. • Photograph entire scene with overall, medium and close-up coverage, using measurement scale when appropriate. • Photograph major evidence items before they are moved; coordinate this effort with Sketch Preparer, Evidence Recorder, and Evidence Recovery Personnel. • Photograph all latent fingerprints and other impression evidence before lifting and casting are accomplished. • Prepare photographic log and photographic sketch.

21. Sketch Preparer • Sketch Preparer • Diagram immediate area of scene and orient diagram with sketch. • Set forth major items of evidence on sketch. • Designate and label areas to be searched and advise team leader and all other search members of nomenclature for designated areas. • Obtain appropriate assistance for taking measurements and double check measurements. • Ensure necessary administrative information, such as scale disclaimer (not drawn to scale), is recorded on sketch.

22. Evidence Recorder • Evidence Recorder/Evidence Recovery Personnel • Have significant evidence photographed before collection. • Describe evidence and its location on appropriate bag or envelope. • Sign and date evidence container/maintain chain of custody. • Appropriately collect and package evidence to maximize evidence integrity. • Maintain evidence log. • Use appropriate protective equipment (gloves) and methods when dealing with potentially infective evidence (blood).

23. Specialists • Specialists • It is sometimes necessary to bring in expertise from an outside • When dealing with outside specialists some pertinent aspects to consider are: • The competence and reliability of the specialist. • The ability of the specialist to work at a scene within law enforcement guidelines. • The role of the specialist in presenting expert testimony in court. • Specialists should be identified before they are needed in an actual case. A current list should be maintained, if possible. The agency should meet with these individuals to determine the best manner to jointly conduct search planning, operations, and follow-up activity. • The following list provides examples of specialty assistance to be considered (it is not meant to be completely inclusive): • Anthropologist • Blood Pattern Analyst • Bomb Technician • Criminalist • Engineer • Entomologist • Medical Examiner • Odontologist • Surveyor

24. Q and A Open Question and Answer