ADMJ 1100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Barricade Tape, Forensic Science, Coroner
18 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
CSI
Chapter 2 Lecture Slides
Crime Scene Search Principles
First Responder: the officer who responds first on the scene, usually a patrol officer
- Have the most influence and control over the identification and preservation of all
evidence related to a criminal action
- Emergencies at the scene must be addressed by the first responders (safety of
personnel responding to the scene and medical needs of subjects)
- A search must be conducted in an orderly and systematic manner
Priorities at the Crime Scene
1. Safety of the officers and other individuals in and around the scene
a. Scan area for sights, sounds, and smells that may present danger
b. Survey the area for dangerous persons (suspect may still be in the area)
2. Preservation of human life
a. Initiate life saving measures
3. Other available officers will search the area for the suspect, restrict access to the scene
with police barrier tape, and obtain preliminary information from witnesses
4. Protect the Crime Scene
a. Protection may not be possible or practical
5. After the crime scene is secured, the first responder should tour the crime scene
a. Identify suspected entry and exit points and presence of any evidence that needs
to be brought to the attention of the investigators
6. Create a working theory which can be revised as new facts come to light
7. Take steps to preserve any fragile evidence
8. Establish a pathway to the victim or target of the crime
a. Indirect path to victim to avoid contaminating the area of potential evidence
9. Dead Body Processing
a. Stays at the scene until the medical examiner or coroner arrives to retrieve or
release the body
b. The medical examiner or coroner has jurisdiction over the body, so it is not
allowed to be moved before the arrival of their staff
Crie “cee Iestigator’s Role
- Document the scene, convey the findings to the investigative team, and to testify as to
the findings in the courtroom
o Could be a patrol officer, a forensic science technician from a dedicated crime
scene unit, or the detective assigned to the case
Arriving at the Crime Scene
1. Record pertinent data immediately
a. Time called to scene, time arrived, actions taken to secure the scene, record
people who are or were there, record all case file data for all departments
involved, record names of all victims and suspects known at the time
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2. Contact the first responder at the scene
a. Obtain overview of circumstances known and observations made by the
responding officer
b. Determine the indirect pathway
c. Obtain information about what areas have been entered and by who so that
elimination samples can be obtained from the individuals should the need arise
d. Tour the scene with the first responder
3. Establish a command center for the operation
4. Establish a plan for processing the scene
5. Confer with all individuals assisting in the search
6. Advise everyone that all evidence is to be collected only by the team members
responsible for the evidence collection
7. Make sure each team member is certain of his/her role in the search and how the
search is to proceed
8. Consider the safety of the search team in cases involving hazardous materials
Crime Scene Search
- Must be systematic and methodical
o Ensures that evidence is recognized and admissible in a court of law
o Must be documented during the search, photographs, and sketches
- Detailed Searches for Evidence
o “tarts at perpetrator’s poit of entry (if known)
o Ideally, the scene is searched twice with different individuals to ensure evidence
is not overlooked
o Types:
▪ Spiral Search: best for large outdoor scenes for very large objects that
are easy to see, starts at center
▪
▪ Strip Search: best for large indoor scenes or outdoor scenes where the
items are relatively small, linear fashion reversing at the outdoor edge
▪
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Document Summary
First responder: the officer who responds first on the scene, usually a patrol officer. Have the most influence and control over the identification and preservation of all evidence related to a criminal action. Emergencies at the scene must be addressed by the first responders (safety of personnel responding to the scene and medical needs of subjects) A search must be conducted in an orderly and systematic manner. Must be systematic and methodical: ensures that evidence is recognized and admissible in a court of law, must be documented during the search, photographs, and sketches. Detailed searches for evidence: tarts at perpetrator"s poi(cid:374)t of entry (if known) Debriefing allows members of the investigation team to share information regarding particular scene findings and provides an opportunity for input. After debriefing, a final survey should be conducted before the scene is released to the appropriate individual or agency.
