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Importance of communication to police officers
Crime scene investigation process
Steps to process a crime scene
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The most important thing to remember when called to a crime scene is that no situation is textbook. Guidelines may be in place to help investigators get started, but the methods of securing and processing will vary by crime scene. Outside factors may make it hazardous for investigators to do their job – inclement weather, safety hazards such as a downed power line, fire hazards, etc. These factors will dictate how investigators approach the scene, so they must remember to be adaptable and willing to compromise when needed. They may also have to wait until the scene is safe to approach before examining it. Locard’s exchange principle states that whenever a person enters a location, they both add and subtract material from the crime scene that indicate their presence there (National Forensic Science Technology Center, n.d.). For this reason, it is very important to secure the area as quickly as possible. Unnecessary disruption from outside forces can destroy evidence and disturb the investigation, which in the end may cause problems for investigators. Cases can be thrown out of court due to evidence contamination – and the initial crime scene is often where this happens. Solid communication is important in any job, but it is especially important in the criminal justice sector. One …show more content…
The most easily recognized forms of firearm evidence could include the weapon itself, bullets, and cartridge casings. These alone can tell investigators the gauge of the gun, the manufacturer or marketer, and unique individual characteristics that can identify a particular firearm (Firearms evidence, n.d.). By looking a little closer at the bullet wounds themselves, investigators may also be able to find gunshot residue and gunpowder patterns. All guns are engraved with the serial number, and even if it has been filed away, it can be restored and identify the owner of the
If there was no weapon found at the scene and there are other evidence clues that lead to a suspect, and if the suspect had a firearm the forensics team would get a warrant to retrieve the weapon so it could be tested. When the weapon is being tested, it will allow the the bullet have individual marks that will be compared to the ones found at the scene. All of these comparisons are done under a microscope since technology has improved and it is easier to make matches. According to Young & Ortmeier (2011) “class characteristics include weight of the projectile, direction of twist of the riffling, degree of twist of riffling, number of lands and groves, and width of lands and groves.” Even though guns from the same manufacture will never have the same riffling, lands or grove. When evaluating two cartridge casings the examiner will be looking for manufacture, the size of the firing pin as well as the location. The FBI has made a integrated ballistic identification system (IBIS) it's a database that helps crime labs with comparisons where it proves one gun being used in many crimes. In addition, gunshot residue is helpful solving crimes because gunshot residue can be chemically tested. If an individual has gunshot residue it doesn't prove he or she shot the victims, it just means that they were along the premises while the gun was fired. Another
Let me start with the crime scene of a television show. The investigator arrives at the crime scene where they begin to investigate the crime scene themselves. As others are blocking off where the crime was committed keeping people from
Safe handling of firearms at crime scene. A high priority at a crime scenes safety in collecting the firearm. Preservation of evidence is essential. The firearm used to commit the crime may not be at the scene, cartridge casings and expended projectiles may be at crime scene and provide information about the type of firearm used. When a firearm is retrieved by a suspect it can be identified by distinctive tool marks on the expended casings, and individuals bullets can be linked to the firearm. By identifying and analyzing the trajectory of a bullet you can reconstruct the events surrounding a shooting. (GSR) gunshot residue pattern is present the distance determination can be determined. The forensic technician must photograph, take measurements, and firearm evidence collection, follows protocol for all, and
In this study, they wanted to mimic crime scene interactions, evidence handling, and evidence analyzing as closely to the real world as possible. They started by asking two different police districts their cleaning procedures and evidence handling.
From the moment the first officer arrives on the scene, he/she will need to take detailed notes. The safety of all officers and any individuals in or around the crime scene will be the lead officer's first priority. As the first officer arrives on the scene he/she will cautiously enter the crime scene taking note of any suspicious persons or vehicles while looking for any potential evidence. Once the officer has determined that the crime scene is safe, he/she will then proceed to make sure medical attention is provided to anyone injured while continuing to minimize contamination to the crime scene. During the entire investigation, the officer on the scene will be observant while entering and exiting the crime scene and will take detailed notes making certain not to miss a thing.
Fingerprints are collected from the evidence, and ran through a database such as IAFIS. DNA evidence that is extracted from hair, bodily fluids and skin cells are also ran through databases that help identify the suspects. Firearms, bullets and cartridges are analyzed and can be used to trace a weapon back to its owner. All of the information gathered from collected evidence is pooled together to create a solid base for use in the conviction of suspects in a crime.
Immediately upon the criminalists' arrival, they " must be careful not to contaminate the scene by introducing outside substances to it."( Innes, 2005, p.6) the crimes stage is protected by the criminalists wearing sterilized throw away garments and using special tools to pick up the evidence. Thereafter the scene has been sealed off from pedestrians, criminalists will then search the area for anything abnormal lying around and will collect the evidence( Innes, 2005). They then use tools to break down evidence and use their prior predictions to solve the physical evidence they found. This career uses their knowledge of the data to solve details in an
The first responder’s job is to render aid to the victim and secure the area. When cordoning off an area one should keep in mind that there is useful evidence outside of the area where the crime actually happened. For instance, if someone was stabbed in a house and the point ...
Interior and exterior crime scenes are almost as similar as they are dissimilar. For instance, both have concerns regarding; scene safety, scene control, climate changes, evidence contamination, disturbance or destruction via accidental contact or uncontrollable external circumstances (pets, wild animals or weather) (Fisher, B., Fisher, D., 2012). On the other hand, the interior scenes usually allows for climate control, at some level, were exterior climates are at the will of nature. Interior also provides barrier, although not impenetrable, against external circumstances, where exterior scenes tend to have large areas of openness, making the area more susceptible to someone or something entering regardless of the scene markers (Richard, S.,
Then the detective should try to find any other officials at the scene and try to get an understanding of everyone’s roles in the investigation as well as presenting his. While communicating and introducing himself, it would also be a great idea to find the person who was the first “professional” at the scene (National Institute of Justice). If the scene is under control, the detective should try to collect all data on witnesses including their D.O.B, name, address, and relationship to the victim. After talking with the witnesses and/or the first professional, it would be best to ask if any evidence has been tampered with or any evidence destroyed. Before entering the scene all persons should come up with a plan to access the scene in a manner that would not put anyone in any danger (Geberth, 1996). Note that if there is a sufficient amount of things that collectively could destroy any evidence, then it may be wise to have the body be moved before the investigation continues. The purpose of exercising scene safety is to prevent injury or the loss of life of anyone that has access to the scene. It is important that the proper agencies are contacted for assistance with things like chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive threats (National Institute of Justice, 2011). After having a proper plan and gearing up for any physical or biohazards, the detective would need to get permission from a fire marshal to enter the
This paper explores the process and procedures of a police officer when it comes to working a crime scene investigation. Although there are multiple police departments just inside Cobb County, all have the same basis for working a crime scene and procedure for the timeline of jobs to be completed on a crime scene. In the book Criminal Investigation (Swanson, Chamelin, Territo, & Taylor, 2012), chapter three covers the crime scene investigation process of three characters: the police officer, criminal investigator and the crime scene technician. This paper will strive to outline and detail the job of the police officer. According to the book Criminal Investigation (Swanson et al., 2012), there is a specific timeline for a police officer that
Communication is a way of conveying information and ideas to better understand communication between law enforcement officers and the community. I believe it helps deal with issues of trust among law enforcement officials and society. It will be our mission to establish this trust and communication between officers of this agency and society. This plan will make it conceivable to target the community and to effectively communicate with the public which will aid the agency to be efficient and effectively better communicators. Send officers to school to teach them effective ways to communicate with the public. Events occur when officers don’t effectively communicate their ideas with the public, they may not listen to orders officers are attempting to relay. If this is the case, something simple can turn into something worse. By improving communication between law enforcement officers and the community there will be more trust and less unease around the officers. What will the public gain
One way that it can be used is if bullets are left at a crime scene, they are taken to a laboratory to be examined for any evidence that would show more clues about what happened. Same thing goes for gunshot residue, it can be found on victims hands as well as clothes. This determines if a person has recently handled or fired a gun. If you also have the shell of the bullet or bullet, you can figure out the manufacturer from the marking on them from the barrel of the gun.
One of the main methods of determining the nature of a case is by analysing the crime scene, particularly analysing the body of the victim including its location.
Communication is one of the most important factors in our lives. It dictates the relationships formed with the individuals in personal and professional lives. Effective communication provides a foundation for trust and respect to grow. It also helps better understand a person and the context of the conversation. Individuals often believe that their communication skills are much better than what they actually are. Communication appears effortless; however, much of what two people discuss gets misunderstood, thus leading to conflicts and distress. To communicate effectively, one must understand the emotion behind the information being said. Knowing how to communicate effectively can improve relationships one has at home, work and in social affairs. Understanding communication skills such as; listening, non-verbal communication and managing stress can help better the relationships one has with others.