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Crime Scene Search Law Enforcement I

Crime Scene Search Law Enforcement I. Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2011. All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission

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Crime Scene SearchLaw Enforcement I

Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2011. All rights reserved.Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

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Copyright and Terms of Service

Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2011. These materials are copyrighted © and trademarked ™ as the property of the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of TEA, except under the following conditions:

1)  Texas public school districts, charter schools, and Education Service Centers may reproduce and use copies of the Materials and Related Materials for the districts’ and schools’ educational use without obtaining permission from TEA.

2)  Residents of the state of Texas may reproduce and use copies of the Materials and Related Materials for individual personal use only, without obtaining written permission of TEA.

3)  Any portion reproduced must be reproduced in its entirety and remain unedited, unaltered and unchanged in any way.

4)  No monetary charge can be made for the reproduced materials or any document containing them; however, a reasonable charge to cover only the cost of reproduction and distribution may be charged.

Private entities or persons located in Texas that are not Texas public school districts, Texas Education Service Centers, or Texas charter schools or any entity, whether public or private, educational or non-educational, located outside the state of Texas MUST obtain written approval from TEA and will be required to enter into a license agreement that may involve the payment of a licensing fee or a royalty.

Contact TEA Copyrights with any questions you may have.

Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2011. All rights reserved.Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Why Conduct a Crime Scene Search?

To gather and process further evidence from the area in which the crime occurred.

We frequently think about fingerprints, but CSI and other shows have demonstrated that fingerprints are but a small part of the evidence obtained.

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Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2011. All rights reserved.Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Steps in Processing the Scene

• Survey of the scene• Photographs and sketches• Measurements and mapping• Recording the locations of evidence and

documenting• Searching for fingerprints and other evidence

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Indoor vs. Outdoor Search

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• Greater coverage• More than one searcher• Evidence may be more fragile• Don’t forget to look up!• Don’t bring evidence with you• Night and day considerations

Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2011. All rights reserved.Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Strip Method

Useful in larger, outdoor areas but also inside. Quick to implement and simple to use – can be done by a single person.

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Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2011. All rights reserved.Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Spiral Method

This circular method is most effective in an indoor or small area, since, as the circle gets bigger, evidence may be overlooked.

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Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2011. All rights reserved.Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Wheel Method

Rarely used anymore, where searchers begin at the center and move outward. The number of people searching at the beginning can cause evidence to be ruined.

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Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2011. All rights reserved.Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Grid Method

This is one of the best methods for detailed searching of large areas. This method can be modified depending on the number of searchers and the area covered. When done correctly, each area will be searched twice.

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Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2011. All rights reserved.Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Zone Method

Most often used indoors, this method divides the search area into sections, or squares, and a separate officer is designated to search each section.

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Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2011. All rights reserved.Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Considerations When Searching

Evidence can be found near/in• The crime scene• Points of entry or exit• The route of escape• Clothing• Where weapons are found• Vehicles

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Evidence Removal

• Be sure and document any evidence location, through either diagram or photograph or both.

• Handle evidence appropriately (you may be asked who picked it up and what was done with it).

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Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2011. All rights reserved.Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Evidence Tampering

When another officer or outside person leaves items at the scene or damages evidence.• This can occur intentionally, or more often

than not, unintentionally.• Regardless of who the person is, they need to

be removed from the scene.• If it is a superior officer, you need to report

this to the crime scene commander.

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Copyright © Texas Education Agency 2011. All rights reserved.Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Resources

• 0942728750, Practical Criminal Investigation, Manuel S. Peña

• 084931691X, Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation, Barry A. J. Fisher

• 0849333032, Practical Homicide Investigation, Vernon J. Geberth

• Manual for Police of New York State

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