Crime Scene Security
What is the number one priority for the first responding officer?
Officer and scene safety / rendering medical aid
What is transient evidence?
Evidence that is fragile and will disappear as time passes.
An individual reports that he met somebody on line, and they exchanged nude images. The online friend then threatens that they will send these photos to the victim’s family and friends if he does not send them $1500. He has not sent any money yet, but he is terrified his friends and family will see his nude images. What do you do?
Advise them not to send any money (and maybe to prepare his mom for the pictures she’s going to get sent.) Refer them to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, www.ic3.gov to make a report.
What are the three types of photos you should take at a scene?
Overall, mid-range, and close-up
What is chain of custody? Why is this important?
To document the time and date, as well as WHO evidence was transferred to and why. This maintains the integrity of the evidence and ensures it cannot be argued as tampered with while in court.
What is a crime scene log and why is it important?
Documentation of everybody who enters and exits the scene and when
What should you NOT do to digital evidence at a scene? Why?
Turning it on or off, accessing files. This can alter metadata and make evidence harder to access.
You are legally in a barracks room, and you see a container with a marijuana leaf sticker on it. What do you do?
Do not automatically assume because it has a marijuana leaf on it that the container is marijuana. Ask for consent to look inside or get authorization to confirm the contents.
What tool should be implemented to establish the size of objects in a scene? How do you do this properly?
A scale! Scale should be in the same plane as the evidence and the camera needs to be plane parallel.
Before the scene is altered and any evidence is collected, what three methods of documentation must be completed?
Sketches, Photographs, Notes
When securing the scene, how large should the perimeter be?
There is no hard line guidance, but the rule of thumb is “start big, shrink later.” It depends largely on the scene location, the type and location of evidence, and the nature of the crime.
You arrive to secure a scene of a gunshot wound to the head. The pistol is sitting next to the body, 2-3 inches away from the decedent’s hand. What do you do?
Leave it alone!
You respond to a domestic violence call. It seems to be a bidirectional physical altercation. The husband stated he was "choked" by the wife. The wife stated she briefly pushed the husband away using one hand on his neck to get him away from her. What do you do?
Obtain more information from the husband (could you speak, could you breathe, how long?) Does the husband have any injuries? How does the husband’s voice sound? Is the husband getting seen medically? (If it is determined it meets the criteria for strangulation, call CID!)
For general crime scene photography, what setting should the camera be on?
Auto
While it is important that crime scene notes encompass the characteristics of a scene, why is it also important (especially for the first responding officer) for the CONDITION of the scene to be recorded?
Some aspects of the condition of the scene can change – odors may dissipate, blood may dry and flake up, the temperature can change, the weather can change, water can evaporate, ice can melt, etc.
A high ranking official shows up at a death scene you are currently securing. He demands entrance to see the body. What do you do and why?
You say no! The integrity of the scene in the current moment matters more than whatever they want to see.
What is PPE? Why is it important?
Personal Protective Equipment. It prevents you from contaminating the scene and also prevents you from anything harmful at the scene.
Which resource portrays which organization has the authority and responsibility for investigating a committed criminal offense when the U.S. Army has an interest?
AR 195-2 Appendix B
How many photos should you take at a scene?
As many as you need
What must be included in a crime scene sketch?
At a large, outdoor crime scene, where should you park your patrol vehicle?
Far enough away not to compromise any evidence
What is Locard’s Theory? Why is this important in evidence preservation?
Every contact leaves a trace.
A commander calls and states several soldiers have come forward and reported one SFC for making sexual comments towards them, standing too close to them, and one soldier reported he put his hand on her lower back as he walked by her. What do you do?
Advise that their unit needs to appoint an investigating officer to look into the sexual harassment, along with the SHARP Rep. Once their investigation is complete, they can send the information to CID HQ’s Sexual Harassment inbox to be assigned to a CID office, if necessary. As for the touching of the back, that would not constitute ASC, but MAY be considered simple assault – more information needed for MPs to pursue.
If you take a bad photo, should you delete it?
No, keep going until you get a good photo
To ensure measurements are accurate and able to be recreated, where must they originate from?
Fixed objects like walls