Cool Forensic Investigations
Young Women’s Leadership Academy
Grand Prairie Police Department
Amanda Self, CCSA
Leticia Hidalgo
Overview
• Benefits for School and Educators
• Benefits for Students
• What is a CSI?
– Defined
– Crime Scene Unit
• Principles and Terminology
• Initial Notification
• Initial Considerations
• Crime Scene Steps
• Scenario
• Work Scene
• Example Report
Benefits for School and Educators
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Increase state mandated test scores
Increase student expectations
Higher Level of thinking
Engaged kids
Benefits for Students
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Team Building
Leadership Skills
Appreciation for the Law Enforcement Field
Career Opportunities for women
What is a CSI?
Observe, document, process, collect, package, and
preserve evidence related to the following:
– Property Crimes
• Burglary, theft, larceny, financial crimes
– Crimes Against Persons
• Assault, battery, sexual assault, robbery, murder, rape,
suicide
Link victim to scene, suspect to scene, victim to suspect
Crime Scene Unit
• Consists of:
– Team Leader
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Assume Control of the Crime Scene
Make team assignments.
Conduct initial walkthroughs.
Determine search patterns.
Insure there are sufficient supplies.
Monitor the progress at the scene.
Release the scene after final walk through.
Crime Scene Unit continued…
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Photographer
Sketch Artist
Someone to help measure for the Sketch Artist
A person to recover evidence
Usually the entire team will participate in searching the
scene.
– Depending upon the case, a specialist may be present i.e.
anthropologist
Forensic Science and Locard’s Principle
of Exchange
Forensic Science
• The application of science to those criminal and civil laws
that are enforced by police agencies in a criminal justice
system
Locard’s Principle of Exchange
• The exchange of materials between two objects that occurs
whenever two objects come into contact with one another
Other Related Terms
• Evidence
– Anything that tends to prove or disprove a fact
• Transitory Effects
– Ex. Presence of ice in a glass, burning of a cigarette
• Latent Prints
– Not visible to the naked eye
Initial Notification
• Documentation begins the moment you are dispatched.
• Document the scene “in situ” (Latin for “in place”)
– BE CAREFUL not to kick or move in any evidence
• Treat all death scenes as homicides
– Reports should be labeled as Death Investigation
• Think outside the box. Don’t work in a vacuum.
• Briefing comes from first responding officer
• While on the way//at the scene, pay attention to all
sights and smells. They may become important later.
Initial Considerations
Do you need a search warrant?
• Rule of Thumb-If the suspect has legal access to the
scene or if private place-GET WARRANT
Do you have all the necessary equipment?
Scene Contamination
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Paramedics
Firefighters
The police
Relatives
Witnesses
Crime Scene Steps
• Secure the scene (Crime Scene tape)
– Crime Scene Log
• Initial Walk through (Observation phase)
• Document in-situ
– Note taking, photographs, video, rough sketch to include
measurements
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Collect//Package the evidence
Latent print processing
Final Walk through
Evidence Submission to the lab
Report
Securing the Scene
Some departments use the 2-barrier method. The primary
barrier will be the actual crime scene. The secondary barrier will
act as a buffer zone where supplies are kept and officials can
gather.
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Securing the scene continued…
• Establish entry//exit not used by suspect
• Establish an area to maintain supplies outside the
primary barrier
• Notify Medical Examiner
• Conduct searches until the search is negative
Crime Scene Entry Log
Once the scene is secure, a crime scene log is
established.
– One officer will keep the log documenting who enters and
exits the scene and what time.
– Only necessary individuals should be allowed into the
scene keeping traffic to a minimum and preserving
evidence as much as possible.
– On the log, include:
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Name
Job Title
Date/Time in and out
Reason for entering
Example of a Crime Scene Entry Log
Initial Walk Through
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Completed by team leader
DO NOT TOUCH
Observe and document
Evaluate the scene
Plan how the scene will be worked
Locate any fragile evidence
– Fragile evidence will be documented first
• Ex. Shoe impressions outside on a rainy day
• Brief the rest of your team
Establish Location
• Note the type of building i.e. brick, wood, house,
business, apartment, one story, two story, direction it
is facing
General Exterior Photographs
General Interior Photographs
Photographs of the Body
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Head to foot
Foot to Head
Right Side
Left Side
Directly over the body
Close up of the face
Close up of injuries with and without scale
Mid-range and Close-up Photography
Mid-range Photo
Close-up Photo
(Need Scale)
Sketch Artist
• Sketch the immediate area of the scene
– Orient the diagram
• Do Not forget to put the North reading on the sketch
• Not To Scale
• For most scenes, a bird’s eye view will be used.
• Sketch the evidence in the scene by taking
measurements of features and evidence in the scene.
Measurement Techniques
• Rectangulation ( indoor, outdoor)
• Triangulation (indoor, outdoor, area lacking straight
reference points)
– Secondary reference points (use triangulation or
rectangular method to a secondary object that is
permanent)
Rectangulation
Triangulation
Final Sketch
Search the Scene
• The objective is to note every condition and every
relevant item of physical evidence
• The method chosen depends on the type of scene,
location, and the area it covers
• Methods: zone or quadrant; grid or strip; contracting or
expanding spiral; and double grid
• The method may need to be changed or adjusted due to
circumstances.
• Search until negative
• Remember if any evidence is found, you must
document from the beginning i.e. photographs and
sketch
Searches
Evidentiary Possibilities
• Physical Evidence
– Any object, smell, marking or impression, no matter how small,
which may assist the investigator in the reconstruction of the
crime, lead to the identification of the criminal, provide a link
between a crime and its victim, or a crime and its perpetrator.
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Fingerprints
Firearms/Ballistics
Biological
Trace
Documents
Drugs
Impression and Pattern
Blood Evidence
Collection of Biological Evidence
• Sterile cotton-tipped swab
• Moisten with distilled water (if blood or other biological
material is dried)
• Allow swab to air dry
• Package in paper bag or swab box
Evidence Collection
• When searching the scene, identify and label the
evidence.
• Record and describe the evidence.
• After photos and sketching is complete, collect the
evidence in appropriate packaging.
• Initial and date the seal.
• Describe the item on the package.
Packaging
• Be sure to include all information on the front of the
bag.
Packaging
Make sure evidence is sealed,
dated and initialed.
Make sure date and initials cross
over seal.
Latent Print Processing
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Powder
Brush/Wand
Lifting Tape
Mounting Cards
Latent Print Processing continued…
Powder Development
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Lightly powder the item
As the print develops, add
additional powder as needed (BE
CAREFUL! YOU CAN
OVERPROCESS!)
After the print is developed, it
must then be protected, lifted, or
photographed (use a scale) for
documentation and subsequent
comparison with a known inked
print.
Lifting and Mounting
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Lift the tape slowly.
Exercise control of the item
processed as well as the lifting
tape.
Hold both ends of the tape
Place the lift on the latent print
card in the same manner as
making the original lift.
Place one end on the card
controlling the tape with the other
hand.
After smoothing out the tape, trim
any excess off.
Final Walk Through
• Completed by team leader
• Make sure you have all of your supplies.
• Remember Crime Scene Investigation is not a sprint, it
is a marathon. Be thorough. You only have ONE shot.
Do it right the first time.
• Release the scene
Submission to the Lab
• DNA
– Blood evidence
• Was someone shot?
– GSR kit
– Guns, shell casings, projectiles for ballistics
• Drug Analysis
• Touch DNA
Report
• Detailed account of what you observed and done within
the crime scene.
• There should be no “CSI Tv Show conclusions”, or
“Clue” conclusions.
– You are documenting the facts and sequence of events
(timeline) how you saw them on scene.
• At the end of the report, include what evidence would be
submitted to the lab and what types of testing would be
requested.
Scenario -Dispatch
• On May 23rd at approximately 0300 hours, your team
is dispatched to a death investigation at Hillshire
Apartments 2783 Beaumont Lane Richmond, Virginia.
• Search Warrant has been obtained.
Scenario -Background
• Scott Smith W/M (DOB: 02/15/1987) works night shift as a
bartender at the So-Ho.
• Scott Smith did not show up for work. Multiple Co-workers
attempted to contact Smith with no answer.
• After work, several co-workers go to Scott’s house to check
on him. The door is unlocked. Co-worker’s enter and find
Scott deceased.
• Scott recently separated from a volatile relationship with his
girlfriend, Maggie O’Conner (W/F DOB: 05/02/1989).
Relationship ended when Scott caught Maggie in bed with
her boss, Joe Todd (W/M DOB: 02/01/1985).
• Joe is an ex con with a history of domestic abuse.
Scenario -Witness Info
• Scott was last seen June 22, 2015 at 1600 hours by
his friend, Taylor Daniel. Taylor advised, Scott was in
a great mood. Nothing seemed to be out of the
ordinary.
• Canvas of the area revealed there was a red truck
seen in the area driven by a white male.
• Partial license plate “DBC 12”
Scenario- Additional Info
• Maggie owns a truck with a license plate “DBC 123”
Any Questions?