Crime Scene Investigation 2 Roles and Responsibilities Different

Crime Scene Investigation 2 Roles and Responsibilities Different Investigations and their Procedures Interviewing and Interrogation Techniques

Roles and Responsibilities 1 � Crime Scene Investigators � Team Leader � Assume control - ensure safety of personnel and security at scene. Ensure personnel use appropriate protective equipment and follow standard recommendations to protect them from any health hazard which might be presented by blood or any other human body fluid. � Conduct initial walk-through for purposes of making a preliminary survey, evaluating potential evidence, and preparing a narrative description. � Determine search patterns, and make appropriate assignments for team members. � Designate command post location and ensure exchange of information between search and investigative personnel. � Coordinate with other law enforcement agencies and make sure a cooperative spirit is maintained. � Ensure that sufficient supplies and equipment are available for personnel. � Control access to the scene and designate an individual to log everyone into the scene. � Continuously reevaluate efficiency of search during entire course of operation. � Release the scene after a final survey and inventory of the evidence has been done.

Roles and Responsibilities 2 �Crime Scene Investigators Continued �Photographer and Photographic Log Recorder � Photograph entire area before it is entered. � Photograph victims, crowd, and vehicles. � Photograph entire scene with overall, medium and close-up coverage, using measurement scale when appropriate. � Photograph major evidence items before they are moved; coordinate this effort with Sketch Preparer, Evidence Recorder, and Evidence Recovery Personnel. � Photograph all latent fingerprints and other impression evidence before lifting and casting are accomplished. � Prepare photographic log and photographic sketch.

Roles and Responsibilities 3 � Crime Scene Investigators Cont. 1 � Sketch Preparer � Diagram immediate area of scene and orient diagram with sketch. � Set forth major items of evidence on sketch. � Designate and label areas to be searched and advise team leader and all other search members of nomenclature for designated areas. � Obtain appropriate assistance for taking measurements and double check measurements. � Ensure necessary administrative information, such as scale disclaimer (not drawn to scale), is recorded on sketch. � Evidence Recorded/Custodian � Have significant evidence photographed before collection. � Describe evidence and its location on appropriate bag or envelope. � Sign and date evidence container/maintain chain of custody. � Appropriately collect and package evidence to maximize evidence integrity. � Maintain evidence log. � Use appropriate protective equipment (gloves) and methods when dealing with potentially infective evidence (blood).

Roles and Responsibilities 4 � Crime Scene Investigators Cont. 2 � Specialists- sometimes it is necessary to bring in expertise from other agencies. � Types of Specialists � Anthropologist- an expert in the study of various aspects of humans within the past and present societies. � Forensic Anthropologist- an expert in the identification of deceased individuals whose remains are decomposed, burned, mutilated, or otherwise unrecognizable. � Blood Pattern/Spatter Analyst- analyze blood stain patterns in order to determine the movements of the victim and the assailant. � Bomb Technician- highly trained explosives experts who carry out the inspection, deactivation, and safe removal of explosive devices. � Criminalist- applies scientific methods and techniques to examine and analyze evidentiary items and testifies in court as to his or her findings.

Roles and Responsibilities 5 �Crimes Scene Investigators Cont. 3 �Specialists Continued � Engineer- design materials, structures, and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality, regulation, safety, and cost. � Entomologist- a scientist who studies insects. � Medical Examiner- a medically qualified officer whose duty is to investigate deaths and injuries that occur under unusual or suspicious circumstances, to perform post-mortem examinations, and in some jurisdictions to initiate inquests. � Odontologist- “forensic dentist” that deals with the application of dental science in the identification of unknown human remains and bite marks � Surveyor- a person who determines the terrestrial or threedimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them

Roles and Responsibilities 6 �Law Enforcement �The first officer(s) on the scene have the biggest job of all. � They should assess the scene, cautiously enter the crime scene, observe everything around them, call for back up, and help any injured persons at the crime scene. �Back up Officers � Should block off the area and maintain a secure boundary around the crime scene. � Should inform EMT’s or other personnel where the crime scene is � Assist the crime scene investigators � Document everything they saw, smelled, heard, etc. at the crime scene for further review/use by crime scene investigators and detectives in solving the crime.

Sources of Information �The Lead Investigator needs to collect all the information they can from multiple people/places/things. �Initial Officer(s) �People who were the closest to where the crime occurred �People who came into contact with the crime scene before, during, and after the crime occurred �Any personnel that were called in to the crime scene �Close friends, family, or co-workers of the deceased (in the case of a murder) or the victim (not a murder case). �Any cameras from the area around the crime scene (before, during, or after) �Any pictures or drawings of the crime scene (before, during or after) �Any phone call recordings of the crime scene (before, during or after) �Any evidence from crime scene or the area surrounding it.

Traffic Collisions 1 � Heading to the Accident � Prompt arrival is essential, but so is Safety! � Make sure to stay in contact with Dispatch while heading to the accident. � Be on the look out for any suspicious or damaged vehicles fleeing from the general area of the accident. � Once at the Accident � The officer should gain as much information about the following as they can � Location � Time of notification � Who notified the officer and how � Weather and visibility conditions � General information as to seriousness of the accident--injuries, hit and run, amount of traffic congestion, etc. � Whether or not additional support is proceeding to the scene, such as wrecker, ambulance, or additional Police patrols � By obtaining such information prior to arrival at the scene, the investigators may more quickly and efficiently respond to the needs of the situation.

Traffic Collisions 2 �Once at the Scene �Patrol Vehicle � Positioned so that it does not cause further accidents � Might be used as a road block, if necessary � At night, the headlights so illuminate the scene � Emergency lights should be on at all times. �Injured People � Determine the extent of the injuries, if any. � Render first aid � Request medical assistance � Severely injured people should not be moved unless absolutely necessary � If the person has died, the position of their body should be outlined in chalk or road paint

Traffic Collisions 3 �Once at the Scene �Establish Traffic Control- re-route traffic around the accident and clear spectators from the area. �Request Additional Support (if necessary)- such as power line repair, road repair, water pipe repair, etc. �Identifying and Preserving Evidence � Evidence’s position should be noted, sketched, photographed, and/or marked in chalk � Signal lever positions should be noted � Alcoholic beverage containers should be secured � Evidence needs to be tagged, marked, and secured in accordance with proper procedures. � Question and take statements from witnesses and victims at the scene. � If this is not possible, these should be taken as soon as possible at the hospital, homes, work, etc. � Record all of your observations about the scene

Traffic Collisions 4 �Finishing up at the Scene �Make sure you have all your evidence properly labeled, packaged and stored away �Move your patrol car and begin writing up your report or following up with the investigation �Make sure all vehicles are towed away and the road way is clear of debris

DUI 1 �Be observant while you are patrolling your area for vehicles/drivers that are exhibiting DUI characteristics. �Legal Considerations �A police officer decision to stop a vehicle/driver should be based on observed violations, probable cause, or reasonable suspicion that criminal activity is afoot. � If these are not observed and this case goes to court, the lawyer will poke holes in the police officers statement and anything that happens after the stop becomes jaded. �Roadside Considerations �Once you have pulled a vehicle/driver over and before a police officer tests the driver for intoxication, the officer should say this to themselves, “would I want my mother, sister, etc. tested under these conditions? ”

DUI 2 �Roadside Considerations Continued �Weather � If the weather makes conducting the tests impractical or dangerous, then DON’T DO IT! � Make sure you conduct your test on a hard dry surface � If it is raining heavily then you will need to find a space that is covered. Light rain is okay. �Road Hazards � Do not conduct your test on a hill, curves in roads, a bridge, on dirt or gravel, or any other surface that could be dangerous. � You want a well lit area, but in rural areas flashlight or patrol headlights can be used. �Testing Location � Highways are dangerous and considerations need to be made when conducting your test. � Police officers need to park their car 4 -5 car lengths behind the intoxicated driver’s car so that if the police cruiser gets rear-ended, people have time to get out of the way.

DUI 3 �Roadside Considerations Cont. 1 �Testing Location Continued � At times you will need to conduct the test in front of the intoxicated driver’s car. �Removing the Suspect from the Scene � Officer’s should be wary about taking a possibly intoxicated driver away from the scene in their police cruiser for these reasons: � Constitutional law states that anytime a citizen reasonably feels that they are no longer allowed to leave because of an officer’s actions, then that person is legally under arrest. � The 4 th Amendment does state that brief detentions for car stops or investigations are legal as long as they do not exceed the necessary time it takes to conduct the investigation. � Suspects are never allowed to “follow” the officer by driving their own car because then the officer is allowing the suspect to possible drive intoxicated which could lead to injury or death.

DUI 4 � Roadside Considerations Cont. 2 � Considerations of the Suspect � Officers must remember that people have some physical limitations and we should accommodate that person. � Example- if that person can only watch with a cane, the One. Leg-Stand would not be reasonable or considerate. Try another test! � Just because a person has a handicap does not allow them to not be tested! � Field Sobriety Tests � Standardized � Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) � Walk and Turn � One Leg Stand � Non- Standardized � Recite the alphabet � Count numbers backwards � Count while tapping the thumb to each finger in succession � Perform the Rhomberg balance test

Domestic Violence 1 �Most officers absolutely hate domestic violence calls because they tend to be way more difficult than most calls and can bring untold stress to the officer. �Maintain Officer Safety �When officers arrive on the scene of a DV call, they need to remember that anyone on the scene could be a threat. �Unlike other calls, offenders tend to stay at the scene until police arrive. This poses a threat of more violence to come since emotions run high in DV cases. �People also tend to get rather violently emotional when they see their family member or loved one being arrested by police which often results in them attacking police officers. �Response Recommendations � There should always be 2 officers on the scene of a DV case � Upon arrival, officers should separate the parties where they cannot see or hear each other.

Domestic Violence 2 � Maintain Officer Safety Continued � Response Recommendations Continued � Investigations should take place away from any potential weapons � Each party should be checked for weapons � Officers should not make assumptions on who the victim is and who the perpetrator is � Often times, the person who appears to be the victim is the offender � Treat both parties with caution! � Unique Laws about DV cases � In most criminal cases, if a person states they do not want to press charges on another person, then an arrest does not need to be made. � DV cases are different. Even if a person does not want to press charges against another, if the police officer has probable cause against one of the parties then an arrest must be made.

Domestic Violence 3 �Unique Law about DV cases �Officers are also required to give the victim information on various services available to them such as: � Victim compensation, counseling services, DV shelters, sexual assault treatment, legal assistance, relocation services, etc. �Challenges about DV cases �Typically, most victims and witnesses in criminal cases give as much information as possible about the incident. �DV cases are different. Victims and witnesses often refuse to give any information to the police even if they made the call to the police. � Witnesses most times want to remain anonymous. � Most times, the victim just wants the police to calm the situation down, not take the offender to jail. � Especially if the offender is the sole provider in the household, is a parent, or threatens retaliation to the victim.

Domestic Violence 4 �Challenges about DV cases �It is common for the victim to assume the blame about the whole situation and why the offender became violent. �Victims often feel shame or embarrassment as well since the whole neighborhood as seen the police arrive and/or witnessed the scene. �Victims don’t Cooperate �Sometimes people will just not cooperate, so officer then have to base their probable cause on actions and behavior alone. �Officers have to take extra pictures of the scene or other people involved in order to prove that there was actually a disturbance there. �Officers have to rely on medical personnel (EMT’s) to diagnose and confirm injuries. �Sometimes officers have to do a more thorough background check to confirm previous DV history

Interviewing Techniques 1 � Visual Cues � Focuses on nonverbal communication such as eye contact or body posture � Research has found that when eyes move up and to the right when being interviewed that suspects are trying add or create information that they are trying to visualize. � This method relies on the practical experience and skills of the interviewing officer and the expertise of the interviewee. � Many believe that this is of limited value � Baseline Method � Focuses on visual and speech-related cues such as degree of eye contact or hesitation of speech � The idea is to compare the interviewee’s verbal and non-verbal responses during an informal conversation against the interview with responses during an actual interview � Many believe that this is inherently unreliable due to the wide variety of behaviors.

Interviewing Techniques 2 � Behavioral Analysis Method (BAI) � Focuses on comparing the verbal and non-verbal responses of interviewees to specific questions. � Many believe it is of limited value because in some cases interviewees who were lying were actually less nervous and more helpful than interviewees actually telling the truth. � Reverse Recall Method � The interviewee recalls their story in reverse � This method makes it more difficult for the interviewee to lie or add information to their story without giving non-verbal cues � Cognitive Interview Method � Designed for interviewing victims and witnesses instead of suspects. � They want to help the witness remember as much detail about the incident as possible � It is less formal and the interviewer encourages the witness to express feelings about the incident. � There is no pressure if the witness is emotionally distressed or upset. � This has been seen as very effective.

Interrogation Techniques 1 �Reid Technique �Involves 3 components: �Factual Analysis- relies on information learned about the suspect such as: �Their bio-social status (gender, race, occupation, marital status, etc) �Opportunity and access to commit the crime �Behavior before and after the crime �Motivations and propensity to commit the crime �Evaluation of the circumstantial and physical evidence �Behavior Analysis Interview

Interrogation Techniques 2 � Interrogation- should only occur if the interviewer is reasonably certain of the suspect’s involvement of the crime � There are 9 steps to an interrogation � The positive confrontation. The investigator tells the suspect that the evidence demonstrates the person's guilt. If the person's guilt seems clear to the investigator, the statement should be unequivocal. � Theme development. The investigator then presents a moral justification (theme) for the offense, such as placing the moral blame on someone else or outside circumstances. The investigator presents theme in a monologue and in sympathetic manner. � Handling denials. When the suspect asks for permission to speak at this stage (likely to deny the accusations), the investigator should discourage allowing the suspect to do so. Innocent suspects are less likely to ask for permission and more likely to “promptly and unequivocally” deny the accusation. � Overcoming objections. When attempts at denial do not succeed, a guilty suspect often makes objections to support a claim of innocence (e. g. , I would never do that because I love my job. ) The investigator should generally accept these objections as if they were truthful, rather than arguing with the suspect, and use the objections to further develop theme.

Interrogation Techniques 3 � 9 steps continued � Procurement and retention of suspect's attention. The investigator must procure the suspect's attention so that the suspect focuses on the investigator's theme rather than on punishment. One way the investigator can do this is to close the physical distance between himself or herself and the suspect. � Handling the suspect's passive mood. The investigator “should intensify theme presentation and concentrate on the central reasons he/she is offering as psychological justification. . . [and] continue to display an understanding and sympathetic demeanor in urging the suspect to tell the truth. ” � Presenting an alternative question. The investigator should present two choices, assuming the suspect's guilt and developed as a “logical extension from theme, ” with one alternative offering a better justification for the crime (e. g. , “Did you plan this thing out or did it just happen on the spur of the moment? ”). The investigator may follow the question with a supporting statement “which encourages the suspect to choose the more understandable side of the alternative. ” � Having the suspect orally relate various details of the offense. After the suspect accepts one side of the alternative (thus admitting guilt), the investigator should immediately respond with a statement of reinforcement acknowledging that admission. The investigator then seeks to obtain a brief oral review of the basic events, before asking more detailed questions. � Converting an oral confession to a written confession. The investigator must convert the oral confession into a written or recorded confession.

Interrogation Techniques 4 �PEACE Method (Preparation and Planning, Engage and Explain, Account, Closure, and Evaluate) �Investigators allow the suspect to tell their story without any interruptions, then presents the suspects with any inconsistencies or contradictions between the story and the evidence �Preparation and Planning � Interviewers should create a written interview plan, focusing on issues such as the objectives of the interview and the order of interviews. Among other things, the plan should include the time a suspect has been in custody, the topics to be covered, and points necessary to prove the offense or provide a defense. Interviewers should consider characteristics of the interviewee that could be relevant to the plan (e. g. , cultural background could affect how someone prefers to be addressed). Interviewers may need to consider practical arrangements, such as visiting the scene or the location of the interview.

Interrogation Techniques 5 �Engage and Explain � The interviewers should engage the individual, including using active listening to establish a rapport with him or her. The interviewers should explain the reasons for the interview and its objectives. They should also explain routines and expectations of the process (e. g. , explaining that the interviewers will take notes). Interviewers should encourage the individual to state anything they believe is relevant. �Account � The interviewers should use appropriate questions and active listening to obtain the interviewee's account of events. Questions should be short and free of jargon, and can help to clarify and expand the account. Multi-part questions should generally be avoided due to possible confusion, and leading questions should be used only as a last resort.

Interrogation Techniques 6 �Closure �This stage should be planned to avoid an abrupt end to the interview. Among other things, the interviewers should summarize the person's account of events, allowing the person to make clarifications and ask questions. �Evaluate �The interviewers should evaluate the interview to (a) assess how the interviewee's account fits with the investigation as a whole, (b) determine if further action is needed, and (c) reflect on their performance.