Crime Scene Processing
● EPO #1: Identify tasks completed by the initial responding Officer or
Investigator.
Prior to arrival: collect valuable information the moment the initial response takes place.
Document info relayed by dispatch, name address, and phone # of person reporting
incident.
Identify if perpetrator, suspicious person, vehicles are still at the scene.
Upon arrival: If a threat is still present, focus on resources to neutralize threat. Tend to
victims.
When medical personnel arrive, provide guidance, lead them to victims.
Point out evidence that you would like medical to avoid. Advise not to clean up their
mess.
Document victim’s info/statements if they leave the scene with medical.
Locate and Identify: suspects, victims, witnesses, officers, bystanders.
Note all conditions: tire marks, footprints, drag marks, cigarettes, weapons, fingerprints.
Original position of furniture’s or articles, odors, vehicles leaving the scene.
the major principle, which should guide the first officer, is the protection of life!
● EPO #2: Identify and demonstrate the eight basic steps of processing a
crime scene.
Step 1: Scene Security
Prevent disturbance of scene with tape, cones, rope, vehicles, etc. People can be used
to secure perimeter.
Locate where the crime took place (Inner zone), locate secondary crime scene
(Staging/Equipment), all other persons (outer zones). Recognizing pathways
suspect/witnesses may have used.
Document enter/exits: time entered, reason for entry, time at scene.
,Step 2: Initial Walk-through
Concentrate on transient evidence. Take notes account for times. Preliminary
video/photos may be taken.
Determine enter/exits, check hallways, stairs for footprints/debris/finger prints. Doors
locked or bolted, forced entry, windows (open/locked), mail.
Step 3: Photographing the scene:
document what is there and where in relationship to the scene.
Step 4: Crime Scene Sketch:
permanent record of size/distance relationship of crime scene.
Step 5: Search:
Outward spiral, inward spiral, parallel (team for search/recovery), grid, zone
(divided crime scene into sector, teams switch sectors double checks, most thorough).
Search Patterns:
a) The Outward Spiral: The outward spiral search is where the Officer
starts at the center of the scene (or at the body) and works
outward.
b) The inward Spiral search: where the officer starts at the perimeter
of the scene and works toward the center. Spiral patterns are a
good method to use when there is only one officer at the scene.
c) The Parallel Search: involves utilizing a team. All of the members of
the team form a line. They walk in a straight line, at the same
speed, from one end of the crime scene to the other. This is often
seen during search and recovery operations.
d) A Grid Search: is simply two parallel searches, offset by 90
degrees, performed one after the other.
e) A Zone Search: involves utilizing a team. The investigator in charge
divides the crime scene into sectors. Each team member takes one
sector. Team members may then switch sectors and search again
to ensure complete coverage. This is the most common and can be
the most thorough method of searching.
, Step 6: Evidence Collection: Ensure each item is photographed, sketched, and
measured.
Step 7: Final walkthrough: discover missed material, ensure all equipment is
gathered.
Step 8: Release the Scene: can’t go back unless exigent circumstances
(consent/warrant).
Releasing the scene can mean several things:
Within the VA Hospital, the release might be to a service chief or supervisor.
If it is a residence, then the responsible party should be the one the scene is released
to.
If the scene is a vehicle, then there are different methods of releasing it:
After processing/searching a vehicle, the vehicle can be turned over to be impounded.
Another avenue is the vehicle could be released to the victim/owner of the vehicle after
lifting prints, etc.
It is your responsibility to make sure you release it to the appropriate party—document
how to whom and the time and which you release the scene too.
Evidence
● EPO #1: Identify and differentiate classes and types of evidence.
o Evidence: that which tends to prove or disprove any matter in question or
to influence the belief respecting it.
o There are two different types of evidence:
◼ Direct: Evidence that demonstrates proof beyond a reasonable
doubt that an individual committed a crime (Testimony, Eyewitness
accounts, body cam.)
◼ Circumstantial: Evidence that does not prove the fact in question, but
proves another, the certainty of which may lead to the discovery of the
truth of the one sought.
o Circumstantial evidence can either be physical or biological:
● EPO #1: Identify tasks completed by the initial responding Officer or
Investigator.
Prior to arrival: collect valuable information the moment the initial response takes place.
Document info relayed by dispatch, name address, and phone # of person reporting
incident.
Identify if perpetrator, suspicious person, vehicles are still at the scene.
Upon arrival: If a threat is still present, focus on resources to neutralize threat. Tend to
victims.
When medical personnel arrive, provide guidance, lead them to victims.
Point out evidence that you would like medical to avoid. Advise not to clean up their
mess.
Document victim’s info/statements if they leave the scene with medical.
Locate and Identify: suspects, victims, witnesses, officers, bystanders.
Note all conditions: tire marks, footprints, drag marks, cigarettes, weapons, fingerprints.
Original position of furniture’s or articles, odors, vehicles leaving the scene.
the major principle, which should guide the first officer, is the protection of life!
● EPO #2: Identify and demonstrate the eight basic steps of processing a
crime scene.
Step 1: Scene Security
Prevent disturbance of scene with tape, cones, rope, vehicles, etc. People can be used
to secure perimeter.
Locate where the crime took place (Inner zone), locate secondary crime scene
(Staging/Equipment), all other persons (outer zones). Recognizing pathways
suspect/witnesses may have used.
Document enter/exits: time entered, reason for entry, time at scene.
,Step 2: Initial Walk-through
Concentrate on transient evidence. Take notes account for times. Preliminary
video/photos may be taken.
Determine enter/exits, check hallways, stairs for footprints/debris/finger prints. Doors
locked or bolted, forced entry, windows (open/locked), mail.
Step 3: Photographing the scene:
document what is there and where in relationship to the scene.
Step 4: Crime Scene Sketch:
permanent record of size/distance relationship of crime scene.
Step 5: Search:
Outward spiral, inward spiral, parallel (team for search/recovery), grid, zone
(divided crime scene into sector, teams switch sectors double checks, most thorough).
Search Patterns:
a) The Outward Spiral: The outward spiral search is where the Officer
starts at the center of the scene (or at the body) and works
outward.
b) The inward Spiral search: where the officer starts at the perimeter
of the scene and works toward the center. Spiral patterns are a
good method to use when there is only one officer at the scene.
c) The Parallel Search: involves utilizing a team. All of the members of
the team form a line. They walk in a straight line, at the same
speed, from one end of the crime scene to the other. This is often
seen during search and recovery operations.
d) A Grid Search: is simply two parallel searches, offset by 90
degrees, performed one after the other.
e) A Zone Search: involves utilizing a team. The investigator in charge
divides the crime scene into sectors. Each team member takes one
sector. Team members may then switch sectors and search again
to ensure complete coverage. This is the most common and can be
the most thorough method of searching.
, Step 6: Evidence Collection: Ensure each item is photographed, sketched, and
measured.
Step 7: Final walkthrough: discover missed material, ensure all equipment is
gathered.
Step 8: Release the Scene: can’t go back unless exigent circumstances
(consent/warrant).
Releasing the scene can mean several things:
Within the VA Hospital, the release might be to a service chief or supervisor.
If it is a residence, then the responsible party should be the one the scene is released
to.
If the scene is a vehicle, then there are different methods of releasing it:
After processing/searching a vehicle, the vehicle can be turned over to be impounded.
Another avenue is the vehicle could be released to the victim/owner of the vehicle after
lifting prints, etc.
It is your responsibility to make sure you release it to the appropriate party—document
how to whom and the time and which you release the scene too.
Evidence
● EPO #1: Identify and differentiate classes and types of evidence.
o Evidence: that which tends to prove or disprove any matter in question or
to influence the belief respecting it.
o There are two different types of evidence:
◼ Direct: Evidence that demonstrates proof beyond a reasonable
doubt that an individual committed a crime (Testimony, Eyewitness
accounts, body cam.)
◼ Circumstantial: Evidence that does not prove the fact in question, but
proves another, the certainty of which may lead to the discovery of the
truth of the one sought.
o Circumstantial evidence can either be physical or biological:
