Evidence Processing - Crime Scene to Courtroom Basics

Registration Deadline: October 7, 2024 

This two-day course (lecture and practical exercise based) is designed for any Police/Fire (Sworn or Civilian) personnel who respond to investigative assignments. Presented foundational course materials can build upon recruit academy concepts and will provide attendees with some functional basic crime scene analysis and recovery skills.

Property crimes often are not processed for potential evidence recovery, allowing unidentified offenders to continue victimizing others. Field application of taught methodologies and scientific principles can increase agency case clearance rates and concurrently improve related criminal prosecution efforts. Course based basic recovery skills have applications at both person and property crime scenes investigations.

Participants will return with the knowledge on how to identify and collect evidence at a first responder level as well as understanding the availability of other evidence and forensic resources.

Key Lead Homicide Investigator In-Service Training Renewal Guidelines Instructional Objectives 

Block 1: (legal issues .5 hours) (crime scene management.5 hours)
a)    Review search authority concepts
b)    Review crime scene log function/purpose
c)    Discuss media and CSI effect – courts/internal/public impacts
-    
Block 2: (death/homicide investigative techniques1 hour)
a)    Define terms "Evidence" and "Forensic"
b)    Identify involved common scientific concepts
c)    Discuss industry terminology and related definitions

Block 3: (crime scene management 1 hour)
a)    Safety Considerations - Life safety vs. Evidence preservation
b)    Safety Considerations - Field/Packaging/Storage
c)    Discuss Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) use
d)    Decontamination review

Block 4: (death/homicide investigative techniques 1 hour)
a)    Discuss Analysis Methodology - Plausibility's
b)    Discuss Analysis Methodology -Variables and impacts
c)    Discuss Scene Size-up - Resource Management
d)    Discuss Contamination reduction efforts
e)    Discuss Evidence component analysis

Block 5: (crime scene management 1 hour)
a)    Define Finger/Palm Print identification categories -
i.    Loops/Arches/Whorls patterns
ii.    Friction ridge identification types
iii.    Dimensional attributes - shapes/sizes

b)    Ridge level identification exercise
c)    Identify variable potentials of pattern transfers
d)    Discuss Importance of Major Case prints - Palm & fingertip captures

Block 6: (crime scene management 1 hour)
a)    Demonstrate Use of Powders to recover print transfers
b)    Discuss Photo documentation
c)    Discuss variety of lifting methods/ Demonstrate tape lifting
d)    Practical print transfer and recovery exercises

Block 7: (crime scene management 1 hour)
a)    Discuss impression evidence analysis and recovery
b)    Discuss Photo documentation/ Purpose & use of appropriate scales
c)    Discuss preservation/recovery options  
d)    Demonstrate casting methodologies
e)   Demonstrate powder/dust gel lifter recovery
f)    Practical gel lifter recovery exercise

Block 8: (crime scene management 1 hour)
a)    Discuss Blood/Biological/Touch DNA evidence
b)    Discuss Blood evidence collection options
c)    Discuss/Demonstrate Presumptive Blood Testing including false positives
d)    Demonstrate DNA collection with Buccal Swab(s)
e)    Practical Presumptive blood testing exercise

Block 9: (crime scene management 1 hour)
a)    Discuss purpose of evidence packaging - Integrity
b)    Discuss purpose of evidence packaging - No 2nd Victimization
c)    Discuss selection and impacts of packaging materials
d)    Discuss selection and impacts of seals- tapes/heat seals/self-closures
e)    Discuss Good/Better/Best mindset of Integrity seals
f)    Discuss personal assessment impact of final product efforts

Block 10: (legal issues .5 hours) (crime scene management .5 hours)
a)    Discuss Photographic "Reporting"
b)    Discuss desired goals desired by audience(s) viewing involved efforts
c)    Discuss methodology(ies) to be utilized - 4 levels
d)    Discuss purposes for JPEG and RAW format photography
e)    Purpose and use of photographic aids - Markers/Scales, etc.
f)    Discuss living with photographic errors
g)    Discuss Search warrant baseline & exit photographic efforts

Block 11: (death/homicide investigative techniques.5 hours) (crime scene management .5 hours)
a)    Discuss Evidence/Property Forms - Birth/Life/Death of evidence items
b)    Discuss Chain of Custody - Receipting
c)    Discuss Proof of Integrity demonstrative - Packaging

Block 12: (crime scene management 1 hour)
a)    Reporting- Identify intended audience
b)    Discuss Terminology usage
c)    Discuss Template format
d)    Discuss Factual description details
e)    Discuss Protocols employed/Validation efforts report block
f)    Discuss crime scene sketching
g)    Discuss Editing - Review via Evidence and Photographic reviews
h)    Discuss reports as a reflection of professional efforts

Block 13: (case supervision/management/court presentation 1 hour)
a)    Courtroom presentation - Safety continues
b)    Discuss benefit of team versus solo efforts
c)    Discuss Judge/Jury’s 1st impression considerations
d)    Discuss Testimony preparation techniques
e)    Review Integrity Demonstratives
f)    Discuss Traps - Ego/Embellishing/Questioning
g)    Discuss human error testimony
h)    Discuss expert witness aspects/Developing a personal Curriculum Vitae

Block 14: (death/homicide investigative techniques1 hour)
a)    Discuss Recovery skills improvement opportunities
b)    Discuss Professional Associations-Trade journal/participation/training
c)    Discuss Benefits of Task Force Participation
d)    Benefit of informal professional networking/mentoring
e)    Self-motivated subject matter educational efforts
 

THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC MEETING