CRIME SCENE UNIT AUDITING
This is a new concept that many agencies could benefit from. In our time working cases with neighboring jurisdictions, we know that most agencies have civilian crime scene personnel. Those civilian crime scene staff have a unique skill set, obtained from immense amounts of training and experience. This elite group of people is often led by a supervisor or Command Staff member who is a sworn law enforcement officer. The result is the hard-working crime scene staff that is managed by people who likely have only a minimal amount of crime scene knowledge and experience. This can make the communication process much more difficult as it seems that each is speaking their own language.
Our Staff comes from a unique situation, an agency where the crime scene personnel were sworn law enforcement officers, so we understand both the crime scene aspect and the law enforcement aspect. This gives our staff a special perspective and insight to be able to bridge that gap.
How does this process work?
Your agency will forward a copy of any agency S. O. P. that pertains to the crime scene unit, along with analytical data for the Unit for the preceding 2 years. At the same time, a questionnaire is sent to each member of your crime scene unit, and to their immediate supervisor to be returned to us prior to our visit to your agency.
What’s next?
We set up a date when our staff will come to your agency. The returned questionnaires combined with the S. O. P. and analytical data will provide the information necessary to formulate questions for one-on-one interviews with your investigators, and their immediate supervisor. In addition, we will meet with Command Staff to get a full understanding of their needs, and expectations of their crime scene personnel.
In addition to interviews, we tour the areas in your facility where evidence is processed and packaged. We will discuss scenario-based situations with the crime scene investigators regarding evidence collection, processing, and packaging to determine if they are using processes that are in line with best industry practices. Lastly we look at your agencies crime scene response vehicles and see how these are outfitted to ensure efficiency at a scene.
How are our findings delivered to you?
Once we meet with the staff, their supervisors, and Command Staff, and we have completed our tours and discussed scenarios with the staff, we return to our offices and prepare a comprehensive report with recommendations for all involved. This may include things like ensuring that your civilian staff members become accredited through the International Association of Identification or suggesting that a better piece of equipment be budgeted for and purchased that will provide better, quicker results which means a higher case clearance rate.
How this report is delivered is completely up to you. We are happy to return to you to discuss it in person, meet on zoom, or we can provide a PDF copy via email to the person you have chosen as our point of contact.
What are the benefits of doing an audit of your
crime scene unit?
This audit will ensure that your agency is getting the best work product it can from your crime scene staff. Better forensic results lead to more arrests which means a higher clearance rate and more bad guys off the street. At the same time, this audit will potentially provide your crime scene investigators with added resources that will make their job more efficient with a higher success rate.
What do I do to request a crime scene unit audit at my agency?
You can call us at (754) 702-7242 or email us at info@csiforensicfoundations.com
and we will be happy to assist you.