Homicide Investigation Field Guide PDF
Preview Homicide Investigation Field Guide
IN T R O CHAPTER 1 Homicide Investigation Field Guide. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-410403-7.00001-7 Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. IntroductIon Introduc- tIon Homicide investigation is one of the most complex and challenging investigations officers will ever conduct. Remember that officer safety is always the number one priority. This book is intended to serve as a field reference guide to aid the seasoned investigator and the neophyte in obtaining the most pertinent information and evidence needed in the investigation of a homicide. This is not meant to circumvent or replace individual agency operating procedures or policies but to act as a checklist and a reminder of basic homicide investiga- tion principles. Diagrams and forms are included for convenience, and should be used as necessary and within agency policy and procedures. Remember that even though every case is different, the basic investigative principles remain the same. The first responding officer should do a protective sweep for officer safety and a search warrant should be obtained before searching for evi- dence at the scene. If necessary, after the protective sweep has been completed, an officer may be stationed at the scene to keep it secure while another officer obtains the warrant. 3 HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION FIELD GUIDE All departments and agencies should have stan- dard operating procedures (SOPs) for their organiza- tion, giving specific instructions to follow in various situations. SOPs should be maintained and updated on a regular basis, and can often protect the officer and the agency from liability when followed appro- priately and uniformly. For example, a policy might state that all homicide scenes will have a sketch of the crime scene included in the case file. This prevents a defense attorney from implying that the officer is stacking the deck against his or her client because last week the attorney tried a homicide case with the officer’s department where a sketch was not drawn, and now it seems as though the officer has singled out this client or this homicide. Being consistent in what you do will benefit everyone. 4 P R O T CHAPTER 2 OC O L S BASIC INVESTIGATION PROTOCOLS Homicide Investigation Field Guide. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-410403-7.00002-9 Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. BASIC INVESTIGATION PROTOCOLS Responsibility for solving crimes rests with law enforce- ment. The uniformed patrol officer is usually the first law enforcement officer to arrive at the scene and, as such, should follow the same initial steps the investigator will follow upon his or her arrival. The first responding officers should do a protective sweep to ensure that the suspect is not still at the scene and that there is no one in need of medical attention. After this protective sweep, a search warrant should be obtained in order to search the scene for evidence. The scene should be secured, with no one entering or, in some cases, exiting. Refer to other sections of this guide for more detailed information. The following is essentially a summary of tasks to perform in your investigation. Further detail is in appropriate sec- tions in this guide. It is always good to have another investigator with you when you first arrive at the scene if possible. As you enter for the first time, record your first impressions. Have the other investigator or a designated photographer take photographs before entering. Docu- ment all initial impressions. If something seems odd or out of place, make a note of it now. For outdoor scenes, pay particular attention to see if you think the scene has been altered by weather or animals. For indoor scenes, what appears to be the last activity before death? Eating? Sleeping? Watching TV? In all cases, complete the fol- lowing steps in order (however brief the action may be). 1. Follow safety precautions. Remember that officer safety is always first! 2. Provide medical aid. Provide any medical aid that may be needed. 7 HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION FIELD GUIDE 3. Apprehend the suspect if he or she is still on scene. Then, as soon as possible, secure and protect the scene. ASSESS AND SECURE THE SCENE Do an initial walkthrough and begin thinking about what might have happened. What are the entry and exit points for the suspect? Does this scene look organized or disorganized? An organized scene will tell the investigator valuable information about the suspect. Organized scenes usually indicate that the offender(s) planned the attack; the organized offender feels comfortable in the surroundings and typically will leave less physical evidence. Disorganized scenes indicate that this was more a random act; the disor- ganized offender typically leaves more physical evi- dence and leaves the scene in disarray. On the initial walk-through, get a sense of what happened and how the event took place. Think about what things may be important for solving this crime. What additional or specialized resources might you need to process this scene? For large scenes outdoors, have a central check-in station and staging area available for respond- ing officers to sign in and to receive briefings. Have water and other necessities nearby, such as gloves, trash containers, first-aid supplies, and any special equipment required. If the press is likely to show up, 8 BASIC INVESTIGATION PROTOCOLS designate a specific area and specific times for releas- ing information. Release information as promised and according to your agency protocol. Have one media spokesperson. Provide written press releases if pos- sible so that the same information is given at the same time to all media outlets (Gardner, 2005). Reevaluate the Scene Boundaries Are the boundaries adequate? Secure the area. During your initial walk-through, make note of where the last piece of evidence is found. What is the distance between this evidence and the body? Double that distance and search for more evidence. If no more evidence is found, secure the scene with tape, cones, vehicles, and the like at the doubled distance. In other words, if the last piece of evidence is found 100 feet away from the body, go out 200 feet, and if no more evidence is found, secure the tape at 200 feet from the body. Do this all the way around the perimeter, searching for additional evidence and reevaluating the boundaries to secure the scene in all directions. It is easier to shrink the area of the scene than it is to expand it. Reevaluate the first responder’s perimeter, and if you believe you need to expand it, do so. Let the first responder know why you did, and tell him or her what made you choose the boundaries you chose so that next time the first responder will know how to do it better. 9 HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION FIELD GUIDE Begin a Crime Scene Log Make sure a crime scene log has been started. Keep unauthorized people out of your scene unless they have a job to do there. Remember, this can be a subpoena list for court, so tell them that if necessary. Establish one way into the scene and one way out of the scene, and all officers and technicians should follow this route. Observe the Scene Observe the surroundings and make notes. Observa- tion is a basic tenant of investigation. Not just look- ing at the crime scene but understanding it in the context it presents requires a critical eye. Observa- tion requires the investigator to move about the area, which often presents opportunities to move, damage, or destroy evidence inadvertently. Often, the investi- gator will need to move an item to get a better look at another item of evidence. But there are times when the investigator must only observe and not touch any- thing. After documenting the overall condition of the scene, an exploratory search can be done to better observe specific aspects of evidence. Mentally observe the surroundings and the condition of the scene. Observing may appear to be nonintrusive, but the technician must move about and through the scene to observe it and evaluate different aspects. In some cases, such as exigent circumstances, items may be moved prior to complete documentation (Gardner, 2005). 10
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