To Be a Crime Scene Investigator

By Henry M. Holden

An in-depth introduction to the life, careers, and methodologies of crime scene investigators.

If the devil is in the details, then the crime scene investigator’s got him: conducting searches, collecting information, photographing, scrutinizing, analyzing—pursuing the culprit right down to the last scrap of evidence. Whether you’d like to become a crime scene investigator or simply want to see what it takes, this book is your ideal introduction to this fascinating aspect of crime detection.

Like a top-notch forensics expert, author Henry M. Holden traces the path that crime scene investigators follow as they learn and ply their trade. His behind-the-scenes look takes us from application to training, crime scene to lab, revealing the fine points of securing, examining, and processing evidence; identifying victims, and reenacting the crime; conducting police lineups and interviews, and administering polygraphs; and forensics and evidence analysis.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Sep 15, 2006
• ISBN: 9781610601290

Book preview

TO BE A

CRIME SCENE

INVESTIGATOR

Henry M. Holden

Dedication

To the men and women of law enforcement:

Thank you for serving, and may God bless you and keep you safe.

CONTENTS

Preface

Acknowledgments

ONE            Police Officer)—Application and Training

TWO           Becoming a Crime Scene Investigator

THREE        The Crime Scene

FOUR          From Crime Lab to Closure

FIVE            Serial Crimes

Glossary

Index

Preface

Early crime scene investigation was a crude process: stumbling over evidence, thereby contaminating it, obtaining evidence from informers who were usually engaged in criminal activity, confessions made under duress, sticking to unreliable eyewitness accounts, or implicating innocent individuals out of revenge. It was a process that had little regard for the innocent, the victim, or for justice.

In 1829, the Metropolitan Police Act established all of London’s police under the responsibility of one authority, with its headquarters at Scotland Yard. This act established the principles that shaped modern English police investigations. The first organized crime detection took place as a result of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s novels about Sherlock Holmes. The unbelievable skill of the fictional detective to solve crimes from the smallest pieces of physical evidence inspired Scotland Yard to follow Holmes’ approach at a crime scene. The British example influenced the development of criminal investigation in the United States, where large cities patterned their police efforts after the successful model in England.

The responsibility of modern law enforcement agencies is to protect the public from criminals, detect crimes, apprehend the offenders, and provide straightforward and unequivocal evidence to judges and juries that the offenders are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Criminal investigations are conducted in the United States at the municipal, state, and federal levels in accordance with established laws. The conduct of an investigation is governed by the integrity of the crime scene investigators, physical evidence, information obtained from people, and records. Victims or witnesses still provide evidence as to when, where, how, why, and by whom the crime was committed, but it is often the forensic evidence that convicts the offender.

Modern crime scene investigation and solving crimes successfully requires a variety of methods, including crime reconstruction; collecting, preserving, and maintaining the all-important chain of custody of physical evidence; and interrogating suspects and interviewing witnesses. This is not a haphazard process but a precise, thoughtful, and scientific approach. The men and women who do this work, the crime scene investigators, are highly skilled and trained law enforcement personnel who build up years of experience both on the job and through in-service and external academic training. In To Be a Crime Scene Investigator, I have attempted, through the advice and counsel of those in the field, to present the information necessary to those interested in a career as a crime scene investigator.

Acknowledgments

This work is the result of a collaborative effort on the part of many. It would not have been possible without the input and trust of these individuals. They come from many disciplines and all are professionals in every sense of the word. From the Morris County Fire Fighters and Police Training Academy: Chief Daniel H. Colucci, academy director, and Chief Ronald Graziano provided valuable insights and access to their academic and physical training facilities. From various county police agencies, some of the officers who volunteered as instructors at the academy are: Patrolman Samuel Trimble, Detective John Ambrose, Sergeant Don Smith, Sergeant Paul Carifi Jr., Lieutenant James Monaghan, Patrolman Robert Oranchak, Corporal Mike Lowe, Officer D. Wyatt, Patrolman John Hurd, Sheriff’s Officer Steve Carro, and Agent Bill Tsigaras and Detective Mark Castellano from the Morris County prosecutor’s office, and others.

My appreciation and thanks to Sheriff Edward V. Rochford, for without allowing access to his organization and to the men and women of his Criminal Investigation Section, this book would not have been possible. I have made every effort to fulfill his trust that it would be an accurate account of the work his crime scene investigators perform on a daily basis. Detective Sergeant Edward Williams gave me complete cooperation in every aspect of this project. He permitted me to sit in on a week-long crime scene investigator’s class, offered ride-alongs to crime scenes, and provided access to photo records and their laboratory. His detective team of crime scene investigators who follow were all warm, welcoming, helpful, and professional, and they were especially patient to my many elementary questions. I have developed a deep respect for the work they do and the integrity they bring to the job. My thanks to: Detective Corporal Bill Stitt, Detective Lisa Bonfiglio, Detective Ed Crooker, Detective Al Dekler, Detective Bruce Dunn, Detective Mike Puzio, Detective James Rae, Detective Tom Riedinger, Detective Kelley Shanaphy, and Detective Laura Valente; to Gary Colburn of the photo unit; and my special thanks to Ginny Walsh, also of the photo unit, who went beyond her job description in one critical aspect of this book.

Morris County New Jersey’s Criminal Investigation Section: front row (left to right), Detective Kelley Shanaphy, Detective Charlie Marotta, Detective Laura Valente; middle row (left to right), Detective Bruce Dunn, Detective Ed Crooker, Detective James Rae, Detective Al Dekler; top row (left to right), Detective Corporal Bill Stitt, Detective Sergeant Ed Williams, and Detective Mike Puzio. Absent from the photo are Detectives Lisa Bonfiglio and Tom Riedinger. Morris County Sheriff’s Office

From the FBI Laboratory, my special thanks to Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) Ann Todd, a friend and lifeline for this project at the FBI Laboratory; SSA Virginia Sanchez and SSA Dayna Sepeck for their efforts in the photo area; SSA Gerry Downes for his amazing insights and knowledge of behavioral science; to Chief of the Explosives Unit, Greg Carl, for his fascinating insights into bomb scene forensics; and to Special Agent Angela Bell from Headquarters. You were all helpful beyond my expectations.

My thanks and appreciation to my editor, Steve Gansen, who asked me if I would like to do this book—Steve, this was an eyeopener, and I am grateful for the opportunity—and Lindsay Hitch, also my editor on this project. Both were always professional and always helpful during the course of this project. It was a pleasure to work with both of you.

And of course, my thanks to my wife, Nancy, who was by my side throughout this project and brought to it a keen eye for which photographs worked and which did not.

To the many other people unnamed who contributed to this work, in large and small ways, I am appreciative of all your efforts.

ONE

All law enforcement agencies provide self-defense training tactics. Immediate control of the suspect is paramount to the safety of the officer and suspect, and to a successful arrest. FBI

Police Officer—Application and Training

Morris County Fire Fighters and Police Training Academy logo

Law enforcement agencies usually require the prospective crime scene investigator (CSI) to be a sworn officer (with arrest powers and authority to carry a weapon) and serve a minimum of three to five years on the job as a criminal investigator before applying to become a crime scene investigator. There are exceptions. For example, the individual may hold a PhD in a forensic science and be an instructor at a local university, a consultant under contract on a case-by-case basis, or a qualified civilian.

In areas with large populations and high rates of violent crime, the evidence documentation and collection portion of a crime scene response may be a full-time job. Many larger police agencies have budgets for such personnel specialties.

Smaller police agencies often do not have full-time crime scene investigators. These rural agencies may have two- to three-dozen sworn officers, and about one-third of those officers are supervisory or management. Often, the crime scene investigator is a collateral job. In some jurisdictions, the local police may call upon the county sheriff’s department or state police, who maintain a pool of full-time crime scene investigators.

Most police agencies require some type of two- or four-year college degree for their sworn officers. Regardless of whether the individual’s education is in the social sciences, general studies, history, or criminal justice, if the individual is seeking a career as a crime scene investigator, he or she should supplement degree work with courses in computer science, forensic sciences, and photography. Some agencies may look for candidates who speak both English and a second language. A second language generally makes an individual more marketable. Many agencies also give military veterans a preference.

APPLICATION

An information sheet, or briefing guide, about the police testing procedure is generally given to all applicants when they apply to their jurisdiction. A background investigator will usually provide the application, initial interview, and an information packet containing a job description, salary guide, list of benefits, and career paths available within the department. The background investigator will review this material, answer any questions, set a time and date for the return of the completed formal application, and schedule the testing. The investigator will also verify the applicant’s identity and possession of a valid driver’s license, and will arrange for the submission of fingerprints and a photo for a criminal records check. Applicants usually submit a headshot and full-body photograph for their personnel file.

We had one applicant submit a photo of himself in a tank top, shorts, and sandals, one senior officer said. We wonder sometimes where a person’s head is when they do this, or when someone comes into an important interview in casual clothing. The information on this applicant’s sheet looked solid, so I explained to him that the photo becomes part of his permanent record, should he be hired. He came back the next day with an appropriate photo and dressed in a suit and tie. He said he did not own a suit and went out and bought one just for the interview. At this point, we knew we had someone highly motivated for the job.

Stretching exercises are necessary to perform the sit and reach test. This is a measure of the flexibility of the lower back and upper leg area. It is an important area for performing police work involving a wide range of motion. The sit and reach test involves stretching out to touch the toes or beyond with extended arms from the sitting position. The score is in the inches reached on a yardstick.

Hydration in all physical exercise is important to performing well. A recruit class takes a few minutes to get hydrated during morning physical training.

As uncomfortable as they may be, warm-up stretching exercises are necessary to prevent injuries during a workout.

Part of the physical evaluation is counting the number of rungs a recruit is able to cross on the horizontal ladder in a two-minute period. The exercise involves crossing the ladder and running up and down the length of the gym several times, crossing the ladder again, and repeating the process for two minutes.

In general, candidates sent to a police training academy by a local police agency have had a credit check, background check, and other investigations, and may be sworn in as probationary police officers (PPOs) shortly before academy training begins. Alternate route candidates have the background check and other investigations completed by the academy but are not sworn in as PPOs until they are hired after completion of the academy training. They will undergo a second background check by the hiring agency. I suggest to the hiring agency that they ask the new officer’s neighbors about his or her attitude. Has it changed since beginning police training? Has it given the individual a power trip? said one senior officer.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME A POLICE OFFICER

The police officer hiring process varies throughout the United States but generally takes one of three routes: civil service; non-civil service, which is sometimes called the chief’s test; and the Alternate Route Basic Course for Police Officers.

Competitive state and local government civil service examinations provide a way to ensure that appointments to municipal public service jobs are on merit. The chief’s test, also based on merit, is a competitive test given by a local police agency. The Alternate Route Basic Course offers individuals the opportunity to attend a police training academy at their own expense, prior to being hired by a local police department. In five counties in northern New Jersey, this twenty-two-week course costs approximately $3,000 and is administered by the Morris County Fire Fighters and Police Training Academy (MCFFPTA). The law allows no more than 50 percent of a class to be composed of these individuals, and generally, about 20 to 30 percent of a recruit class is made up of these individuals. During and upon completion of academy training, the local police agencies review the graduates and generally make job offers.

While specific eligibility requirements may vary between agencies, some common requirements are:

Applicants must be U.S. citizens and at least eighteen (or twenty-one) years of age on or before the day of hire, but no older than thirty-five.

Applicants must have successfully completed a minimum of:

a. Sixty college credits with a 2.0 grade point average from an accredited college or university, or

b. At least two years of full-time, active military service in the U.S. military with an honorable discharge, and have a high school diploma or its equivalent.

Applicants may need to reside within a designated geographic area.

Applicants must possess a valid driver’s license.

Applicants may have to pay for a part of the investigation process, such as a fee for fingerprinting.

Applicants must be of good moral character and must not be convicted of any criminal offense.

Applicants must meet minimum medical standards, as prescribed by the jurisdiction; possess visual acuity not exceeding 20/100 uncorrected, corrected to 20/30 or better with corrective lenses; be able to distinguish between the colors red, green, and yellow; and have weight in proportion to height.

Applicants successfully completing a background investigation will be given a psychological evaluation to determine suitability, and compatibility, to perform basic police functions.

As a condition of employment, applicants will be required to undergo drug screening. Positive drug tests for law enforcement results in a permanent ban from law enforcement.

All males from the ages of eighteen through twenty-five are required to register with the Federal Selective Service System under the Military Service Act and provide proof of registration. Registration with the Federal Selective Service System is usually a condition of continued employment.

DISQUALIFICATION

There are specific issues that will automatically disqualify an applicant from consideration for a police officer position. They are: conviction of a felony offense, any repeated convictions of an offense that indicates a disrespect for the law, a lack of good moral character or disposition toward violence, discharge from employment where such discharge indicates poor behavior and/or an inability adjusting to discipline, a dishonorable discharge from the armed forces, conviction of any domestic violence offense, and failure of the medical, physical, written psychological, oral psychological, or polygraph examination.

TEST PREPARATION AND STUDY SUGGESTIONS

The police officer exam is not one on which a high score can be achieved by cramming the night before. Disciplined study habits, however, can lead to higher scores. Be rested before the study period. If you are tired, it will slow the learning process. If possible,