CDI 2

SPECIAL CRIME
INVESTIGATION WITH
LEGAL MEDICINE
LECTURE NO. 2
PROF. KAROLINA ERIKA A.
www.psu.edu.ph BUTED
 TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED:

• UPON ARRIVAL AT THE CRIME SCENE

• PRELIMINARY DOCUMENTATION AND
EVALUATION OF THE SCENE

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

 INITIAL RESPONSE
• One of the most important aspects of securing the
crime scene is to preserve the scene with minimal
contamination and disturbance of physical evidence.
The initial response to an incident should be
expeditious and methodical.

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

 The initial responding officers should:
• Note or log dispatch information
• Be aware of any persons or vehicles leaving the crime scene
• Approach the scene cautiously, scan the entire area to thoroughly assess the
scene, and note any possible secondary crime scenes.
• Be aware of any persons and vehicles in the vicinity that may be related to the
crime scene.
• Make initial observations (look, listen, smell) to assess the scene and ensure
officer safety before proceeding
• Remain alert and attentive. Assume the crime is ongoing until determined
otherwise
• Treat the location as a crime scene until assessed and determined to be
otherwise.
• Safely direct addition responding units into the area.

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

 Safety of the Responding Team
The safety and physical well-being of officers and other
individuals, in and around the crime scene, are the initial
responding officers’ first priority,

The initial responding officers arriving at the scene shall

identify and control any dangerous situations or persons

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

 Initial responding officers should:
a. Ensure that there is no immediate threat to other
responders; scan area for sights, sounds. And smells that
may present danger to personnel
b. Approach the scene with a manner to reduce risk of harm
to officers while maximizing the safety of victims,
witnesses, and others in the area.
c. Survey the scene for dangerous persons and control the
situation
d. Notify supervisory personnel and call for assistance/back
up.

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

 Remember: The control of physical threats will ensure
the safety of officers and others present

Emergency Care: After controlling any dangerous

situations or persons, the initial responding officer’s
next responsibility is to ensure that medical attention is
provided to injured persons while minimizing
contamination of the scene.

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

 Initial responding officers should:
a. Asses the victim(s) for signs of life and medical needs and
provide immediate medical attention
b. Call for medical personnel
c. Guide medical personnel to the victim to minimize
contamination/alteration of the crime scene
d. Point out potential physical evidence to medical personnel,
instruct them to minimize contact with such evidence
e. Instruct medical personnel not to “clean up” the scene and
to avoid removal or alteration of items originating the scene

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

 Initial responding officers should:
f. If medical personnel arrived first, obtain the name, unit, and
telephone number of attending personnel, and have the name and
location of the medical facility where the victim is to be taken.
g. If there is chance the victim may die, attempt to obtain “dying
declaration”.
h. Document any statements/comments made by victims,
suspects, or witnesses at the scene.
i. If the victim is transported to a medical facility, send a law
enforcement official with the victim or suspect to document any
comments made and preserve evidence.

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

 Secure and Control Persons at the Scene
a. Control all individuals at the scene – prevent individuals
from altering/destroying physical evidence by
restricting movement, location and activity while
ensuring and maintaining safety at the scene.
b. Identify all individuals at the scene, such as:
Suspects: Secure and separate
Witnesses: Secure and Separate
Bystanders: Determine whether witness, if so treat as
above; if not, remove from the scene

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

 Secure and Control Persons at the Scene
Victims/family/friends: Control while showing compassion
Exclude unauthorized and non essential personnel from
the scene.

Remember: Controlling the movement of persons at the

crime scene and limiting the number of persons who enter
the crime scene is essential to maintaining scene integrity,
safeguarding evidence and minimizing contamination

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

 Boundaries: Identify, Establish, Protect,
and Secure Principle
a. Establish boundaries of the scene, starting at the
focal point and extending outward to include:
• Where the crime occurred
• Potential points and paths of exit and entry of
suspects and witnesses
• Place where the victim/evidence may have been
removed

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

 Boundaries: Identify, Establish, Protect,
and Secure Principle
b. Secure the scene. Set up physical barriers.
c. Document the entry/exit of all people entering and
leaving the scene, once boundaries have beem
established
d. Protect the scene. Control the flow of personnel and
animals entering and leaving the scene to maintain
integrity of the scene.
e. Institute measure to preserve/protect evidence that
may be lost or compromised
SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE
 Boundaries: Identify, Establish, Protect,
and Secure Principle
f. Document the original location of the victim or any
objects that you observe being moved.
g. Consider search and seizure issues to determine the
necessity of obtaining consent to search and or
obtaining a search warrant

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

 Boundaries: Identify, Establish, Protect,
and Secure Principle

NOTE: Any first responder should NOT smoke, use telephone

or bathroom, eat or drink, move any items from the scene
including weapons (unless necessary for the safety and well-
being of the persons at the scene), adjust thermostat or
open windows or doors (maintain scene as found), touch
anything unnecessarily (note and document any items
move), reposition moved items, litter, or spit within the
established boundaries of the scene,

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

 Turn Over Control of the Scene and Brief
Investigators in Charge
Fundamental Principle: briefing the investigator(s)
taking charge assists in controlling the crime scene,
helps establish further investigative responsibilities and
assists with the managing of resources.

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

 As a rule: initial responders at the scene shall provide a detailed crime
scene briefing to the investigator

The initial responders should:

a. Brief the investigator(s) taking charge
b. Assis in controlling the scene
c. Turn over responsibility for the documentation of entry/exit

Remember: The scene briefing is the only opportunity for the next in
command to obtain initial aspects of the crime scene prior to subsequent
investigations.

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

 Establish a Command Post and Make
Notifications

Policy: The investigators in charge shall set up a

location where crime scene investigation activities can
be coordinated, media meetings can be held, and team
meetings can occur.

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

 Establish a Command Post and Make
Notifications
Procedure: The investigator(s) in charge should:
a. Set up a temporary command post in a location where media can take
necessary photographs without jeopardizing the scene
b. Notify investigators or appropriate departments of information fathered at
the crime scene. Discuss details of the scene during this step
c. Notify commutations department (Dispatch) of phone numbers at the
command post
d. Ask Communications Department to notify surrounding agencies and send
teletypes regionally and nationally when a suspect has fled the scene.

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

 Establish a Command Post and Make
Notifications

Procedure: The investigator(s) in charge should:

e. Brief the supervisor as required
f. Verify that a command post is established.
g. Debrief with firs responder and officers/investigators
h. Make necessary assignments, recording each on
formal assignment sheet

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

 Establish a Command Post and Make
Notifications

Remember: The establishment of a command post is

critical to the communication among the crime scene
responders, dispatch and others providing information
to the crime scene responders.

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

 Manage Witnesses
The timely interviewing of witnesses is crucial to the
solution of a crime.
The investigators should:
a. Interview any witness(es) at the scene separately to
best use their reported experiences to benefit the
overall situation. Obtain written/recorded statements
from each witness at the police station
b. Transport each witness to the police station
separately from other witnesses or suspects
SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE
 Manage Witnesses
c. When possible, the following tasks should be
performed by the supervising officer.
• Establish the status, locations of each victim and
suspect.
• Establish the status of bulletins that have been
broadcast regarding each victim and suspect. Ensure
that any necessary missing suspect alert is broadcast
in a timely manner.

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

 Conduct of Scene “Walk-Through” and
Initial Documentation
The scene “walk-through” provides and overview of the
entire scene, identifies any threats to scene integrity, and
ensures protection of physical evidence. Written and
photographic documentation provides a permanent record.

A walk-through should only be completed if there will be no

disturbing of evidence. There may be the need for
immediate documentation and collection of evidence prior
to the walk-through.

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

 During the scene walk-through, the
investigator(s) in charge should:
a. Avoid contaminating the scene by using the established
path of entry
b. Consider whether personal protective equipment should
be used
c. Prepare preliminary documentation (notes, rough
sketches) of the scene as observed
d. Identify and protect fragile/and or perishable evidence.
Ensure that all evidence that may be compromised is
immediately documented, photographed and collected
SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE
 During the scene walk-through, the
investigator(s) in charge should:
e. When involved in the initial walk-through, note the condition of the
scene.
Record relevant observations:
• Ceilings
• Doors, including entry and exit points
• Windows
• Lights
• Floors
• Odors
• Description of perpetrator (when present)
• Description of crime related people present
SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE
 During the scene walk-through, the
investigator(s) in charge should:
• Description of emergency medical or search-and-rescue
personnel present
• Weapons observed
• Furniture present, including location relative to victim
• Signs of activity
• Date and time indicators

f. Develop a general theory of crime

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE
 Note-Taking and Logs
• It provide a permanent record of crime scene activities.

• As a rule: all personnel assigned to the crime scene

investigation shall maintain notes and logs of their
activites.

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE

 Note-Taking and Logs
• The “Log Officer "is responsible for completing this task and
monitoring the log at all times.
a. Record the following information about the crime scene.
• Crime scene location
• Name of witnesses
• Name of victims
• Name of persons taken into custody
• Name of first responders and approximate arrival times
• Name of supervising officer and approximate arrival time
SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE
 Note-Taking and Logs
b. Record the information below for each person at the
scene.
• Arrival date
• Time of arrival
• Name
• Identification and unit numbers
• Organization (if not with the investigating department)
• Reason for being at the scene
SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE
 END.

Next Topics:

Crime Scene Sketch

Crime Scene Photography
Crime Scene Search

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!

SPECIAL CRIME INVESTIGATION WITH LEGAL MEDICINE