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Citizens' Police Academy investigates a 'crime scene'
Nevada Daily Mail
The students in the Nevada Police Department's Citizens' Police Academy received another reality check when Det. Jens Barclay debunked what he calls the "CSI effect:" what people believe police officers should be able to determine from a crime scene because of what they have seen done on police television shows such as "CSI."
During the sixth session of the course Wednesday, Barclay told us of crime scenes and the procedure used to preserve and learn from evidence gathered, even showing us how to use different colored powder to find fingerprints on objects including CDs and soda cans.
Barclay said the investigation of a crime scene begins as soon as an officer arrives. Sometimes that crime scene can be as small as the inside of a vehicle or a room or as large as square miles' worth of property. Barclay said a single crime could also have more than one crime scene.
When first arriving at a scene, Barclay said it is the officers' responsibility to secure the scene -- taking culprits into custody if need be -- as well as take care of any victims involved.
"The victim's well-being and safety is our priority," Barclay said.
However, if the victims or culprits are dead, law enforcement must leave the bodies where they are until after the scene is processed according to procedure, which includes identifying persons involved, establishing a perimeter as well as photographing the scene and any items that might be considered evidence.
Law enforcement also has to document each person entering or leaving the crime scene. Depending on the crime, they might also have to wear head or shoe coverings or even a protective suit to keep from disturbing the scene.
"You cannot enter a crime scene without changing it in some way," Barclay said.
Barclay said sometimes it takes as long as eight to 12 hours to correctly diagram a scene, measuring dimensions precisely. That diagram is done first by hand and then entered into a computer.
Just as law enforcement must be careful to protect a crime scene, Barclay said they also are careful to preserve whatever evidence they might find, wearing gloves at all times before the evidence is packaged.
After taking photos of the evidence -- both of it in its environment, as it was found, and close up -- Barclay said they must carefully package the items, sealing it with evidence tape and the initials of the officer who collected it. That officer must also fill out reports and a lab analysis request if they decide to send it to the crime lab.
Different pieces of evidence are also packaged differently, with some needing to be documented by two officers, such as money or weapons, or even stored in different containers if they are considered hazardous materials.
While TV shows make it seem as if law enforcement can gather DNA evidence from a crime scene and almost instantaneously have lab results showing who the culprit is, Barclay said there is currently about an 18-month backlog on such DNA testing because of the extensive training needed to be able to test such evidence.
While Barclay said some of the technology seen on television is in existence, it might cost as much as $100,000 to purchase for a department. Instead, the NPD must decide what evidence, including fingerprints and DNA, need to be tested and then send them to a crime lab near Carthage.
Barclay said they send the evidence to the crime lab only about once a month and, while fingerprint results may come back in just a few weeks, other samples may not be returned for months.
Because of that waiting period, Barclay said they have to keep in mind the severity of the crime and the statute of limitations. For example, the statute of limitations on a misdemeanor runs out after 12 months, so the wait is for nothing if it takes longer than a year. A felony's statute of limitations is three years.
Although fingerprints can be processed much more easily and quickly, and even locally if necessary, Barclay said it is still not easy collecting them since it has to be left on a smooth surface, with the correct pressure -- too little or too much can leave them unusable -- and even with the correct temperature. While learning to dust for those prints ourselves, we also learned that using too much powder could damage the prints.
"Generally speaking, fingerprints are very hard to find," Barclay said, but added they have been able to use them to solve numerous crimes committed in the area.
Next week, we will learn about traffic enforcement and DWI and drug recognition.