ELO 2 Flashcards
First officer on the team
ADAPT
First A in adapt
Assess the crime scene and assist the injured
D in adapt
Detain the witnesses
Second A in adapt
Arrest the perpetrator
P in adapt
Protect the crime scene
T in adapt
Take notes
Secure the crime scene
Look for signs of life
Block off the scene
Bodies need to be certified as dead by a medical examiner before being moved
Separate the witnesses
Do not allow witnesses to talk to each other
Witness stories should be compared
Avoid witnesses working together to create a story
Ask: Who, what, where
Scan the scene
Determine the primary and secondary crime scenes
Wear protective gear to prevent contamination of the crime scene
Walkthrough is performed by the crime scene investigator, officers, and detectives
Primary scene
Where the murder takes place
Secondary scene
Where the body is found
See that photos are taken
Show the scene exactly as it was when you first saw it
Don’t alter the scene
Include aerial photos, exterior, entry/exit doors, windows, panoramic and evidence photos (Distance view, mid-range, up close)
Sketch the crime scene
Rough sketch: A draft created at the crime scene
Finished sketch: A precise rendering of the crime scene, drawn to scale, generally on the computer
A rough sketch should include a key, legend, important features, accurate distant measurements, a compass, length/width of rooms
Final sketch should be drawn to scale
Notes during crime scene processing
Note-taking should be a constant activity throughout the processing of the crime scene. The notes should be done in chronological order and should include no opinions, no analysis, and no conclusion
Notes include…
Detailed description if the scene (Ex. lights, weather, time of day, anything that looks out of place or is missing)
Physical evidence: Location and description of item, time it was discovered, how and by whom it was packaged and marked
Time of entry/exit
Search methods
There are a variety of search methods that are useful in different situations
Link method
No specific pattern
Investigators make logical links between pieces of evidence
Appropriate for: Obvious clue trails, small or large areas, indoor or outdoor
Line (strip) method
Each person gets a line to search
Appropriate for: Large outdoor scenes, search team is arranged at regular intervals
Grid method
Same idea as the line method except remake lines so everything gets searched twice
Appropriate for: Large outdoor scenes, searches follow line methods, then rearrange perpendicular to the original search
Zone method
Areas with predefined zones such as houses or buildings
Each search team is assigned to a different zone
Spiral method
May move inward or outward
best used when there are no physical barriers
