1. The first digital image/photograph taken should document the date, time, case report number, the location, and the victim’s name (when applicable).
To do this, take a picture of the Crime Scene Information Card. If the victim’s address is different from the scene location, make sure both addresses are on the card.
2. No image captured during an investigation shall be deleted for any reason; including, but not limited to, lack of quality, content or available memory.
3. Subject matter should range from the general to specific.
a. Take overall photographs of the entire scene to show its relationship to the surrounding areas.
b. Take mid-range photographs to show the relationship of the evidence in the scene.
c. Take close-up photographs of evidence for comparison.
4. When photographing persons:
a. Identification photographs - full frontal, facial, and back view (when applicable) for identification.
b. Mid-range photographs to show injuries and other body parts.
c. Close-up photography with and without scale in regards to scars, marks, tattoos and injuries.
5. Document in the electronic Evidence Report the following information.
a. Number of photographs taken; and
b. What is being depicted in the photographs.
6. Submission and documentation of images
a. Copy all images from memory card into folders named by the cases CCR# (06-1234567).
b. Copy all folders for the day’s cases onto a CD, for temporary storage / transfer to photo lab. The images on this CD must be viewed to ensure that the images were transferred. After image transfer is successfully verified, the compact flash card will be re-formatted in the camera.
c. Place the CD in the plastic CD storage case.
d. On the CD label write:
(1) The date the images were taken;
(2) The CCR#’s contained on that CD; and
(3) The photographer that took the photographs
e. On the CD write:
(1) The date the images were taken; and
(2) The photographer that made the disk.
f. Seal the CD in the case with evidence tape and initial the seal.
g. Crime Scene Unit detectives will place the CD in the locked film drawer at the Crime Scene Unit office at the end of that day’s shift.
h. Detectives and officers from other units will submit the CD as evidence into the Property and Evidence Facility.
i. The disks will be picked up by a Photo Lab technician and taken to the Photo Lab.
j. Personnel within the Photo Lab will input the photographs into the Digital Crime Scene software for storage
k. No original images will leave the Photo Lab without approval of the Photo Lab supervisor or Crime Scene Unit Commander.
l. After the downloading procedure is completed, the CD shall be destroyed by shredding.
7. Printing and distribution of images will be handled in the following manner:
a. Images will be printed on an as-needed basis for trial and on-going investigations. Emphasis will be placed on electronic transfer/ digital image transmission of duplicate images whenever possible. All duplicate images will be copied in an unaltered native file format as that of the original.
b. Another approved method of distributing duplicate images will be copying the images from the Digital Crime Scene Software to a CD. A case journal entry will be made every time photographs from that case are exported. This journal entry will document for whom the
images were exported.
8. Working with images
a. No alterations or obliteration of primary images will be allowed.
b. Only duplicate images of the primary images will be transmitted. Processing to improve the image quality will be limited to those used with traditional negative based processing:
(1) Sharpen focus;
(2) Correct contrast/brightness;
(3) Correct color balance; and/or
(4) Enlarge the image or part of it
c. Manipulation, and the actual altering of properties of the image, will only be performed on a copy of the original. This may involve, but is not limited to:
(1) Sharpness enhancement;
(2) Removal/addition of objects/features; and
(3) Use of images in court displays.
d. Under no circumstances will a corrected or manipulated image be substituted for the original/primary image. All processed images will be saved as a separate file. They may be permanently stored in the Digital Crime Scene software with the original images, but will be specified as a copy and will not be saved in the native camera format.
e. If any manipulations are made on a copy of a photograph, the alterations must be documented.
f. A record detailing the following must be recorded.
(1) What program was utilized to publish the pictures;
(2) The date and time the pictures were published;
(3) What digital processing procedures were used to publish the photographs/images; and
(4) Any enhancements or other alterations to the
photograph/images made during the publishing should be recorded in the report along with an explanation of why an enhancement was conducted.
g. Under no circumstances will a corrected image be substituted for the original. All processed images will be saved in a separate file.
h. Images from sex crime cases will only be viewed by the Crime Scene Detective, Special Assault or Investigations supervisors as applicable assigned to each individual case. Anyone else is prohibited from viewing the images unless express permission is obtained from the unit commander. On the ET card, the victim’s name will be omitted and the CCR# will be used as the case identifier in sex crimes cases.