sop 2. 1.05 collection and preservation of evidence

Question 1

Duties and repsonsibilites 1-6

Answer 1

1. Manually fingerprint persons when required for criminal offense or civil process.
2. Utilize the RICI system to electronically fingerprint a subject.
3. Typing of forms pertaining to criminal offenses.
4. Processing of evidence acquired from other officers / detectives.
   ERIC HAWKINS
   Chief of Police
   1789
   APD # 016 (REV: 07/2013)
5. Updating all information in Forensic Investigation Unit files.
6. Searching and identifying latent fingerprints.

Question 2

Duties and repsonsibilites-7-11

Answer 2

7. Maintaining and updating case files.
8. Preparing and packaging evidence to be sent to laboratories.
9. Processing of all types of crime scenes, which includes:
   a. Photographing of scene.
   b. Processing scenes and evidence for latent fingerprints and lifting same.
   c. Processing scenes and evidence for DNA.
   d. Photographing, collection, and preservation of physical evidence.
   e. Writing detailed reports and preparing case files.
   f. Sketching of crime scenes if required.
   10.Record checks for various police agencies.
   11.Photographing and witnessing autopsies

Question 3

Duties and repsonsibilites-12-16

Answer 3

12.Accepting physical evidence and safekeeping of same.
13.Preparing evidence for court.
14.Preparing cases for court and giving testimony on same.
15.Timely return or destruction of evidence when appropriate.
16.Various other duties assigned pertaining to the function of the Forensic Unit.

Question 4

What is chain of custody ?

Answer 4

A chain of custody is a series of documented links between the
time that evidence was obtained until the time that evidence is
presented in court.
i. The links are officers who handled the evidence, and where
and when they did so.

Question 5

What is the exclusionary Rule?

Answer 5

The Exclusionary Rule states that any evidence illegally obtained, no
matter how incriminating, will be generally inadmissible in any court
proceeding: Mapp v Ohio 367 u.s. 643

This means that evidence obtained improperly will not be admitted
into court. Officers must ensure that proper procedures are followed
or risk evidence being inadmissible

Question 6

What should Fiu dective do upon be summoned to the crime scene by unit/station supervisor?

Answer 6

2. Upon the FIU detective’s arrival, the detective shall be responsible for
   photographing, collecting, marking, labeling, and processing all evidence.
3. The ranking officer on scene shall maintain responsibility for the scene.

Question 7

When should Crash Reconstrucion officers/ Forensic scan team (FST ) be utitilized?

Answer 7

Processing traffic collisions and or Crime scenes = processed acoording to policy and procedure 3.4.10 traffic ollision investigations

Question 8

The department shall provide, at a minimum, access to personnel,
equipment, and supplies for use in processing scenes for the following
purpose

Answer 8

a. Recovery of latent fingerprints;
b. Photography;
c. Sketch of the scene; and
d. Collection and preservation of physical evidence.

Question 9

Asssitional crime scene processing resources/equipment is available through which department and should be arranged by whom?

Answer 9

NYSP and arranged by appropriate FIU detective

Question 10

Officers whom first locate DNA evidence, or the potential for DNA
evidence, should immediately complete the following:

Answer 10

a. Secure the scene;
b. Preserve the area;
c. Restrict access to the area;
d. Isolate the immediate area to eliminate any cross contamination
issues; and
e. Make the proper notifications for FIU response to the scene

Question 11

When collecting dna evidence officers shale be aware of what?

Answer 11

issues involved in theidentification, collection, transportation, and storage of DNA evidence.
That potential contamination of physical evidence can occur at the crime scene, during the collection,packaging and transportation of the evidence to a secured facility or aboratory, and during evidence analysis and storage

Question 12

Greater attention to contamintation is necessary due to what?

Answer 12

the possibility of secondary transfer of DNA from one object to another.

Question 13

Mapp vs Ohio

Answer 13

The Exclusionary Rule states that any evidence illegally obtained, no
matter how incriminating, will be generally inadmissible in any court
proceeding