Law enforcement, like many other professions, has become increasingly specialized over the years, especially in the area of crime scene investigations.
A crime scene investigator, also referred to as a crime scene technician, identifies, collects and preserves physical evidence at a crime scene. They are tasked with finding and processing evidence such as latent fingerprints, biological material, ballistics and trace evidence at a scene. Crime scene investigators can have a wide range of responsibilities and may specialize in different fields such as bloodstain pattern analysis, shooting incident reconstruction, alternative light sources, and scene documentation. Laser scanners are utilized today to produce 3D imaging, measurements and scene documentation. In fact, many colleges and universities offer degree programs in this area of expertise.
A properly processed crime scene can be the difference in a crime being solved and successfully prosecuted. A poorly processed scene, where potential evidence is overlooked or not properly secured and documented, can adversely affect that same investigation.
Due to the importance of such investigations, the Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Department has recently secured a mobile Criminal Investigations Crime Scene Unit to be used by crime scene technicians.
Greenbrier County Sheriff Bruce Sloan stated, “The Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Department is fortunate to have a crime scene team comprised of members who have received specialized training. This vehicle will allow all of our crime scene processing equipment and supplies to be housed in a single unit. In the past multiple vehicles would occasionally be required to transport equipment and invariably an officer would need to make an additional trip to obtain a needed item that was not initially brought to the scene. With the addition of this unit our team will be more efficient, effective and productive as they process major crime scenes or serious traffic accidents.”
