1. Crime Scene Search
Law Enforcement I

2. Copyright and Terms of Service
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, These materials are copyrighted © and trademarked ™ as the property of the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of TEA, except under the following conditions:
1)  Texas public school districts, charter schools, and Education Service Centers may reproduce and use copies of the Materials and Related Materials for the districts’ and schools’ educational use without obtaining permission from TEA.
2)  Residents of the state of Texas may reproduce and use copies of the Materials and Related Materials for individual personal use only, without obtaining written permission of TEA.
3)  Any portion reproduced must be reproduced in its entirety and remain unedited, unaltered and unchanged in any way.
4)  No monetary charge can be made for the reproduced materials or any document containing them; however, a reasonable charge to cover only the cost of reproduction and distribution may be charged.
Private entities or persons located in Texas that are not Texas public school districts, Texas Education Service Centers, or Texas charter schools or any entity, whether public or private, educational or non-educational, located outside the state of Texas MUST obtain written approval from TEA and will be required to enter into a license agreement that may involve the payment of a licensing fee or a royalty.
Contact TEA Copyrights with any questions you may have.

3. Why Conduct a Crime Scene Search?
To gather and process further evidence from the area in which the crime occurred.
We frequently think about fingerprints, but CSI and other shows have demonstrated that fingerprints are but a small part of the evidence obtained.

4. Steps in Processing the Scene
Survey of the scene
Photographs and sketches
Measurements and mapping
Recording the locations of evidence and documenting
Searching for fingerprints and other evidence

5. Indoor vs. Outdoor Search
Greater coverage
More than one searcher
Evidence may be more fragile
Don’t forget to look up!
Don’t bring evidence with you
Night and day considerations

6. Strip Method
Useful in larger, outdoor areas but also inside. Quick to implement and simple to use – can be done by a single person.

7. Spiral Method
This circular method is most effective in an indoor or small area, since, as the circle gets bigger, evidence may be overlooked.

8. Wheel Method
Rarely used anymore, where searchers begin at the center and move outward. The number of people searching at the beginning can cause evidence to be ruined.

9. Grid Method
This is one of the best methods for detailed searching of large areas. This method can be modified depending on the number of searchers and the area covered. When done correctly, each area will be searched twice.

10. Zone Method
Most often used indoors, this method divides the search area into sections, or squares, and a separate officer is designated to search each section.

11. Considerations When Searching
Evidence can be found near/in
The crime scene
Points of entry or exit
The route of escape
Clothing
Where weapons are found
Vehicles

12. Evidence Removal
Be sure and document any evidence location, through either diagram or photograph or both.
Handle evidence appropriately (you may be asked who picked it up and what was done with it).

13. Evidence Tampering
When another officer or outside person leaves items at the scene or damages evidence.
This can occur intentionally, or more often than not, unintentionally.
Regardless of who the person is, they need to be removed from the scene.
If it is a superior officer, you need to report this to the crime scene commander.

14. Resources 0942728750, Practical Criminal Investigation, Manuel S. Peña
X, Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation, Barry A. J. Fisher
, Practical Homicide Investigation, Vernon J. Geberth
Manual for Police of New York State