2nd Prelim

MODULE 4
Lesson objective:

1. Discuss the procedure in criminal investigation

2. Discuss the basic priorities in criminal investigation
3. Discuss the methods of search
4. Discuss the rules in sketching crime scene.
5. Discuss the purpose of reconstructing the crime

PROCEDURE IN CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION

As a general rule, all crime scene investigation must be done by the police
station who has the territorial jurisdiction of the crime incident unless otherwise
specified by higher authorities to be investigated by some other unit or agencies and
must be recorded in the official police blotter.

Territorial Jurisdiction means that the crime incident happened within the area or
place that a certain police station holds or covers.

Police Station refers to the office of the local police that has jurisdiction within the area
and exercises control over the community and persons’ movement by enforcing the
laws necessary for the maintenance of peace and order. The same is responsible in
providing immediate response to the community as the need arises.

The difference between crime scene from crime incident?

Crime scene - refers to the place where crime took place and where the physical
evidence can be found

Crime incident - refers to the occurrence of a certain crime.

 Crime scene must be preserved as it contains the essential ingredients

surrounding the commission of the crime. Crime incident must be established
as it will guide investigators in filing the proper charge.

In what way are police officers be notified in the event that a crime happened?

In the event that a crime happens, it reaches the attention of the police through:

1. A concerned citizen who witnessed the crime incident;

2. An accidental discovery of some citizen; or
3. The action itself of the police officer in patrol.

Those who are in patrol are commonly regarded as the first responder as they are
those who are employed in the community with the end purpose of crime prevention.
As part of their duties, first responder must do the following:

1. Proceed to crime scene and validate information regarding crime incident;

2. Cordon the area, meaning isolate the place so that unauthorized persons
cannot enter the scene or the suspect cannot destroy the evidence.
3. Record all relevant facts and the time of arrival at the crime scene;
4. Identify possible witness and do the preliminary interview if feasible;
5. Arrest suspect/s if they are around or recommend for the conduct of dragnet
operation which pertains to an operation conducted to seal off possible exits of
the suspect/s.
 6. Be ready to take dying declaration of injured person. A dying declaration is a
statement made by a person who is under the impending death in which such
declaration is related to the facts in which the person is competent to testify;
7. Evacuate wounded person and/or account killed, wounded or arrested person;
8. Conduct initial investigation and briefing of investigator case (IOC) upon his
arrival at the scene; and
9. Conduct initial inventory of all possible evidence at the crime scene which must
be signed by him, the SOCO, and by the investigator.

The investigating team will take full control of the crime scene which includes the
conduct of crime scene search, generating sketches as well as the taking of
photograph, lifting of fingerprints, marking and tagging as well as the collection of
physical evidence and like.

Investigating team refers to the group of police personnel charged with the
investigation and processing of the crime scene which includes but not limited to the
search, collection, marking, tagging, preservation, and transfer of evidence.

Further, investigating team is composed of the following:

1. The team leader

2. Investigator
3. Photographer
4. Evidence custodian
5. Artist

Upon the takeover of the investigating team, they ensure that the investigative
procedures are followed such as:

1. Record the date and time of arrival as well as all other important details in the
crime scene;
2. Photograph and video of the crime scene
3. Arrest of suspect/s if their identity is apparent; and
4. Separate possible witness to get their individual accounts.

CRIME SCENE PROCESSING

It is true that the investigating team must give priority to the human life,
nevertheless, they must exhaust whatever means to secure and preserve the crime for
it contains all the necessary ingredients for the prosecution of the case. They must
reconsider the necessary steps in order to collect all available evidence and maintain
the integrity of the crime scene by remembering “MAC” rule which simply stand for:

1. Mutilate – meaning do not remove anything from the crime scene;

2. Alter – do not change anything in the crime
3. Contaminate – do not add anything to the crime scene.

Also, the investigating team must remember that nothing should be touched, altered
or removed unless everything is photographed, noted, measured, and indicated in the
sketch as these are the golden rule in the processing of crime scene. They should also
take into consideration those transient evidence or fragile evidence.

Transient evidence – are those evidence when not collected at appropriate time may
diminish or loss its value such as urine, blood, semen, etc. on the other hand, fragile
evidences are those evidence which may be broken if collected inattentively.

METHODS OF SEARCH
Method of Search is defined as the systematic procedure employed by the investigating
team in order to recognize, collect, and preserve the evidence or any object/s found in
the crime scene that has a logical connection to the case.

In the conduct of crime scene search, the following methods may be employed based
on the physical characteristics of the place such as strip method, double strip method,
spiral search method, zone search method, and wheel search method.

Strip Method is done through a straight path in an area. Upon reaching the end, the
searcher turns and follows again in a straight path but parallel to the first path he
takes. This continues until the search of the entire area is done.

Double Strip Method or Grid Method is almost similar with strip method. As the term
suggest, “double” meaning after the entire area is done searching using strip method,
the searcher will again start another process but this time at the other side at right
angles from where you started

Spiral Method – is done when the area is circular in nature. The searcher may start
either from the center or outside although commonly searcher usually starts from the
outside following a circular shape until they finish searching the entire area.

Wheel Method is also applicable in circular areas similar to the spiral method.
However, the searcher starts in the center and is best applied when there are plenty of
searchers. From the center, they follow a straight path toward outside unlike in radial
that they follow a circular pattern.
Zone method is best applicable in crime covering a wider range. In this method, the
crime scene is divided into four quadrants and the searcher may select what type of
search should be done in each quadrant. It could either be strip, double strip, radial,
wheel or zone method.

Marking, Tagging, and Collecting of Evidence

After the search of an evidence, collection follows. However, any object/s found
must be properly marked, tagged, photographed, measured, and indicated in the
sketch before its actual collection.

Marking of evidence – refers to the process of identifying and recognizing any objects in
the crime scene by way of placing the letter symbol or number.

Tagging evidence – is the process f labelling the physical evidence by way of placing
the appropriate evidence tag containing the description of the item, the date and the
initial of the collecting officer.

Collecting of evidence – refers to the actual gathering and lifting of evidence from the
crime scene to the custody of the appropriate office.

Photographing the Crime Scene

In processing the crime scene, investigating team must consider the proper
taking of photographs and the making of sketch. Photographs should depict the actual
scenario of the crime scene and portray the proper placement of the individual
evidence.

Investigators notebook – refers to the pad of paper such as work pad, tickler, or
notepad and the like which is used to remember the details regarding the commission
of the crime and in any manner aids the investigator in refreshing his memory to recall
matters related to the case under investigation.

Investigating team must consider the following angle/view in taking photographs to

properly appreciate the crime scene such as;
 1. General View – these are taken outside of the crime scene purposely to show
location, direction, and the place of crime incident
2. Medium View – these shots are taken to show the different divisions of the crime
scene as this view will allow investigators to clearly see the nature of the crime
committed;
3. Close – up View – these shots are done to individual evidence to show what
constitutes the crime and how it was committed.

Gradual shots may be taken from a standard position in order to show the
relationship of one evidence to another or how individual evidence is close or far from
one another. This is technically called as progressive photography which includes
shots taken in long range, midrange, or close range distance.

The following guidelines also in line with taking photographs must be noted by the
investigating team such as:

1. Take overall photos of the scene which include street signs, areas, streetlights
location near the crime scene, and any identifying objects;
2. Pictures of every room must be taken through they are not apparently
connected to the crime scene
3. Photographs must be taken from at least 2 opposite corners but 4 corners is
better.
4. Take photos from above or ceiling to avoid the possibility of missing any
evidence
5. Keep a photo log during crime scene processing.

Sketching the crime scene

In line with sketch, the artist should be able to draw and portray the crime scene. The
same must remember the elements of sketch which includes;

1. Title – this includes the basic information regarding the case such as the nature
of the crime, the time and date of crime incident, and the location of the crime.
2. Measurement – this pertain the dimension and the distance of the relative object
to one another.
3. Essential items – these refers to the pieces of physical evidence found at the
crime scene.
4. Legend – this refers to the use of words or numbers to represent an item in the
crime scene.
5. Compass direction – refers to the north direction from when the sketch was
drawn.
6. Scale of proportion – is the representation of the sketch to the actual size of the
scene.

Rough sketch – is drawn by the artist at the crime scene containing all the necessary
details regarding the crime.

Finished sketch – drawn by the artist for court presentation and is commonly done in
the office.

Sketcher must take note also the type of sketch that should be drawn such as:

1. Floor plan or birds eye view – a type of sketch drawn from above.
2. Elevation sketch – a type of sketch drawn to show the given side of an area;
3. Exploded view sketch – a type of sketch drawn to show the relationship or order
of the whole parts and;
4. Cross projection sketch – a type of sketch where the ceiling and/or walls are
flattened all out in the ground.
In cases where some evidence was placed in the walls or ceiling (example: dress was
thrown and hang on the ceiling fan) cross –projection sketch is better.

For guidelines on drawing the sketch includes the following:

1. Indicate the nature of the crime and the place of incident as well as the name of
the person who prepare the and drew it. For better understanding, use of
capital letters and numbers are highly suggested such that;
a. Capital letters – for basic parts or accessories of the place
b. Numbers- for individual evidence
2. Indicate the position, location, and how the objects relate to one another.
3. Use standard symbols while sketching;
4. Use arrow to show the direction and stairways; and
5. Be consistent with the units of measurement such as centimeter, inches, yards,
meters, feet, etc.

To aid the investigators in measuring individual evidence with respect to any other
objects in the crime scene, the following methods should be considered and must be
used based on the physical characteristics of the crime scene:

1. Rectangular method – find fix post at a right angle to serve as the base.
2. Triangulation method – find two fix points to the evidence that must be plotted
or located.