Crime scene examination should be done in a careful and logical way. This is to avoid disturbance or destruction of any available crucial evidence. So I will carefully observe the positioning and the surrounding area where the body is located. I will also monitor the bystanders carefully. I will look for substances of evidence or of evidential worth such as blemishes, blood stains, marks and even written documents. It is also advisable to approach the crime scene in different dimensions. I will also take note of the items as they are located and pay attention to everything. I will not overlook anything before its evidentiary value can be determined. I will look for any footprints or drag marks. Anything on the surface which can be stepped on or can be destroyed should be safeguarded.
First police officer
As a senior crime investigator, I would seek to know from the first officer whether the crime was reported on time. Did any time passed before the crime was reported? I would want to know if there are any discrepancies in the recorded statements of both the witnesses and any victim's relatives. I would ask if physical proof hold the facts of the felony scene directly related by the victim. Has the victim's body been relocated? If yes, by who and for what purpose? I would find out if anything if anything has been relocated or altered suspect(s) or any person before my arrival. I would the officers if they have touched or moved anything (Hess and Orthmann, 2008).
If the eyewitnesses are willing to be asked any question, then probing can be done. Open-ended questions are advisable to permit for an unrestricted reply from the witnesses. I will ask the witness who the suspect was. How did he or she commit the crime? Why did the suspect commit the crime? Which means and by what did he or she committed the crime? I would also want to know how did the suspect left the crime scene and to what direction. I would ask one question at a time and wait for a complete reply. I would ask the witnesses if there was any conflict between the suspect and the victim before the crime. I would ask the witnesses if they knew the suspect and where he or she could be staying (Bennett, Hess and Orthmann, 2006).
In order to obtain more evidence from the crime scene, more witnesses will have to be located and identified. The witnesses may have useful evidence or information and may have moved away from the scene. The neighbourhood will have t be physically traversed from door-to-door asking individuals to provide information. Due to fear ones safety, some respondents may not take action on a knock on the door. They may dread being spotted by others talking to investigators. So it is always advisable to leave a note or a business card. This will enable them to respond accordingly if they have any views.
As a senior detective, I will have to employ valuable police time and man-power to do this work for a quicker and efficient response. I will have to take time to telephone unavailable residences or places where there no communication. Also separate canvasses should be performed to gather for people who are conformable to uniformed police and those who respond more readily to plain clothes officers. The canvass area should be correctly carried out in a slow-paced and deliberate manner. The nature of repetition and monotony should not cause any rush through the process. It is also advisable to set up a checkpoint for vehicles to monitor the ongoing activities (Palmiotto, 2004).
