What is crime scene management?

Answer 1

Crime scene Management starts from the time an officer arrives at the original call to investigate. The responding officer (s) determine the status of the scene. The police officer will secure the area and make information available to other responding police, fire and emergency personnel including EMS.

It is the responsibility of all units arriving on scene to report to police officers before disturbing evidence. In the absence of notification fire and EMS should not assume the scene is in fact secure and take precautions to protect themselves and possible evidence from harm.

Crime scenes are put into several classifications.

Closed access to unsecured crime scene:

This means the scene is a possible threat and hazards still exist. Hostages, suspect(s) still on scene or environmental hazards are present.

Limited access crime scene:

This means vital evidence could be destroyed. Possible evidence critical to the investigation must be protected, there may be some threat to personnel and /or environmental hazards present. Officers on scene will direct entrance and/or escort fire and EMS. Lifesaving consideration will take presedence and EMS will confirm death on obvious suicide/homicide.

Open access crime scene:

Evidence still must be collected but all responders have access to the entire area. Care must still be taken not to disturb/ destroy or compromise evidence and must consult with officers before such action is taken.

Cold scene: No evidence concerns or environmental hazards, this is often a return to a previously investigated scene.