FRSC-3010 CSI final exam

Which vehicles are stolen the most in Canada?

Trucks and SUVs

What is the first thing to do when processing a stolen vehicle scene

check the surrounding area for evidence and check the status of the vehicle

What should be accounted for when there is a stolen vehicle

the number of keys that the registered owner has

what kind of vehicle would go to the CFS

a homicide vehicle

Three main parts of vehicle searches

preliminary, exterior, interior

what is a preliminary vehicle search?

finding any evidence near the vehicle

what is a exterior vehicle search?

finding evidence on the exterior of the car

what is an interior vehicle search?

finding evidence on the interior of the car

After a stolen vehicle is found, what happens

transport it to a secure location

what are police seals used for?

placed on doors before transportation to ensure continuity of evidence

how to take photos of the exterior of a car

360 degrees around the car, each side, the four corners

how many photos minimum for the exterior of a vehicle?

8

how many photos minimum for the interior of a vehicle?

5

which kind of evidence is referred to as the “forgotten evidence”

footwear evidence

why is footwear evidence overlooked?

lack of training, value not understood, lack of education in comparison

What was a very important piece of evidence used to catch Williams?

footwear and tire track evidence

what is a class characteristic in footwear?

intentional characteristics that repeat during manufacturing

what are accidental characteristics in footwear?

random characteristics that are dependent on chance, can be associated with wear

footwear impression collection techniques

gelatin lifter, electrostatic dust print lifting device, and casting

what photographing technique is best for footwear impressions?

oblique flash

is leucocrystal violet used for?

enhancing the appearance of blood by making it purple

where is leucocrystal violet used?

non-porous surfaces

what does a bloodstain’s shape indicate?

direction of travel

how do you get the impact angle of blood on a flat surface?

measuring the degree of circular distortion of the stain

if the circular distortion of a bloodstain is more circular, what would the angle of impact be?

about a 90 degree angle

what causes a forward spatter?

when blood travels away from source in the same direction as the force that cause it

what causes back spatter?

when blood travels backwards from a source that caused the spatter

what happens when the velocity of blood impact increases?

the diameter of the blood drops decrease

what is a low velocity spatter?

impact spatter from a force travelling at 5ft/s or less and producing drops with diameters greater than 4mm

how are low velocity spatters made?

normally by gravity, minimal force, or something splashing blood from a pool of it

what is a medium velocity spatter?

impact spatter from applied force moving at 5-25ft/s that makes drops 1-4mm in size

what is medium velocity spatter associated with?

blunt force trauma

what is high velocity spatter?

impact spatter from force travelling at 100ft/s or faster and makes drops less than 1mm in size

what is high velocity spatter associated with?

gunshot exit wounds

what is the area of convergence?

area on a 2D plane where lines traced through the long axis of many individual bloodstains meet

what is the area of origin?

the location in a 3D space where blood that produced a stain originated

how do you get the area of origin?

by using the area of convergence and the angle of impact for each bloodstain

how does an arterial spray spatter present?

balloon shaped

what is expirated blood?

a blood pattern made by blood being expelled from the nose or mouth from air pressure/flow

what are void patterns?

areas free of spatter where an object blocked the blood

how to document bloodstain evidence

grid method and perimeter ruler method

how does luminol work?

reacts with iron in hemoglobin to make a blue light

cons of luminol?

can damage DNA, reaction is not specific to blood

pros of luminol?

very sensitive and can detect minute traces of blood

who maintains the tire track database?

the RCMP

how many tires are on file in the tire track database?

about 1100

what is SICAR?

shoeprint image capture and retrieval

who maintains SICAR?

the RCMP

in 2020, how many homicides involved the use of a firearm?

277

what is the lethal dose of pure fentanyl for non-opiate users?

2mg

categories of firearms

handguns and long guns

what are the types of handguns?

pistol and revolver

what are the types of long guns?

rifle and shotgun

what is a pistol?

has a single barrel and chamber, loads a new round into chamber with each trigger pull

how do you know a pistol is safe?

slide is back and mag is out

what is a revolver?

has a cylinder with multiple chambers, cylinder rotates around to load next bullet when trigger is pulled

what is a single action handgun?

the hammer needs to be cocked manually and then the trigger pulled to fire

what is a double action handgun?

can be fired by one pull of the trigger, cocks and drops the hammer at the same time

what is shotgun ammunition called?

shells

what is rifle ammunition called?

bullets

what is a shell?

has numerous ball shaped projectiles called shot

what is the barrel of a shotgun like?

smooth

what is the barrel of a rifle like?

has grooves and lands

what is rifling?

manufacturing process that makes the lands and grooves in a spiral down the barrel

where is rifling found?

barrel of rifles AND handguns

what are shotguns referred to by?

their gauge

what is a repeating shotgun?

has a mechanical instrument to eject the spent shotgun shell, load a new round, and cock the hammer after the round is fired

kinds of repeating shotguns?

pump action, bolt action, lever action

what is a semi-automatic shotgun?

uses the force of the gas made during firing to eject the spent cartridge, load a new round, and cocks the hammer

what is a break open action shotgun?

“break” it open and has to be loaded each time before it is fired

kinds of repeating rifles?

pump action, bolt action, lever action, and semi-automatic

which guns use bullets?

rifles and handguns

how to know if a gun is rimfire or centerfire?

where the firing pin impression is

what is a cartridge?

live ammunition that has not been fired

what does an ammunition cartridge case consist of?

primer, gunpowder and bullet/projectile

what can be found from a casing?

the make, caliber, and firearm

where can gunshot residue be found?

on hands for up to 8 hours, clothing, and vehicles

what is IBIS?

integrated ballistics identification system

what is IBIS used for?

used for the acquisition, storage, and comparison of images from projectiles/cartridges/shotshell cases

what is CIBIN?

Canadian integrated ballistics identification network

how do you store a firearm?

with action open and mag out, slide back

where is the best spot to swab a gun for the CFS?

the handle and slide area

what is major case management?

a system that emphasizes accountability and uses a multi-disciplinary approach for investigations of major cases like murders

what does MCM comprise of?

investigative and training standards, common case management technology for all Ontario police services

why is MCM helpful for solving cases?

gives efficient ways to document and keep track of info, streamlines investigations, makes it possible for officers to see connections btwn cases, prevents crime by catching offenders sooner

what prompted MCM?

issues in the Paul Bernardo case

what does a major case manager do? MCM

overall responsibility of investigation

what does the primary investigator do? MCM

identify human and material resources required to investigate, give job duties, ensure completion of assignments

what does the scene investigator do? MCM

identity and assess the scene and implement crime scene control and health/safety procedures and make a scene investigation plan

what does the forensic identification officer do? MCM

photograph and videotape scenes and exhibits, identify and sort exhibits, make notes, take measurements and drawings, contact CFS

what is ViCLAS?

violent crime linkage analysis system

what does ViCLAS do?

capture, collate, and compare crimes of violence through the analysis of data

in 2017, how many deaths were murders?

660

who oversees all death scene investigations in Ontario?

the coroner’s office

possible manners of death

natural, accidental, homicide, suicide, undetermined

what does coroner’s authority give police permission to do?

enter a scene where they believe a body was/is and process the deceased

who is the only person that can order a body to be removed from a scene?

the coroner

under coroner’s authority, when is it okay to collect evidence?

when evidence could be lost. ex to the rain

what does a coroner’s warrant cover?

medical and dental records to get the identity or a warrant for the dentist

who typically determines cause of death?

forensic pathologist