COLLECTION PRESEV. EVIDENCE
Crime Scene Services consists of both sworn and non-sworn members who respond to crime scenes for the purpose of collecting and preserving evidence. 2. Evidence technicians and their civilian counterparts, forensic technicians, assist the investigator in charge of the case in the identification, examination, collection, preservation, and transportation of evidence to the command in charge of the case. 3. Upon completion of processing the scene, the evidence or forensic technician shall prepare an incident report which shall be submitted for review and approval by the technician’s immediate supervisor. 4. When the OIC of the case determines that evidence from the technician requires special examination by other Department entities or the Michigan State Police Laboratory, the OIC of the case shall prepare a Request for Laboratory Service Form (DPD320), or the Michigan State Police Laboratory Examination Request (FSD-007), and submit it with the evidence to the appropriate command. 5. The responsibility for the security of the crime scene remains with the dispatched response unit. 203.2 - 2.1 Service Area Evidence and forensic technicians may be dispatched to any location within the City of Detroit. Evidence and forensic technicians will not be dispatched outside the City of Detroit except in connection with a continuing investigation within this Department’s prosecuting jurisdiction. D E T R O I T P O L I C E D E PA R T M E N T M A N U A L Series 200 Operations Effective Date 09/07/2022 Review Date Three Years Directive Number Chapter 203.2 203 - Criminal Investigations Reviewing Office Crime Scene Services New Directive References Reviewed D E T R O I T P O L I C E D E PA R T M E N T M A N U A L Page 2 of 3 2022 203.2 Collection and Preservation of Evidence 203.2 - 3 Additional Functions of Evidence Technician Unit Members
- Members shall respond when requested to process home invasions, breaking and entering of businesses, and stolen vehicles requiring dusting for latent print evidence.
- If latent prints are discovered, an incident report will be prepared detailing the discovery and forwarded for review by their immediate supervisor. Additionally, the evidence technician shall prepare one (1) copy of the Latent Print Check Form (DPD206), which shall be forwarded to Latent Prints.
- If Latent Prints discovers a match of the fingerprints, they will notify the OIC of the case. 203.2 - 4 Patrol - Requesting Services In those instances where a patrol unit takes charge of a serious crime scene or an investigative response to a crime scene is not imminent and responding members determine that evidence or forensic technician services will be needed, responding members may request Crime Scene Services to expedite service. Members shall make the request directly to Crime Scene Services during Platoon Two, Monday through Friday, and through the zone dispatcher during Platoons One and Three, and on weekends. 203.2 - 4.1 Supervision of Evidence and Forensic Technicians at Crime Scenes
- If possible, the OIC of the case should be present at the crime scene to direct the work of the assigned evidence or forensic technicians. If the OIC of the case wishes to relay special instructions or miscellaneous information to any evidence or forensic technician before their arrival at a crime scene, the OIC of the case shall call Communications, which shall request the evidence or forensic technician to contact the OIC of the case. Upon completion of their investigations, evidence or forensic technicians shall complete and submit an incident report detailing the activities performed.
- Supervisors other than the OIC of the case shall not attempt to direct the activities of an evidence or forensic technician at a crime scene unless prepared to take responsibility for the investigation of the crime. If a Crime Scene Services supervisor is present at the scene, the OIC shall coordinate and communicate all instructions and/or requests through that supervisor. 203.2 - 5 Collection of Evidence if Crime Scene Services does not Respond
- Sworn members shall exercise care and recover evidence from crime scenes when Crime Scene Services does not respond. D E T R O I T P O L I C E D E PA R T M E N T M A N U A L Page 3 of 3 2022 203.2 Collection and Preservation of Evidence
- Members shall collect the evidence in a manner consistent with preserving the evidentiary value of the items collected.
- All evidence shall be conveyed to the precinct of occurrence and placed on an evidence tag unless directed otherwise by competent authority.
- Members shall indicate in their incident report all the evidence recovered, from
where it was recovered, and the evidence tag number.
203.2 - 5.1 Requesting Services of the Underwater Recovery Team
- Requests for non-emergency recoveries, such as evidence property, shall be made to the commanding officer of Harbormaster. Generally, a non-emergency recovery shall be scheduled for an upcoming training session.
- Requests of a non-emergency nature from outside the City of Detroit shall be directed in writing to the Chief of Police by the requesting agency.
- Requests for emergency recoveries such as persons trapped in vehicles, airplane or boat accidents, drowning, etc., shall be made to Harbormaster via police radio or telephone. Harbormaster shall notify Communications when the Underwater Recovery Team has been activated. Requests for emergency service outside the City of Detroit must be authorized by the Chief of Police, their designee, or the commanding officer of the Office of Homeland Security, in order of ascension