Peer Responses Week 7 CRJ-201

Peer Responses

Toni: When a crime occurs, the first officer to arrive is usually in charge until detectives or crime scene investigators arrive. From there, the lead detective will typically be in control, assign duties, and obtain as much information as possible from first responders.

The first responders are typically police officers or possibly emergency medical services (EMS). For the first officer to arrive, the primary concern is to secure the area of any possible suspects and detain them. Once the scene is secured of suspects, first aid is administered, if required, by either EMS or police officers, and then the officers will secure the area by setting a perimeter around the crime scene. They usually set inner and outer boundaries to create a barrier between the crime scene, bystanders, and others not involved. Once the perimeters have been set, only those involved in processing the scene are allowed in. This protects the crime scene and prevents cross-contamination and disturbance of any evidence.

It may not be possible to prevent all complications, but there are strategies to limit them. Keeping onlookers, the media, and any other unnecessary persons from the scene are vital in helping to preserve evidence. There is also the possibility of mishandling or careless investigating at the crime scene, which is why it is crucial for evidence to be processed meticulously following procedures.

Woods, D. D., & O'Hara, C. E. (2013). O'Hara's Fundamentals of Criminal Investigation. Springfield, Ill: Charles C Thomas.  http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=edsebk&AN=545569&site=eds-live&scope=site&custid=gamc

Blake: The first responding officer should be the crime scene “commander” in charge of the scene until the arrival of the detectives or crime scene investigators who would then take over. The lead detective or crime scene investigator would then be a logical choice to direct crime scene operations. The first responders consist of police, fire fighters, and EMS. The police would be responsible for controlling the crime scene and detaining suspects. Fire fighters would be responsible for putting out a fire if one has occurred as well as helping with anything police officers and EMS might need. The EMS would be responsible for treating victims by applying first aid and taking them to the hospital if needed. A complication that could occur at a crime investigation would be if there were too many personnel at the scene and there are too many hands trying to work the scene and people double work an area and confuse the process of things.