Policy Text
Police Department
Accredited through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies
FORENSIC SERVICES
UNIT MANUAL
Revised: February 2024
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Table of Contents
I. INTRODUCTION ................................ ................................ ................................ ............. 2
II. HOURS AND CALL -INS ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 2
III. LAB EFFICIENCY / OVERSIGHT ................................ ................................ .................... 3
IV. CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION ................................ ................................ ................... 4
V. ALTERNATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY TECHNIQUES ................................ ........................... 7
VI. DIGITAL IMAGING: DOWNLOAD AND STORAGE ................................ ....................... 12
VII. BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE ................................ ................................ .............................. 13
VIII. FIBER AND HAIR EVIDENCE ................................ ................................ ....................... 15
IX. REAGENT PREPARATION ................................ ................................ ........................... 18
X. LATENT PROCESSING ................................ ................................ ................................ 20
XI. LATENT C OMPARISONS ................................ ................................ ............................. 41
XII. ALTERNATE LIGHT SOURCE ................................ ................................ ...................... 43
XIII. IMPRESSION EVIDENCE ................................ ................................ ............................. 45
XIV. REPORT WRITING ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 49
XV. RECOVERED STOLEN VEHICLES ................................ ................................ .............. 51
XVI. DNA and CODIS GUIDELINES ................................ ................................ ..................... 52
XVII. DIGITAL EVIDENCE ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 55
XVIII. COURT APPEARANCES ................................ ................................ .............................. 55
XIX. CALL -BACK PAY AND COURT PAY ................................ ................................ ............ 55
Appendi x A ……………………………………………………………………………………… ...….…56
Buena Park Police Department Forensic Services Unit Manual
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I. INTRODUCTION
This manual is meant to provide guidance and direction for the Forensic Services Unit (FSU) and
for crime scene investigations within the City of Buena Park.
This manual should help you, as a Forensic Specialist, to develop and maintain consistency in
your processing and handling of evidence . It’s also a reference for all police personnel to increase
their awareness of acceptable techniques and standards used in the field of forensic identification.
This should be a resource for training new crime scene investigators, but even experienced
forensic specialists are required to be familiar with the subject matter and the procedur es
discussed here .
Understandably, you will be equally responsible for adhering to the other existing Buena Park
Police Department Operational Polic ies and Procedures that apply to all active employees;
specifically, to the professional conduct sections and the overall workings of the police agency
that employs you.
Besides demonstrating positive communication and representation to our community and fellow
workers, we must share our priorities and values , such as honesty, integrity, and professionalism .
This demonstrates our respect for the legal system that we took a civil oath to uphold , and which
we should never compromise.
No author, instructor, or authority in the field of forensic crime scene investigation can or will set
down a series of rules governing the exact procedure for processing a crime scene. If all crimes
were committed under the same conditions and the same circumstances, then we could establish
specific criteria. The victims, law enforcement, and the suspects involved have no control over
those factor s. Therefore, only guidelines, suggestions, and personal experiences can be offered
to handle each crime scene on an individual basis.
This manual has been developed through the efforts of the Buena Park Police Department
(BPPD) forensic specialists and supervisors (both past and present), and in cooperation with the
Orange County Crime Lab, the National Institute of Justice, and the California Department of
Justice Bureau of Forensic Services. This manual is subject to future alteration and revision as
practices, technology, and equipment continue to advance.
II. HOURS AND CALL -INS
Currently, the BPPD employs three full -time forensic specialists in the FSU. The FSU Supervising
Sergeant directs and approves this coverage based on the needs of the Department. You’re
aware that you ’re liable to being called in during non -working hours if a field sergeant or the Watch
Commander deem s it necessary and the Forensic Supervisor approve s. The FSU Supervising
Sergeant or his/her designee maintain s a fair rotational call -in calendar. The call -in calendar is
accessible for everyone who needs to reference it (i.e., Dispatch) through the common Outlook
calendar. (See Appendix A for additional information on call -ins).
If a routine call comes in during the hours no forensic specialist is available, the requesting officer
should make a written request to have the next available forensic specialist on duty respond to
the crime scene.
Buena Park Police Department Forensic Services Unit Manual
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The on-scene officer and his/her supervisor are responsible for requesting a forensic specialist to
respond on a call -in to other types of crimes. As a general rule, you should be called in only for
serious felony crimes (such as robbery, murder, rape, burglary with extensive loss , and major
assault s). An officer may choose not to request a forensic specialist if it ’s obvious that a forensic
call-in won’t lead to any thing of evidentiary value.
An officer may collect evidence at the scene for later processing by a forensic specialist. The
officer sha ll package and book the evidence according to BPPD procedure and fill out a FSU
request form for processing.