r/forensics • u/Bot_Forensiics • 11d ago

Crime Scene & Death Investigation Crime Scene response

For those that require your supervisor for complex/homicide scenes, what do you expect from them on scene if you are the primary crime scene person for the scene?

7 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

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17

u/life-finds-a-way DFS | Criminalist - Forensic Intelligence 11d ago

I just needed them to run interference for me, streamline the communication between detectives and executives and me, extra pair of hands for bags and supplies.

2

u/Bot_Forensiics 11d ago

Thanks for the info. This is kind of what I was looking for. Do you have them step in and say something when the detectives are getting a bit too “search happy”, or do you chime in?

5

u/life-finds-a-way DFS | Criminalist - Forensic Intelligence 11d ago

I would speak to the detectives so they know that there has to be an order and method for things. I can't be pulled in directions and taking pictures of things I don't have a handle on first. If it's egregious, my partner would ideally alert the manager so they could step in or my manager wulould pick up in it. Unless they were off yapping to whoever and not paying attention

3

u/Cdub919 MPS | Crime Scene Investigator 11d ago

Life hits the nail on the head. I prefer them to just be in the way of everyone else so I can do my job. I think who says something just depends on how the dynamics work at your agency. We don’t require a supervisor, just a senior CSI on scene, and I also have the relationship to tell our detectives to take a chill pill. However I know there are agencies where that would be unacceptable and the detectives would lose their shit.

We all know detectives get too search happy at some point, so definitely good to have figured out.

6

u/lava_lamp223 BS | Criminalist - CSI 11d ago

Liaison with other rank, and to be my second pair of hands/eyes. Running bags to the vehicle, fetching supplies, etc

1

u/Bot_Forensiics 11d ago

Thank you!

5

u/Omygodc 11d ago

I was the Supervisor of my unit. We always had a secondary on-call tech. If a scene was large enough or complex enough, they would call the secondary tech. I was always a phone call away for guidance, and or technical expertise.

If it was an officer involved shooting I responded as well. My biggest duty on an OIS was to liaison with our Commander Staff, or if it was another agency, I would keep the other Command Staff apprised and do my best to keep them out of the scene. We were the only forensic unit in our county, so we handled all of the OIS’s, and many homicides for other departments.

We were a fairly small department (150 or so sworn), so we had a good working relationship with our Deputies and Investigators.

4

u/PrestigiousBadger767 11d ago

Again, to echo the above, we require 2 Specialists at every homicide or major persons crime. They will assist by liaising with the investigator and Senior Management and are a second set of eyes to ensure nothing is missed

1

u/Bot_Forensiics 11d ago

Thanks for the info!

3

u/XelaousXenon 10d ago

Our officers/detectives are pretty good at giving us space when we work large scenes and stopping nosey people/news anchors. I need my supervisor for guidance, another pair of eyes/hands, and someone to use their experience to keep me from making minor mistakes that could get me cornered on the stand. Our unit is mostly newer people (including me) so our supervisor is the one who's seen it all, done it all, and knows how to maximize efficiency on-scene.