Synopsis
A Predominant scenario in which the use of a firearm is utilized is all-too common in the city of Los Santos and it's surrounding environs. More than likely, members of the Detective Bureau and ultimately the Police Department as a whole have investigated some aspect of gun-related crime in their duties, and even more likely have had to collect and dispose of these weapons following their investigation. Be it a victim of gunshot wounds, or a weapon used in a robbery-homicide, the collection of this evidence is extremely important to the investigation in which they were utilized.
Evidence Collection Guidelines for Firearms & Ballistics
Firearms
- First and foremost, when you arrive to process a scene of any form - make sure you equip yourself with the necessary protection gear before performing your duties. There are two primary reasons for this. One, is to protect you from the evidence. The other is to protect the evidence from you. Most common-practice item to wear is a set of Nitrile gloves, powder & latex free for ease when processing a scene.
- When you wish to handle the firearm, never pick up the weapon by placing an object such as a pencil or similar in the end of the barrel. Document the item as found, photograph it, and then visually examine to see if it would be safe to handle. If determined safe, pick it up in a manner which would not disrupt any latent prints, or trace evidence that might be found on common-grip areas of the weapon. Preferably handle it from the back-strap and have a evidence securing bag nearby to minimize exposed handling. Make sure it is unloaded in a manner that would not disrupt evidence of the given firearm.
- Never clean the bore, chamber or cylinder before submitting the firearm. Do not attempt to fire it either. Refrain from utilizing any levers or locks due to possibly hampering trace or latent print evidence. Only do so in the event to render the weapon accurately safe if you are unsure.
- Never submit a loaded weapon for evidence, unless it is delivered in person to the Laboratory. Unfired cartridges maybe be left in the magazine of the firearm, provided the magazine itself is removed from the weapon and separated in another evidence collection bag. A firearm with a cartridge/projectile in the chamber should never be submitted for evidence by any method, even if the weapon has it's safety mechanism triggered, or the weapon is not cocked.
- Record the serial number, make, model and caliber of the firearm, if possible. A neat trick to learn with firearm processing, is marking it in some inconspicuous manner that will not disrupt evidence. This is a easy identification tool to learn in the event duplicate serial numbers are found with different weapons and causes confusion. Learn the weapon, try and not confuse model numbers with serial numbers.
- Rifles or shotguns should not be disassembled outside the controlled environment of the Laboratory.
- If available with larger-sized weapons, place them in strong, secure containment boxes. This prevents shifting of the weapons during transit which could possibly disrupt trace evidence.
Ballistics
Bullets
[/divbox]Bullets
- Recovered bullets must be sealed in separate labelled pill-boxes, if available. If not, wrap in strong-paper provided for Tool Marks which is standard in any CSI kit, and secure in a evidence bag.
- Submit all evidence bullets that are recovered to the Laboratory. A conclusive identification of the projectile may only be possible on one of the several bullets recovered. It is a good measure to submit all, not just ones deemed visually decent for analysis.
- Never mark bullets with an identification marker.
- Do not attempt to clean the recovered bullets before sending them to the Laboratory. The bullets that are recovered from a body for instance, should only be air-dried and secured. Washing them may destroy the trace evidence present.
- Any recovered cartridge case should ideally be wrapped with a outer-layer of paper and then be sealed and secured in labelled a evidence bag or envelope.
- In a case relating to a fired shotgun shell, these may be marked on the outside of the plastic-portion of the shell for identification later on. Refrain from marking the inside portion.
- Submit all obtainable cartridge cases or shotgun shells for evidence. Some of these cartridge cases contain more identification details than others, making Laboratory analysis work quicker in determining an outcome.
- When coming across unused ammunition, make it a habit to try recover all the available unused ammunition you come across for comparison purposes. When a firearm is obtained as evidence, it'll make the comparison easier. If the unused ammunition is not with the firearm itself, subjects of interest often have additional ammunition in their vehicles, clothing, or houses. Always try and retrieve these, as they may be important for exemplar purposes to duplicate exactly what make type and age the ammunition was in conjunction with the crime.
- Unfired ammunition must never be marked. The box containing the ammunition, providing it does not disrupt trace evidence, may be marked for identification purposes before submitting it for analysis. Each round contained inside the box should not be marked, nor needs to be.
- Do not attempted to extract the unfired ammunition contained in a box. Cleaning, or moving the unfired rounds may disrupt or damage trace evidence contained inside. If any form of visual evidence is seen on or inside the box, document it and refraim from inspecting it deeper and have it submitted for evidence as it may contain usable evidence such as blood or other fluids.
- Gunshot residue is an extremely fragile form of evidence, and should be extracted and collected as soon as possible. The accepted time frame in which usable GFR can be obtained is within three hours of the firearm being discharged.
- In the case of a live subject, if more than six hours have passed since the discharge of the firearm, or the subject has washed their hands, clothing or surrounding area in which it was discharged, it is unlikely that usable results will be obtained.
- In the case of a deceased body, gunshot residue collection should be performed prior to moving the body. A sample is to be extracted before doing so, however in the event the body needs to be moved due to external forces, such as exposure to the weather, protect the hands and wrist of the the deceased with issued paper-bags. This is not a sure-sign to preserve GFR, but it can help.
- Every standard CSI kit contains gunfire residue sampling tools. Police Department-registered vehicles all contain a form of this kit, so if possible, the handling detective or CSI-qualified officer should take a gunfire residue sample the moment they are available to do so. Waiting on an external source to collect it for you, could be damning to the overall case.
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POLICE REPORT INFORMATION |
EMPLOYEE FULL NAME: JONATHAN DOE DEPARTMENTAL RANK/POSITION: POLICE DETECTIVE II DUTY CALLSIGN(IF APPLICABLE): CRIMESCENE/LAB REPORT NUMBER: |
TYPE OF POLICE REPORT: CRIME SCENE: LABORATORY: TIME AND DATE: LOCATION: |
SWORN/UNSWORN STAFF PRESENT: |
DESCRIPTION OF CRIME SCENE(CSI REPORT)/CHAIN OF CUSTODY DETAILS(LAB REPORT) |
(Description of Crime scene here. Take note of all visual observations made on scene.) Police Officer/Detective/Technician <Full Name>, can confirm the above narrative. |
TECHNICAL INVESTIGATION |
(Form a conclusion based off the evidence gathered on the scene. Determine in your point of view what may of happened and recreate the events that took place on scene. Remember to include any laboratory analysis that was done.) |
EVIDENCE |
Photographs, statements, physical evidence collected is to be logged here. Use altspoilers per-entry. |
EMPLOYEE SIGNATURE: |
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