How good crime scene photos help tell the story of the incident

Submitted by: Hilary Romig, PoliceOne Contributor

It is the investigator’s job to relay the events of the crime in the best possible manner. Crime scene photos help to tell a story. A good set of photos can help those involved in the investigation find out what took place, and also help outsiders such as a jury see the whole picture, so to speak. Since crime scene photography is essentially retelling the scene of the crime, there should be nothing missing from the story. For example, if an investigator were photographing a burglary scene, the point of entry should photographed, followed step by step (to the extent possible) of everywhere the suspect went from there. Even the smallest hint of action should be captured on film. If the suspect broke in through a window and knocked over a stack of books, those books should be photographed as well as the window. Every photo should link together creating an overlap effect.  Overlapping means that each photo connects with each other. For instance, if the first shot includes the window where the suspect entered, the next photo should include the window, but focus on the next object. From there, the trail should continue, all the while including one object, from the previous photo. This is crucial for putting the piece of the puzzle together.  Another key factor when it comes to crime scene photography is the need for urgency. As soon as the police are involved, the scene should be photographed. This is done promptly so that no potential evidence is disturbed.  Each element of the scene should be captured in film as well. Going back to the example of the thief, the books in the stack that were knocked over should be photographed. Not only to link the photos together, but the books themselves should be photographed. This is the case for each step along the trail. If an object as small as a pencil is knocked off of a table, that pencil should be photographed.  For certain cases, aerial photos should be taken. This brings the whole scene into one shot.  When it comes to taking photographs at a crime scene, the investigator should take as many photos as they can. It is best to have too many photos rather than not enough. After all, once the scene is cleared, evidence is removed and the original crime scene no longer exists. It is best to capture each element in the most detailed way possible.

Lessons From the Past

A new generation of cops (many of whom entered service during the post-9/11 spasm of public support for law enforcement and the military) are now experiencing some of these things for the first time. It may feel new to them, but their retired cop fathers and grandfathers would recognize the conditions immediately. Those warriors from the ‘60s and ‘70s would have some advice for their modern day brothers and sisters of the Thin Blue Line. Here are 15 thoughts they might share. Add your own — especially if you were on the job in the 60s and 70s — in the comments area below.
1. Wear your vest. We didn’t have them back then, and we lost some brothers as a result.
2. Look out for each other. Always important, but even more so when the family is under attack.
3. Be aware that small things can turn into big things, fast. Don’t forget that the ‘65 Watts Riots started with a simple DUI stop.
4. Go armed — heavily — always. You never know when the next SLA shootout will go down on your watch, or when you’ll run across the wrong crowd while off duty. Pack a War Bag with extra mags for the car, carry a backup gun (or two), and always carry a reasonable fighting gun off duty
 5. Maintain operational security. Deny useful information to the enemy.
6. Avoid habit patterns. Habit patterns make you an easy target for ambush. Mix it up.
7. Harden your house. A police station must withstand attack. Glass doors and floor-to-ceiling windows offer no protection from bricks, bullets, or bombs. Put auto barriers in place. Move desks away from windows, secure the perimeter, control access, and change landscaping/architecture so you can see who’s approaching the door.
8. Conduct vehicle searches — on your own cars. When you return to your vehicle (duty or private), do a visual check for sabotage (lug nuts? tires? brake lines?), tampering, or explosives before you touch it.
9. Don’t be afraid of a tactical retreat. Don’t push a bad situation. Fall back, regroup, and choose the battlefield.
10. Know your counter-ambush tactics. Learn them. Perfect them. Use them.
11. Train in officer hostage tactics. Work out a plan with your partners. Never surrender your gun. No more Onion Fields.
12. Radio discipline. Never make a stop without calling it in. Ever.
13. Hone your crowd control and riot tactics. You’ll need these skills when a First Amendment event becomes a riot.
14. Be self-reliant. When the system is stressed, there may be no backup available. Back in the day, there was no SWAT, no K9, and no helicopter — you did it yourself. Get all the help you can, whenever you can, but don’t forget how to get things done by yourself, if necessary.
15. Check your six. Remember, you’re not the only hunter out there.