Roles and Responsibilities of First Officer
Every crime scene has instrumental evidence that can be very useful during investigations. It is thus necessary for all evidence therein to be preserved during the entire process. Investigators however arrive at a crime scene late. On the other hand, police officers arrive earlier at the scene. Because of this, the first officer to arrive at a crime scene is tasked with restoring orderliness to the scene and preserving all potential evidence to the crime. This comes with specific roles and responsibilities which can be outlined. The first essential role of the first officer is the restoration of safety and security in the area (Fisher and Fisher, 2003).
This involves ensuring that the witnesses and the victims of crime are all secure. The officer does this by eliminating all risks and threats to the well being of himself and those involved in the crime investigations. The first step would be to carry out first aid on the injured victims if any and to call on the medical personnel to offer the assistance necessary. The officer then seals off entrance and exist points as the FBI suggests that these points carry the greatest evidence for the crime committed (2003).
After carrying out the initial procedures, the first officers should also document all information that could be collected from those within the scene as well as from the scene itself. The first officer should take notes about the observations at the scene as well as accounts of different witnesses. The documented materials should be handed directly to the investigator once he/ she is on site. He should also take control of the scene and direct investigators on arrival.
Federal Bureau of Investigation. (2008). FBI handbook of crime scene forensics. USA: Skyhorse Publishing.
Fisher, B. & Fisher, D. (2003). Techniques of crime scene investigation. USA: CRC Press.
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