Emergency responders should be aware of a variety situations that may arise at an emergency scene. Therefore, it is essential that responders get as much information from their dispatchers before arriving at an incident. This information may help in determining if the situation may be a crime scene before their arrival. Furthermore, responders don’t need to be experts in crime scene investigations, but should have some basic understanding of the processes in evidence collection and how it pertains to the legal proceeding that will follow. Several necessary steps should be taken into account when preserving evidence at a crime scene.
First and foremost, is the crime scene management by the first law enforcement officer arriving at a crime scene should take charge of the scene until adequately relieved by superior authority. A crime scene may be accessed by multidisciplinary agencies like law enforcement, medicine, law, forensic science and by multi-organizational services like health, justice, private legal, medical and police (Julian, Kelty, and Robertson, 2012). It is imperative that the primary
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However, it is essential to recognize the evidence at a scene early on in the process and document it (Maniscalco, Christen, 2011). If possible, photograph the evidence or segregate the area where the evidence is, so the evidence does not get contaminated while you are working at the scene until it can be addressed correctly.
Therefore, it is crucial for first responders to communicate their intentions and remain professional at the scene. Their actions at a crime scene can impact the outcome of the investigation significantly. The mistakes can be as simple as parking your vehicle over evidence or moving an object without documenting it. The crime scene needs to be controlled, and everyone’s actions must be