NEWS RELEASE
City of Takoma Park Police Department
• 7500 Maple Avenue • Takoma Park, Md 20912
For more information contact:
Public Information Officer (PIO)
Catherine Plevy, 301/891.7142 or 240/338.2901
June 4, 2008 (2:22 p.m.)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chief Ronald Ricucci announces that effective June 1, 2008, the Takoma Park Police Department launched its first sworn and civilian Crime Scene Unit. There are 10 Crime Scene Technicians (CST's) – five are civilian and five are sworn.
A CST assists in complex crime scene investigations, including but not limited to homicides, sexual assaults, armed robberies, home invasions, suspicious deaths, and property crimes such as burglaries. The CST is expected to respond to calls for crime scene services as quickly as good judgment and safety allows. They may be requested at times to attend autopsies and assist with the execution of search warrants. CST’s process scenes of major crimes at any hour of the day or night, under any weather conditions. Once on the scene, they conduct a search for all objects and articles that may be evidence. The CST must also be proficient in "reading" and reconstructing the events as they happened just prior to, during and shortly following the commission of the crime in order to determine the sequence of events and to ascertain the type and location of evidence. Evidence identified must be collected and properly packaged. This function includes efficient lifting and preserving of various types of evidence. The CST must be aware of the types of packaging and packaging material as the improper selection of such material could render the evidence useless. The CST establishes a permanent record describing the crime scene by writing detailed reports, preparing accurate sketches, and diagrams and by applying professional photographic techniques. This requires not only the skill to write a detailed report but also the ability to observe minute details of the scene as they relate to the crime and their meaning in relation to the evidence. The CST assists criminal justice officials by providing reports, sketches, and photographs; and gives testimony in criminal court cases.
The new Crime Scene Technicians have received training on evidence collection. The Takoma Park Police Department will be providing continued on-the-job training by experienced investigators, as well as in-house training and outside training throughout the year in order to enhance their knowledge and expertise.
The Department personnel are excited about this new Unit and investigators are pleased with the assistance the new Crime Scene Technicians will offer the Criminal Investigations Division. Chief Ricucci describes this new iniative as another step to better serve our community in the investigation and follow up of crimes.
Posted by Plevy at June 4, 2008 02:28 PM