Chapter 7Chapter 7

Specialized Roles of PoliceSpecialized Roles of Police

Police may be required to perform Police may be required to perform specialized functions.specialized functions.

Large Departments may have Large Departments may have specialized officers to deal with specialized officers to deal with specific problemsspecific problems

Suppressible Crimes: Crimes that Suppressible Crimes: Crimes that commonly occur in locations and commonly occur in locations and under circumstances that give police under circumstances that give police officers a reasonable opportunity to officers a reasonable opportunity to deter or apprehend offendersdeter or apprehend offenders

Specialized operations are often used to Specialized operations are often used to saturate particular areas or to stake out saturate particular areas or to stake out suspects and possible crime locations.suspects and possible crime locations.

CSI effectCSI effect Forensic Science deals with examining Forensic Science deals with examining

physical evidence to answer legal questions. physical evidence to answer legal questions. Forensic experts can be found in a wide Forensic experts can be found in a wide array of occupations, including forensic array of occupations, including forensic accounts, anthropologists, artists, chemists, accounts, anthropologists, artists, chemists, dentists, geologists, pathologists, dentists, geologists, pathologists, psycholinguists, psychologists and psycholinguists, psychologists and toxicologiststoxicologists

Criminalistics is a branch of forensic Criminalistics is a branch of forensic science that deals with physical evidence science that deals with physical evidence related to a crime. This may include related to a crime. This may include fingerprints, firearms, tool marks, blood, fingerprints, firearms, tool marks, blood, hairs, documents and other types of hairs, documents and other types of physical evidence.physical evidence.

The primary characteristic of an effective The primary characteristic of an effective investigator is objectivity.investigator is objectivity.

The investigator seeks the truth, not The investigator seeks the truth, not simply proof of the suspects guilt.simply proof of the suspects guilt.

Preliminary Investigation consists of action Preliminary Investigation consists of action performed immediately upon receiving a performed immediately upon receiving a call to respond to the scene of a crime call to respond to the scene of a crime scene of a crime and is usually conducted scene of a crime and is usually conducted by patrol officersby patrol officers

Follow-up Investigation: may be conducted Follow-up Investigation: may be conducted by the investigative services division, by the investigative services division, sometimes also known as the detective sometimes also known as the detective bureau. Successful investigation relies on bureau. Successful investigation relies on cooperative, coordinated efforts of both the cooperative, coordinated efforts of both the patrol and the investigative functionpatrol and the investigative function

Investigative Responsibilities:Investigative Responsibilities: Securing the crime sceneSecuring the crime scene Recording all facts related the caseRecording all facts related the case Photographing, measuring and sketching Photographing, measuring and sketching

the crime scenethe crime scene Obtaining and identifying evidenceObtaining and identifying evidence Protecting and storing evidenceProtecting and storing evidence Interviewing witnesses and interrogating Interviewing witnesses and interrogating

suspectssuspects Assisting in identifying suspectsAssisting in identifying suspects

Any area that contains evidence of criminal Any area that contains evidence of criminal activity is considered a crime scene and activity is considered a crime scene and must be secured to eliminate must be secured to eliminate contamination. Contamination means to contamination. Contamination means to introduce something foreign into the scene, introduce something foreign into the scene, moving items at the scene or removing moving items at the scene or removing evidence from it.evidence from it.

Investigators record all necessary Investigators record all necessary information by photographing, sketching, information by photographing, sketching, taking notes to be used later in a written taking notes to be used later in a written reportreport

The investigator must obtain answers to The investigator must obtain answers to questions: who? What? When? Where? questions: who? What? When? Where? How? And Why?How? And Why?

Investigators do NOT DETERMINE GUILT!Investigators do NOT DETERMINE GUILT! Both photographs and sketches are Both photographs and sketches are

usually needed in an investigation. The usually needed in an investigation. The photographs include all details and can photographs include all details and can show items close up. Sketches can be show items close up. Sketches can be selective and can show much larger selective and can show much larger areas.areas.

Some agencies have established Some agencies have established evidence technicians. evidence technicians.

The type of evidence collected is The type of evidence collected is directly related to the type of crime directly related to the type of crime committed. Scenes of violent crimes committed. Scenes of violent crimes frequently contain such evidence as frequently contain such evidence as blood, hair, fibers, fingerprints, blood, hair, fibers, fingerprints, footprints and weapons.footprints and weapons.

DNA: the basic building block comprising each DNA: the basic building block comprising each person’s genetic code. DNA is found in person’s genetic code. DNA is found in virtually every cell in a person’s body, virtually every cell in a person’s body, including blood, semen, hair and skin cells, including blood, semen, hair and skin cells, and it provides a blueprint for the various and it provides a blueprint for the various characteristics that make each person unique.characteristics that make each person unique.

DNA Profiling uses the material from which DNA Profiling uses the material from which chromosomes are made to positively identify chromosomes are made to positively identify individuals. No two individuals, except individuals. No two individuals, except identical twins, have the same DNA structure.identical twins, have the same DNA structure.

CODIS: The FBI’s Combined DNA Index CODIS: The FBI’s Combined DNA Index System is an electronic national database System is an electronic national database and searching mechanism containing and searching mechanism containing hundreds of thousands of DNA profiles hundreds of thousands of DNA profiles obtained from evidence samples from obtained from evidence samples from unsolved crimes and from know offenders.unsolved crimes and from know offenders.

Firearms as evidence may be traced to its Firearms as evidence may be traced to its owner through the serial number. The make owner through the serial number. The make of the weapon is usually determined by the of the weapon is usually determined by the rifling, spiral grooves cut into a gun’s barrel rifling, spiral grooves cut into a gun’s barrel during it manufacture.during it manufacture.

Ballistics deals with the “internal (within Ballistics deals with the “internal (within the weapon), external (after the projectile the weapon), external (after the projectile leaves the muzzle and before impact), leaves the muzzle and before impact), terminal (after the bullet impacts and terminal (after the bullet impacts and comes to rest) and forensic (examining comes to rest) and forensic (examining comparisons of projectiles/cases and their comparisons of projectiles/cases and their relationship to firearms)relationship to firearms)

Interviewing and Interrogating:Interviewing and Interrogating: A large part of any investigation is talking A large part of any investigation is talking

with people to obtain information.with people to obtain information.

Investigators interview those with Investigators interview those with information about a crime.information about a crime.

A witness is a person other than the A witness is a person other than the suspect who has helpful information about suspect who has helpful information about a specific incident or suspect. A witness a specific incident or suspect. A witness may be a complainant (the person may be a complainant (the person reporting the offense), an accuser, a reporting the offense), an accuser, a victim, an observer of the incident, an victim, an observer of the incident, an eyewitness, an expert or a scientific eyewitness, an expert or a scientific examiner of physical evidence.examiner of physical evidence.

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Officers may also use informants, an Officers may also use informants, an individual who did not witness the individual who did not witness the offense but knows something about offense but knows something about who committed it. While informants who committed it. While informants may receive money as a reward, may receive money as a reward, most informants cooperate with law most informants cooperate with law enforcement to receive a reduced enforcement to receive a reduced sentence for pending criminal sentence for pending criminal matter.matter.

While investigators talk to suspects, they While investigators talk to suspects, they technically interrogate suspects, although technically interrogate suspects, although the questioning may be called an the questioning may be called an interview. Many departments videotape interview. Many departments videotape interviews and interrogations to protect interviews and interrogations to protect against liability.against liability.

Three basic types of identification are:Three basic types of identification are: Field identificationField identification Photographic identificationPhotographic identification Lineup identificationLineup identification

Field identification: is at the scene Field identification: is at the scene identification, made within a short time after identification, made within a short time after a crime has been committed.a crime has been committed.

Field identification is based on a totality of Field identification is based on a totality of circumstances, taking into consideration the circumstances, taking into consideration the witness’s concentration on the suspect witness’s concentration on the suspect when the crime was committed, the when the crime was committed, the accuracy of the description, the certainty at accuracy of the description, the certainty at the time of the confrontation and the length the time of the confrontation and the length of time between crime commission and the of time between crime commission and the field identifcation.field identifcation.

Another way to identify a suspect may be Another way to identify a suspect may be the Modus Operandi or M.O.the Modus Operandi or M.O.

Profilers:Profilers: Relatively superficial characteristics to Relatively superficial characteristics to

identify suspects, such as height, weight, identify suspects, such as height, weight, race, gender, age, accent, type of car drive, race, gender, age, accent, type of car drive, M.O. and so on.M.O. and so on.

Intelligence Officers:Intelligence Officers: Most large departments have an intelligence Most large departments have an intelligence

division whose top officer reports directly to division whose top officer reports directly to the chief and whose activities are keep from the chief and whose activities are keep from the rest of the department.the rest of the department.

Intelligence units work in two areas:Intelligence units work in two areas: Undercover or internal affairsUndercover or internal affairs Undercover work involves ongoing Undercover work involves ongoing

investigations into such criminal activities investigations into such criminal activities as illegal sale of guns, payoffs to as illegal sale of guns, payoffs to politicians, major drug cases and politicians, major drug cases and organized crime.organized crime.

Undercover officers do not wear uniforms Undercover officers do not wear uniforms or drive marked cars. They may assume or drive marked cars. They may assume names and fictitious identities. names and fictitious identities.

Light Cover and Deep CoverLight Cover and Deep Cover Light cover officers usually have fake Light cover officers usually have fake

id’s but go home to their families and id’s but go home to their families and real like, most likely in another city.real like, most likely in another city.

Deep Cover live their roles 24/7, with a Deep Cover live their roles 24/7, with a false ID and a false personal history.false ID and a false personal history.

Internal Affairs:Internal Affairs: Policing the PolicePolicing the Police

Respond to citizens complaints and Respond to citizens complaints and misconduct by police.misconduct by police.

Juvenile Officers: A special kind of Juvenile Officers: A special kind of “juvenile officer” is the School “juvenile officer” is the School Resource Officer. These programs Resource Officer. These programs offer an opportunity for school offer an opportunity for school officials to proactively protect their officials to proactively protect their school and improve their educationschool and improve their education

SWAT Team officers are immediately SWAT Team officers are immediately available, flexible, mobile officers available, flexible, mobile officers used to deploy against critical used to deploy against critical incidents. They seek to contain and incidents. They seek to contain and neutralize dangerous situations.neutralize dangerous situations.

SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) began in 1967 when the Los Angeles began in 1967 when the Los Angeles Police Department organized such a Police Department organized such a unit to respond to critical incidents.unit to respond to critical incidents.

K-9 Assisted Officers:K-9 Assisted Officers: The first organized K-9 unit in the US The first organized K-9 unit in the US

began in 1907 in New York City.began in 1907 in New York City. K-9’s are used to detect concealed K-9’s are used to detect concealed

suspects, drugs, weapons and suspects, drugs, weapons and explosives, fund evidence discarded explosives, fund evidence discarded by fleeing suspects; control crowds by fleeing suspects; control crowds and break up fights, recover lost and break up fights, recover lost articles; and locate distressed person articles; and locate distressed person and dead bodies.and dead bodies.

K-9’s may be specifically trained in K-9’s may be specifically trained in search, attack and capture, drug search, attack and capture, drug detection, bomb detection and crime detection, bomb detection and crime deterrence.deterrence.

Various breeds of dogs are used, but the Various breeds of dogs are used, but the most popular is the German Shepherd.most popular is the German Shepherd.

K-9 Case Law: K-9 Case Law: Most issues revolve around the 4Most issues revolve around the 4thth

amendment-unreasonable search and amendment-unreasonable search and seizure.seizure.

In US v. Place (1993) the US Supreme In US v. Place (1993) the US Supreme Court ruled that the exposure of luggage to Court ruled that the exposure of luggage to a canine sniff did not constitute a search.a canine sniff did not constitute a search.

The courts have usually sided with law The courts have usually sided with law enforcement on the use-of-force issue. enforcement on the use-of-force issue. Devanney and Devanney (2003) report: Devanney and Devanney (2003) report: “Several courts have already held that “Several courts have already held that properly trained police dogs does not properly trained police dogs does not constitute deadly force.”constitute deadly force.”

Dogs are often considered reasonable Dogs are often considered reasonable force, not deadly force.force, not deadly force.

WWW.k9fleck.orgWWW.k9fleck.org

Reserve Officers: Some Departments Reserve Officers: Some Departments have reserve units to help achieve have reserve units to help achieve departmental goals.departmental goals.

Can be called auxiliary police.Can be called auxiliary police. Beside performing traditional street Beside performing traditional street

patrol, reserves may be found on patrol, reserves may be found on bicycles, in the water and in the air.bicycles, in the water and in the air.