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Donovan Saona
The responding officer and first officer on the scene needs to immediately determine the course of action for the situation. Ensuring the scene is safe and secure is the top priority, safety for everyone around and other law enforcement officials that will arrive. Medical assistance would be the next on that list if that is needed. Next, all officers would begin to cordon off the area off the area, removing any unauthorized people, and preserving evidence until the investigators bag it. Evidence collection shouldn’t begin until all photos have been taken either. “Upon arriving at a crime scene, the responding officer needs to determine what should be done first to secure the scene and make the scene safe for citizens and law enforcement officials” (Morris & Merson, 2017, cite p. #).
The first officer on scene also needs to be aware of his/her actions staying within the law. A big example of this is making sure you have probable cause when conducting searches or pat downs. Some situations the officer will need a search warrant; the main objective is to uphold the law without violating anyone’s rights. This is a big reason why report writing is so important, if done correctly can prove an officer did not violate rights to an individual when explaining their actions in detail. “In processing the crime scene, your goal is to be methodical and thorough, following an approved crime scene processing system and using flexible guidelines and common sense” (Morris & Merson, 2017, cite p. #).
After restoring order at the crime scene, that is when you can start gathering information through note taking and getting statements. Interviewing skills and techniques are very important and can be drastic to the fluidity of a case. Step one is getting the persons identification information down, after getting that basic information down is when you can start to get your W’s of the situation: who, what, when, and where. As the first officer on scene, you can dictate how the situation goes and at all times it is important to stay composed.
