​Instructor: Shelley Dill, MS, CCSA
Course length: 40 hours

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This five-day (40 hour) Crime Scene Investigation course is intended for crime scene investigators/technicians, forensic technicians and detectives/investigators in the early stages of their career. This hands-on course is designed to familiarize law enforcement personnel with the basic technical skills needed to identify, document, preserve and collect the most common types of physical evidence found at crime scenes. Attendees will participate in numerous practical exercises to establish baseline knowledge in everything from crime scene documentation and photography to collecting various types of evidence for additional laboratory processing.  Attendees will also be given an opportunity to learn fingerprint and latent print processing techniques utilizing a variety of chemicals and forensic light sources. 
 
Day One and Two:
 
Crime Scene Investigation Overview

• Processing versus Analysis
• Types of Scenes and different approaches to processing of each
• Scene security
• Search and identify physical evidence along with the “unseen” evidence may be present marking of the evidence
  • Documentation
    • Note taking (report writing discussed later in the class)
    • Photography (discussed later in the class) / Video / 3D rendering  
    • Proper use of Forensic Scales
    • Search and Grid methods
    • Sketch and mapping the scene
• Evidence Analysis
  • Recognition
  • Classification (Identification):
    • By time and environment (Predictable, Unpredictable, Transient, Relational, Functional, Missing
    • By use (sequential, directional, action, position, ownership
  • Individualization (known characteristics (exemplar), unique characteristics, unknown)
  • Scene alterations
• Types of Physical and Pattern Evidence
  • Imprints/Indentations, striations, damage, exchange of evidence
    • Lines, shapes, minute details
    • Bloodstain, fire burns, positional, glass fractures, injury patterns
  • Question Documents
• Types of Biological Evidence
  • Suspected blood evidence
    • Presumptive tests for blood
  • Other presumptive tests
  • Seminal/Vaginal
  • Hairs
  • DNA
  • Other
  • Sexual Assault Kit, Toxicology Kit and Medical Examiner’s Kit
• Bloodstain pattern recognition
  • Interpretation / Analysis
  • Bloodstain mechanics
  • Documentation / Photography
• Firearms
  • Firearms classifications
  • Safe handling of firearms
  • Ammunition / Calibers / NIBIN and IBIS
  • Trajectory
  • Muzzle to target distance
  • Pellet Patterns
  • Cylinder and muzzle flash patterns
  • Gun Shot Residue
  • Use of UV/IR photography
• Arson / Explosives
  • Role of Crime Scene Investigators at an arson scene with and without a deceased victim
• Drugs
  • Over-the-Counter
  • Prescription
    • Narcotic versus non-narcotic
  • Illicit Drugs
    • Safe handling
    • Fentanyl and new fentanyl analogs
      • Narcan

• Collection of Evidence and Packaging
  • How to properly handle, collect and preserve different types of evidence
• Bloodstain exercise

 
Day Three:
 
Photography

• Cardinal Rules
• Photo Identifier and documentation forms
  • 18% gray card
• Overall, Midrange, and close-up photographs
• Photographing wounds, bodies and sensitive areas
• Exposure Stops
• Exposure Variables
  • Shutter speed, f-stops, ISO, metering, motion and light
• Exposure Modes
  • Manual Exposure, Program Exposure, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority
• Challenging scenes (weather conditions, backlit areas, extreme darkness, etc.)
• Use of Flashes and oblique lighting
• The Electromagnetic Spectrum
  • Ultraviolet Light
  • Infrared Light
  • Visible Light Fluorescence
  • Alternate Light Sources, Infrared Light Sources, Lasers and other technology

• Photography exercise

 
Death Investigations and scene processing

• Manner of Death
  • Homicide versus Suicide
• Rigor Mortis, Livor Mortis, Putrefaction, etc.
• Entomology
• Injuries and wound types
  • Antemortem versus Postmortem
• Autopsy procedures

 
Day Four:
 
Fingerprints and Latent Processing Techniques

• What are fingerprints?

• Types of fingerprints:  Patent, Latent and plastic prints

• Porous, non-porous and semiporous surfaces
• Other surfaces (sticky side tape, cardboard, wood, etc.)
• Processes and Procedures used to Develop Latent Prints

• Photographing the fingerprint
  • Digital photography methods
  • UV/IR methods and technology
• Lifting with various mediums (tape, gel lifters, glue, etc.)
• Basic latent print development exercises

 
Report writing

• What is important and what is not necessary

 
Depositions / Trials / Preparing to testify

• CSI Effect
• Courtroom tips and pitfalls
• Trial video clips

 
Day Five:

• Mock Crime Scene
  • Scenario details

• Analysis of the scene
• Photographs
• Identify pertinent evidence
• Sketch/Measurements
• Process the evidence for latent prints and/or DNA

           

• Write a report for the mock crime scene
• Submit the report, the sketch and any notes to the instructor

 
** Attendees are encouraged to bring any digital camera equipment normally issued by their agency.  All other equipment and forensic supplies will be provided.


This course has been approved for 40 hours of certification/recertification training credits by the IAI Crime Scene Certification Board, 9 hours of credits for the Tenprint Certification Board, 8 hours of certification credits only for the Latent Print Certification board, & 18 hours of credit by the Forensic Photography Certification Board.

Shelley Dill, MS, CCSA

Holding a Bachelor of Arts Degree (BA) in Sociology with a concentration in Criminal Justice and with a Political Science minor from Westminster College in Pennsylvania in 1999.  After college she worked as a Juvenile Probation Officer for seven years.  During that time, she attended two Probation and Parole Academies and the Cyril H. Wecht Institute of Forensic Science and Law at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  In 2006, she was hired as a Crime Scene Technician with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office in Pensacola, Florida.  In 2014, she attended Troy University and earned a Master of Science in Criminal Justice.

As an adjunct instructor for Pensacola State College, Ms. Dill developed and instructed courses such as Advanced Crime Scene, Crime Scene Safety, Introduction to Criminalistics, Biological Evidence, Crime Scene Photography I, and Crime Scene Photography II.  Ms. Dill has utilized the skills she learned over the years in the forensic field to instruct crime scene technician trainees, deputies, cadets and District One Medical Examiner Investigators on crime scene techniques and photography.  She has written and co-authored numerous policies, manuals, grants and proposals for her agency.  Ms. Dill has focused the last few years on photography and chemical processing techniques for fingerprint development and has been instrumental in obtaining new technology for the agency.

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