Job Description of Scenes of Crime Officer in the UK
The Scenes of crime officer job in the UK involves quite a number of tasks and challenges.
The role of scenes of crime officer is to offer scientific support to the UK police office and also help the police force with solving crimes based on the evidence and clues collected from the crime scene.
As scenes of crime officer in the UK you are based at the UK police office headquarters or a divisional office.
However, due to the nature of your job, you will spend a lot of time travelling in many different places including crime scenes.
You will be outdoors in all types of weather and sometimes in unpleasant and smelly condition.
Sometimes you may be required to climb on top of roofs and pass through some small spaces when looking and gathering evidence.
As scenes of crime officer normally works for about 37 weeks and can be called to work even after hours. You are basically on call 24 hours every single day of the week.
This job also requires you to be able to handle sensitive information without disclosing it to the wrong people or talking about the crime in public.
As scenes of crime officer, it is important for you to keep up to date with new techniques and equipment and any further training in Forensics.
It is also advisable for you to improve on your skills by registering with the Council for Registration of Forensic Practitioners.
As scenes of crime officer your job involves several duties including the following
1.Examinea crime scene and gather evidence
2. You are required to recover evidence from all types of crime such as car theft, burglary, rape, murder, bomb blasts among others
3. You are also required to preserve and protect the crime scene in order to prevent the evidence from getting contaminated or getting destroyed
4. Find out from the investigating police officer what type of evidence needs to be collected from crime scene and how he or she wants it processed.
5. Take photographs and video footage of the crime scene
6. Search and collect any fingerprints footprints and any other marks left by weapons or tools used in the crime.
7. The scene of crime officer job also involves and gathering trace evidence such as DNA, blood samples, fiber, hair, clothes which are taken to the lab for analysis.
8. Using various techniques and equipment to deduce the results gotten from the evidence you gathered from the crime scene.
9. Storing of all the collected evidence and labeling the same appropriately
10. Working hand in hand with pathologists during post mortems when recovering trace evidence from the victims
11. Writing evidence statements and giving a fully detailed report on your findings to the procurator fiscal. There are times that you may be required to present the evidence in court.
The following are one of various organizations that will provide you with further information on what the job of scenes of crime officer in the UK involves. You can get more information by visitinghttp://www.npia.police.uk
The following are some qualities that every scenes of crime officer should have;
-Patient
-Methodical
- Meticulous
- Accurate
- Good communication skills
- Good interpretation skills
- Good interviewing skills
- Confident
- Must be able to handle pressure
- They must be physically fit and mentally fit as well
- Must be able to use new techniques, equipment and methods when processing the evidence gathered from the crime scene.
