Admissability of officer created pointpoint document

**pc830cop** · 12-23-06, 06:08 AM

An officer I work with recently completed a fatal traffic collision report. He created a powerpoint document in leiu of drawing the diagram, attached photographs he took at the scene, and submitted the whole thing as evidence!

He bragged about how the city attorney said how “he set the bar for others.”

I remember when digital photography was questioned, but haven't keep up on the issue of digital media.

My question is: Is a powerpoint document created by the investigating officer admissible as evidence? And anything citing such or not?

**Tennsix** · 12-23-06, 06:18 AM

In my area, the police frequently submit evidentiary digital photographs for all types of investigation including crashes. To date, it has not been a problem. I don’t see how a Power Point presentation would be any different. However, I don’t think photos would take the place of a diagram. Photos are great but such an investigation still requires good old fashioned police work.

**Jks9199** · 12-23-06, 07:20 PM

I'd say that the PowerPoint package is just another way to put the stuff together. It had the plus side of being more easily portable than a stack of pictures and drawings -- but it's not anything earth shattering, in my opinion. I'm guessing he somehow imported a drawing into PowerPoint, whether he had to scan it into the computer or used software (like Total Station, Visio, or some other CAD-type software) to make it in the first place.

The only headache? What if the judge or prosecutor can't play his media -- whether they lack the program, lack the know-how or willingness, or lack the computer at all. I think he probably still had to (or should have) printed out the "presentation."