Questions

[phoenixrose]

Don't know what, if anything, can be answered. I appreciate whatever you feel comfortable sharing. I'm just trying to clean up a little of the technical stuff...and I have to tell you, ignorance is NOT bliss.

Setting:

Murder scene. Victim's apartment.

1. What things might investigating officers take with them, from the apartment, as part of their investigation? Pictures? Diary? Receipts? Mail?

2. I assume there would be a search of the apartment looking for those things. How thorough would that be...leaving no stone unturned, or just a once over?

3. With the items that are taken from the apartment...how long, on average, are they in police custody?

4. If a relative came to town to take care of body arrangements and packing up the victim's possessions, etc, would those items the cops confiscated, be returned, or are they now police property?

5. If that relative asked to see the murder weapon, or photos of the murder scene, I'm assuming the answer would be no. If it were a small Sheriff's dept, would that make a difference? If that relative were ex-LEO, and asked, would that make a difference in your answer?

6. In a state that does not have a CCW law in place, can someone who is liscensed to carry a weapon carry it on their person if it is NOT concealed, or is that open carry only applicable to vehicles?

7. In a non-CCW state, but the CCW law is going into effect in a few months....you run across someone carrying concealed, do you arrest them or warn them?

8. If the answer is an arrest, if the person carrying concealed has CCW for other states, are ex-LEO, and currently working as a PI...would that make a difference in whether it's an arrest or warning? If it's a smaller community...would that make a difference?

9. As an investigating officer, working a homicide, what would you have to do to obtain a search warrant to search say....someone's house....or their business? How involved is that process, and about how long does it take?

10. As an investigating officer, working a homicide, what would the procedure be...or how might you handle it...if the above mentioned family member (ex-LE/presently PI) were to be found poking around the investigation....looking people up, asking questions?

11. If you received a tip this person had illegally entered someone's home or business to search for evidence, but you had no proof, how might you handle that? Confront them? Warn them? Arrest them?

12. If you confronted them, and they admitted it....or perhaps their search turned up some kind of evidence and they brought this to you...what would you do? Is that evidence admissable?

13. I think I know the answer to this one....but I got my answer from The Closer, on TV....so I better double-check it. A murderer blatantly leaves DNA at a crime scene....semen, perhaps....but they don't have any record anywhere. No DNA. No prints. No prior interaction with police. Now...you have a suspect...Joe nobody....but there is nothing on file for them. You could possibly match prints and/or DNA, provided you had some....but you don't.
*Are your hands tied?
*Can you force the suspect to provided DNA?
*If not...under what conditions MIGHT they be compelled to provide it?
*Can it be obtained through trickery, like they show on TV...getting them to touch a glass, or going to their home and lifting say...hair from a brush?

14. Let's say the murder weapon is a knife...possibly a collector variety, like a Randall #1 or #2, and the victim's sister....this ex-LEO/PI type....knows a LOT about knives. As the investigating officer, would you let her see the murder weapon and offer input? If another murder occured, using a similar type of knife...say a Randall #3, would you mention that to her...see if her knowledge of knives could provide any insight? Or, would you go to a separate resource that might be able to offer insight on the murder weapon?

Sorry. You may not be able to answer any of these...or some of them. That's okay. I will take whatever you can give...if anything.

And, Thanks.

[OfficerResource.com]

Do I get paid for this?

[Virginian]

The answer is.... 42.

[phoenixrose]

Do I get paid for this?

LOL....hmmmm...maybe.

I'd offer my firstborn....but it was twins....and there's college expenses, now...and wedding bells are just around the corner. You may want to keep that in mind before accepting.

Does a hug count? Does your ID name in the acknowledgement section of the book count?

Actually, I just mailed a copy of my last book to a good friend of mine in California who is a Deputy Sheriff there. He helped a lot on that book, and actually gave me his real name to use in the acknowledgement section.

I've sent him the questions too, but not everyone's background/experience is the same....and I hate to become a burden on any one resource.

Just groping in the dark here. I can make it up...I have a great imagination, and I watch a lot of CSI *..cough..hack*, but I would really love to have something at least somewhere close to real.

[CountyWolf]

The answer is.... 42.

Now the kicker is..... "What is the question?" Anybody have a planetary computer handy?

[Big Al]

Phoenixrose,

Are you reasearching us so you can write a book?

[CelticCop]

Ok... I can answer one or two of these...

As to former LEO... If they are retired and have their old creds, Federal law permits such persons to carry concealed anywhere in the country. At least that's the way that the law Pres. Bush signed was explained to me. HR218. If they merely left their old department and did not retire due to time at job or medical reasons, then this does not apply as far as I know.

Anything that has been placed in the trash and removed from the domicile can be searched without a warrant. The expectation of privacy goes out the window. As for legal recourse to obtain the samples... the investigator better have a damned good reason to try to get a court order to force the person to give the samples if the person has refused...

[Ducky]

Now the kicker is..... "What is the question?" Anybody have a planetary computer handy?

Actually, I...










Naaa, I need to save it for my world domination. I let the damn mice use the last one, and I never got it back.

[CountyWolf]

darn mice.

[Jks9199]

The answer is.... 42.

But what's the question?

OK... so people beat me to it!

I still like the fjords!

[CountyWolf]

Finland, Finland, Finland...

[phoenixrose]

Phoenixrose,

Are you reasearching us so you can write a book?

If that is a GOOD thing...and I'm not in trouble...then, ahhhhhhhh...yes....actually

If it's a BAD thing, and I'm in trouble....then, ummmmmm...NO, of course not. NO WAY. Uh-uh! Noppers....

I did meet with the Sheriff and Deputy Sheriff of the community where this novel is set. Did that this summer. About a two hour interview. They were awesome.

However, the deeper I get into this thing, the more little things pop up I never anticipated. I can make it up, and it will probably fly. I have phone numbers and email addresses for the men I talked to this summer, but I kinda feel like I've already been a PIA...and they are busy. If I ask, I am sure they'd respond...but I don't want to put them in that 'have to' kind of situation, I guess.

The online questions give posters the option of responding or not...as they choose. It also gives me a wider base of responses. I can read, assimilate, and then take what I can use to create what I need to. Most readers won't know or care if it's accurate or even close. But, I'm REALLY trying to make it right...as much as possible.

I don't want to know things I'm not supposed to know...so I'm just throwing out the questions and seeing what answers people feel comfortable offering.

[Ducky]

Finland, Finland, Finland...

So we've gone from Douglas Adams to Monty Python. Great. Now I'm going to have to find my CD.

[CelticCop]

Ducky!!!

I like traffic lights
I like traffic lights
I like traffic lights
No matter where they've been

I like traffic lights
I like traffic lights
I like traffic lights
But only when they're Green



I also know all of the words to "Sit on My Face".

[MissMyCaprice]

Did you remember your towel?
This thread is fun, and it's making me want to rewatch a couple classic movies, maybe even reread some books...
but I don't think it's helping you much, PR.

[BEB]

PR - maybe a couple fewer questions at once next time? Or thin these out?

[Coloradocop]

PR - maybe a couple fewer questions at once next time? Or thin these out?

+1

I had to down a six pack before I made it through that post... and now I forgot what I was reading it for in the first place.

Actually, I don't really do a whole lot on the homicide side of things as a patrol officer around here... and I know that was what the first couple of questions were about. I'm in a larger department, and I pretty much just determine the need for a homicide detective and secure the scene, etc... Then I get to call the detective(s) at home on Sunday and tell them they need leave their family to come to the office and do some work like the real cops

The M.E. also shows up to examine the body before it is moved. Who does what (and when) with the body is then coordinated between the ME and the homicide guys around here. Body removal is handled by a private contractor around here... but they obviously don't do anything until the scene has been processed/etc... this contractor is usually the last one to enter the scene.

At some point during this ordeal the crime lab shows up and the detectives from this unit determine what items to process/take from the scene that might have some evidentiary value in terms of DNA/fingerprints/etc. They also videotape the scene as they find it, and take photographs.

At least from my experience around here, large departments tend to be highly specialized, with many individual units handling certain specific aspects of a given investigation... On the other hand, officers in smaller departments assume a larger role in processing a given crime scene (like moving the body, collecting evidence, writing warrants, etc).

just my $.02

[PersiusOne]

Okay - since I'm bored, I'll take a stab at a few of these... sounds fun

3. With the items that are taken from the apartment...how long, on average, are they in police custody?

If it's evidence for a homicide, it'll probably remain in police custody forever from my understanding.

5. If that relative asked to see the murder weapon, or photos of the murder scene, I'm assuming the answer would be no. If it were a small Sheriff's dept, would that make a difference? If that relative were ex-LEO, and asked, would that make a difference in your answer?

No and No.

6. In a state that does not have a CCW law in place, can someone who is liscensed to carry a weapon carry it on their person if it is NOT concealed, or is that open carry only applicable to vehicles?

I'm assuming that the licensed person has a CCW from another state? If so - my understanding is that non-LE CCW's from other states do not apply in states they did not originate from.

7. In a non-CCW state, but the CCW law is going into effect in a few months....you run across someone carrying concealed, do you arrest them or warn them?

Depends on the circumstances. I'm not going to take a guy to jail who happens to have a sidearm under his coat when he's hunting with his kids just because it's "concealed". That's just silly. If he's a drug dealer, that's another story.

8. If the answer is an arrest, if the person carrying concealed has CCW for other states, are ex-LEO, and currently working as a PI...would that make a difference in whether it's an arrest or warning? If it's a smaller community...would that make a difference?

ex-LEO's who qualify for CCW in one state can cary in others. I work in a smaller community, and I dont think it would matter to me either way.

10. As an investigating officer, working a homicide, what would the procedure be...or how might you handle it...if the above mentioned family member (ex-LE/presently PI) were to be found poking around the investigation....looking people up, asking questions?

I do not investigate homicides, give that to a detective - but if someone were tampering with my evidence on a homicide, I'd be *pissed*

12. If you confronted them, and they admitted it....or perhaps their search turned up some kind of evidence and they brought this to you...what would you do? Is that evidence admissable?

I cant see how that evidence would admissable...

13. I think I know the answer to this one....but I got my answer from The Closer, on TV....so I better double-check it. A murderer blatantly leaves DNA at a crime scene....semen, perhaps....but they don't have any record anywhere. No DNA. No prints. No prior interaction with police. Now...you have a suspect...Joe nobody....but there is nothing on file for them. You could possibly match prints and/or DNA, provided you had some....but you don't.
*Are your hands tied?
*Can you force the suspect to provided DNA?
*If not...under what conditions MIGHT they be compelled to provide it?
*Can it be obtained through trickery, like they show on TV...getting them to touch a glass, or going to their home and lifting say...hair from a brush?

Trickery to obtain evidence and intelligence is totally game, provided it's done legally. Cant dress up like a thug, stab the guy, and use the DNA from a knife as evidence. Warrants are always the best way to secure the evidence though. One condition that they may be compelled to cooperate is the idea that it could eliminate them as a suspect.

I think you'd have better luck asking some homicide detectives these questions though - I'm just a street cop, and like ColoradoCop said - securing the crime scene and getting on the phone is what we do best

[phoenixrose]

PR - maybe a couple fewer questions at once next time? Or thin these out?

LOL...Sorry.
I usually sit down and work, and keep a notepad next to me. I just write down questions as I go.

I guess, I kinda don't want to post one or two here....one or two there...a few more someplace else. Probably silly, but it just seemed less intrusive going for one bigger post than lots of little ones.

Hey, all, thanks SO much for the input. Even with variances in states/departments, I think I can mesh this and come up with something at least marginally viable.

[Trojan 42]

I think your method of asking the questions is/was the best way. Can't help with the answers though, as they don't apply much here in the civilised world.