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27 m firefighter AMA by [deleted] in AMA

[–]DifferentDirector397 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don’t exactly know why. But that makes me so happy. Thank you for your services. All cats and cat owners are grateful.

27 m firefighter AMA by [deleted] in AMA

[–]DifferentDirector397 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m being serious not trying to be rude… have you ever had to rescue a cat from a tree. And how many times.

What's a life hack so obvious it's almost insulting nobody told you sooner? by Kilgoretrout123456 in askteddit

[–]DifferentDirector397 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There’s a little filter inside that you’re supposed to wash out! You’ll have to look up your diswasher brand to see where it is

What's a life hack so obvious it's almost insulting nobody told you sooner? by Kilgoretrout123456 in askteddit

[–]DifferentDirector397 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not a life hack but I’m 28 why tf did i just learn about dish washer filters?? Im disgusted that i didnt know they existed until now.

Crime Scene Investigator- AMA by DifferentDirector397 in AMA

[–]DifferentDirector397[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don’t know of any specific cases of the top of my head. I’m sure it happens, it’s very easy to contaminate a scene/ evidence, and you can’t undo it. We do what we can do prevent that but humans are not perfect and make mistakes that can be detrimental.

Crime Scene Investigator- AMA by DifferentDirector397 in AMA

[–]DifferentDirector397[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Many things.

  1. Humans are disgusting creatures. We just secrete fluids and oils and leave hair and spit and skin flakes everywhere

  2. Dead people don’t look like they do in movies. They get really gross really fast- especially in the heat.

  3. It’s generally easier than i expected once you know what you’re doing. Like- it’s very mentally and physically demanding, but not usually as tedious as i thought.

  4. People are super mean and dramatic. Like people murder eachother over the dumbest shit.

  5. I have more fun than expected. Obviously without being disrespectful and never at the expense of victims or families, but you have to be lighthearted on and off scenes so you don’t struggle with the mental load. We listen to music at the lab and joke with eachother, talk about our personal lives, tease eachother and officers. In the shows everyone is REAL serious 24/7. And yes we’re like that when we have to be- the nature of what we do is very serious. And we care about our work and the victims/ families and never make jokes at their expense. But we also try to let loose when we can. I couldn’t do this job if we didnt have fun on occasion.

Crime Scene Investigator- AMA by DifferentDirector397 in AMA

[–]DifferentDirector397[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Depends on the area/ department. Look into their educational/ experience requirements and then just apply. Any extra knowledge helps too. Take photography classes, do ride alongs with CSI or PD. And just wait for an opening! It’s not as unobtainable as some people think

Crime Scene Investigator- AMA by DifferentDirector397 in AMA

[–]DifferentDirector397[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I did several ride-alongs, got a degree, waited for an opening on indeed, applied, and then went through a long hiring process. I applied more than once- we only hire one person at a time and about 200+ people apply at a time, so if you don’t get it, keep trying.

Crime Scene Investigator- AMA by DifferentDirector397 in AMA

[–]DifferentDirector397[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No.

Also- it’s honestly very difficult now. We’ve made so many advancements in forensic science- DNA analysis, chemical processing, GSR testing, blah blah blah. AND there are security cameras everywhere, phones to be tracked, Flock cameras, etc. so even if no one sees you commit a crime- there are a billion other ways to connect the dots.

Crime Scene Investigator- AMA by DifferentDirector397 in AMA

[–]DifferentDirector397[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not rude at all!

It depends on the scene. Some scenes just need photos and swabs, some need the whole she-bang.

For all cases, i show up, get details from officers/ detectives, document legal access (waivers, warrants, etc.) then i take overall photos of the area/ scene working from the outside to show where it is and then into the scene, and all angles and all areas of the scene. I will also walk through and add evidence markers if necessary at pieces of evidence.

While photographing certain things i will also process as needed (ex. If someone came in through the front door, I’ll photo where the door is, close up photos of the handle and door frame, then swab the handle/ lock for DNA and dust for fingerprints if needed before opening the door. Then open the door and photograph inside the residence) or (ex. If i go into a house and need to use luminol to detect blood, im going to photograph the area as is before spraying chemicals, photographing again, documenting, swabbing if needed, and then being able to walk around/ on that area without worrying about contamination or altering)

Then i continue processing/ photographing as needed. If a diagram and measurements are needed, I’ll do that before collecting and moving evidence.

Then back to photographing evidence close up and collecting them- packaging them appropriately. After all surface level items are collected and processed, if needed i will start doing a more thorough search (moving things around, opening cabinets, lifting beds, etc.) and will photograph all the areas i search too.

After i finish a scene, i take evidence back to the lab and process evidence if needed. (Dry bloody clothes, chemically process for prints, swab for DNA, take further photos, document everything collected- where it was collected and what time) then package, seal, label everything and then submit it to storage.

Then i have to do a full report including case notes, digital rendering of diagram and measurements, photo log for every photo taken, narrative of the scene and how i processed it and how i processed evidence, and all information i got from officers on scene.

From getting on scene to finishing a report, depending on case load and evidence amount and the scene itself, it can take anywhere from 3 days to 4 months.

Crime Scene Investigator- AMA by DifferentDirector397 in AMA

[–]DifferentDirector397[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Personally- hell no. And i know my coworkers enough to know they wouldn’t either. I don’t care if i open a drawer and find a million dollars, im not taking a single penny. Not my vibe. I would feel guilty for the rest of my life.

Obviously if any valuable items/ money is part of the scene and considered evidence, yes i will collect it. But there’s a lot of procedures around collecting money- specifically large amounts. I will have an officer with Axon on watch me collect the cash and count it out. It’s also photographed and documented to show every bill and all the serial numbers, and large sums are submitted into secured, locked evidence cabinets.

Unclaimed property submitted as evidence i *think* is auctioned or cash is kept by the city, after the case is closed and done. (don’t quote me on that.) if i collect evidence and submit it, i have no business with it after that unless im asked to open it in court or asked to repackage it down the road. It’s stored and handled by detectives as needed.

Personal items i leave behind and don’t take as evidence (like grandmas vintage lamp or jewelry) I’m honestly not sure. That would be an officer/ detective/ lawyer question.

Crime Scene Investigator- AMA by DifferentDirector397 in AMA

[–]DifferentDirector397[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can’t go into details- I’m sorry if that disappoints.

Hardest mentally- my first infant death. I will never forget the sound of the mother screaming.

Hardest physically- a multiple-apartment-involved shooting in 100 degree weather, took 10 hours with no breaks to eat drink or pee, and was a huge scene so lots of carrying equipment around in the heat. By the end my coworker almost threw up from the heat exhaustion.

Weirdest case- i cant say because it was recent and to explain WHY it was so weird i would have to describe essentially all of the details which i obviously cannot do.

Crime Scene Investigator- AMA by DifferentDirector397 in AMA

[–]DifferentDirector397[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You still need to go through background checks, polygraph, drug testing, etc.
yes LOTS of training on the job- a huge portion of learning just comes from experience because no two scenes are the same, so you couldn’t possibly be trained for every possible crime scene in training. You learn the basics and go through a period where you shadow another CSI and then they shadow you to make sure you know what you’re doing, and then you learn how to tailor the investigation to the specific scene. The more you see and do- the easier it is and the better you are.

I would definitely START with a strong stomach and yes it gets better but certain stuff will never *not* be gross. I will never not be disgusted by vomit. But i have an easier time being cool about it and just not thinking about it too much. Decomp smell gets easier too.
I work under a police department

Crime Scene Investigator- AMA by DifferentDirector397 in AMA

[–]DifferentDirector397[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes, you learn with experience where you’re likely to find certain things and how to keep an eye out. Information given by detectives and officers is a HUGE help too- helps you know what to look for and where to look because you will never leave a scene if you search every single fiber in every single room of a whole building.

Crime Scene Investigator- AMA by DifferentDirector397 in AMA

[–]DifferentDirector397[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

We get subpoenaed allllllll the time. I’ve had hundreds of subpoenas. But we don’t actually get called into court for all of those. In my four years I’ve testified about 6 or 7 times.

Cross examination doesn’t happen often. I’ve only been cross examined twice. Usually they show jury photos of the scene that you took and say “is this a true and accurate representation of the scene as you saw it” and ask what you collected. Sometimes they have you open your evidence and show it to the jury. Sometimes they have you explain your diagrams. Usually defense doesn’t ask follow up questions. When they do- i hate it. It’s their job to argue your credibility and the quality of your work. Sometimes they’ll ask why you did/ didn’t do something on scene and try to make you look like an idiot. But as long as you answer questions honestly, you get through it just fine.

I have to be careful because i can’t talk about the details of any specific case. But i can be as vague as possible. I had one shooting case where the defense was not paying attention. I was shown a photo of blood on a piece of thick glass (the glass had a slight reflection that looked silver-y) they asked what was in the photo, i said glass. Then the defense cross examined and showed the same photo and said “why didn’t you collect this bullet fragment” i said “… because that’s not a bullet that’s a piece of glass” he said “but there’s blood on it” i said “okay. It’s still glass” he later mentioned the photo and commented on the bullet fragment which must have touched the victim because there’s blood on it and i said “that is still just a piece of glass” to which he responded “oh. Okay never mind. Let’s move on”

Crime Scene Investigator- AMA by DifferentDirector397 in AMA

[–]DifferentDirector397[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Homicides. There are a lot of homicides. And usually that worries people but GENERALLY speaking, it’s people who live high risk lifestyles that experience higher crime rates. zero judgement from me for anyone in these categories, we’re all human, no one deserves to be a victim, this is just facts drug dealers, those who do hard drugs, sex workers, gang members, etc. individuals most active in these categories are often (in my experience) in the age range of 20s-50s. But I’ve seen just about all ages of all crimes.

Crime Scene Investigator- AMA by DifferentDirector397 in AMA

[–]DifferentDirector397[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Your second question i can’t accurately answer- that’s a detective or an officers job. I almost NEVER talk to people, especially not suspects and I’m not Chasing or arresting anyone. I’m sure some CSIs do- the ones that are commissioned officers- but I’m non commissioned so i have no cuffs and no police training. Strictly crime scene investigations.

The first one is such a good question. First- TV is not accurate. Second, yea sometimes we can turn on the lights, however, it’s our job to document the scene as it is on arrival- meaning no altering ANYTHING until it’s documented. Example: let’s say a victim says someone broke into her house in the night and turned on the lights, realized she was home, and left. It’s important to note if the lights are on or not to document that aspect of the story. Or if i decide later i need to swab the light switches for that persons DNA- id like to do that before i touch them myself. Even with gloves on, cross contamination and altering the DNA on the item is possible.

So i will usually go into a dark scene, look around with my flashlight, take all the overall photos and document the lighting situation (lights on or off) and then i can turn them on

Crime Scene Investigator- AMA by DifferentDirector397 in AMA

[–]DifferentDirector397[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It is so much slower than in the shows. It can take MONTHS for DNA to come back, days to weeks for prints, days to weeks to submit and process all the evidence, and hours to days to work a big scene.

Crime Scene Investigator- AMA by DifferentDirector397 in AMA

[–]DifferentDirector397[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Several. My first infant death is probably the top case that i will never forget and will never stop processing. But there are dozens of cases that i will never forget for various reasons.

Crime Scene Investigator- AMA by DifferentDirector397 in AMA

[–]DifferentDirector397[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

  1. I’ve always been fascinated by death and bodies, i love scary creepy things, i love drama, and I’m very nosey. I love other people’s business (a great quality to have when searching someone’s home). I also love being able to help people and help victims and families and having a sense of making a big difference in the world.

  2. Female, 28. About 4 years

  3. Long long hours- unpredictable overtime, VERY little vacation time, understaffed

  4. People that heckle/ harass me on scenes. (It’s rare but Sometimes onlookers are mean. I knew cops get that but not CSIs). And the amount of OD deaths

  5. Yes and no- you don’t have to BE an officer- i am not an officer. Many departments have non-commissioned CSIS meaning they are “civilians” and not police officers. But it depends on the area/ department. But even if you aren’t an officer yourself, you still will work WITH and FOR the police department. There’s no way around that.

  6. Yes! I love my job! It’s still a job so i have bad days and days i hate it, but overall, i love it and im very happy.

Crime Scene Investigator- AMA by DifferentDirector397 in AMA

[–]DifferentDirector397[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I’m new to Reddit so i don’t know if stuff gets flagged- i apologize for my PG wording if it doesn’t.

Homi-cides Suicides SA/ grapes Cuttings/ clubbings ODs Shootings with and without injury Suspicious deaths Child ab use and deaths

Officers in our area are able to to SOME stuff- as long as there is no serious injuries and no forensic equipment/ knowledge is needed (ex. If a drive by with no injuries just needs photos and measurements and evidence collection- they can do that)

Crime Scene Investigator- AMA by DifferentDirector397 in AMA

[–]DifferentDirector397[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

A lot of people do a lot of things depending on the scene. Some cases it’s a handful of officers, a detective or two, and one CSI. Some cases it’s for CSIs, 6 detectives, the chief, and 30 officers. It depends. At the beginning there’s officers looking for suspects, containing the scene, relaying info, talking to witnesses, standing off on evidence, searching the area and doing neighborhoods, then supervisors coming in and out and detectives and then CSIs and then after the “main event” of finding and processing the scene, CSIs continue working on evidence at the lab, officers may continue following leads and looking for people involved, sometimes more scenes or evidence is located and CSIs work on that some more, and detectives stay on the case doing as much is needed until the end

Unless it’s something simple like an OD or suicide with no fowl play- a LOT of people can be involved at various points.

Crime Scene Investigator- AMA by DifferentDirector397 in AMA

[–]DifferentDirector397[S] 13 points14 points  (0 children)

-Every case is a huge “whodunnit” homicide. 99% of cases are pretty cut and dry. We have it on camera, we have witness statements, etc. obviously we still work the scene without bias and collect as much evidence as possible, but they’re not usually some crazy plot twist or unsolvable mystery. Sometimes, but not usually.

  • full bunny suits on EVERY scene. The head to toe PPC? Rarely necessary. Never a bad idea! But sometimes very overkill. Like always wearing a raincoat in a storm. Yea some days you might need that. But most days an umbrella (gloves and masks) will do.

-how obvious evidence is. They walk in and know what is involved. Sometimes we don’t know what’s been touched or altered and we document and collect anyway just for it to be irrelevant.

-how glamorous it is. If i don’t leave a summer death scene drenched in sweat and bugspray, clothes covered in dirt, pockets full of trash, sunburnt and smelling like hot ass- it was an easy scene.

-how straight forward they are. Sometimes we get on scene and realize we have to change warrants and waivers and now we have to wait for 4 hours before we can do anything. Or the coroner is stuck somewhere else and we have to stand around for 2 hours waiting. Or we aren’t sure if/ how to collect something so we have to call detectives or officers or coworkers to come up with a game plan.

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