CRIME SCENE MANAGEMENT

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Policy: 

    EMS will assist law enforcement with crime investigation by trying to preserve crime scenes and reporting any disturbances to crime scenes made by EMS personnel.

Purpose:

    1. Provide the best possible prehospital care to patients while helping law enforcement with crime investigation by not disturbing crime scene any more than necessary.

    2. Provide information on how to avoid disturbing crime scenes.

    3. Help EMS assist law enforcement with crime scene investigation.

Procedure:

• A crime scene can be defined as a location where any part of a criminal act has occurred, or a location where evidence relating to a crime may be found.
• Prehospital personnel must be cautious and safety-conscious when approaching a potential crime scene. Do not enter a crime scene until law enforcement personnel have announced it is safe to do so. If the scene is unsafe, stage in a safe area and wait until adequate law enforcement assistance arrives to secure the scene.
• When at a possible crime scene, don’t touch anything you don’t have to. Be sure to make law enforcement officials aware if you have touched or moved something at a crime scene.
• Your observations at a crime scene are important and should be carefully documented. Evidence protection can be performed while caring for the patient by not unnecessarily disturbing the scene or destroying evidence.