Crime Scene Investigations (CSI) has existed for many years, and now with the proliferation of television shows highlighting forensic evidence collection and analysis, people know more about the processing of a crime scene and what evidence law enforcement looks for. "The general public and jurors watch a lot of CSI shows and a lot are factual, but some are dramatic," says David Stephens, Laboratory Director of the Michigan State Police Marquette crime lab. "There is an expectation there is going to be evidence presented at trial." Due to this, and the increase of technology surrounding forensic science, laboratories receive an exponential amount of evidence to analyze per year. An unfortunate side affect has been the increase in backlog for most laboratories. During his 17 years, Stephens explained he had only been caught up once. Fortunately, law enforcement resources have found solutions to this explosion.
One agency, the National Forensic Science Technology Center (NFSTC) offers several programs which allow officers to perform specific forensic tests on their own. NFSTC, a not-for-profit organization, serves law enforcement by offering support, training, process improvement and technological evaluations. Two programs being utilized are the Field Identification Drug Officer (FIDO) and E-Crime Awareness Tools.
FIDO
The FIDO program, brought from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to the NFSTC, looks at providing a quality assurance system to small agencies in looking at solving the drug problem. "We model it after successful programs such as the one in Phoenix (AZ)," states NFSTC CEO Kevin Lothridge. Although the drug crimes have gone up in Phoenix, the backlog for drug analysis at the laboratory has not increased.
The program includes a series of lectures on controlled substances and then practical tests utilizing a presumptive drug test. This color metric test is a chemical test that gives some identification of what a substance might be, such as an opiate, amphetamine or cocaine. If an officer arrests someone for simple possession, he/she can use the test for a preliminary analysis of the drug. "A substantial portion of (crime laboratory) resources are testing for drugs," says Scott Barker, Deputy Director of the Rural Law enforcement Technology Center (RULETC). With an officer testing the drug, often it does not need to be sent to the laboratory. Barker explains officers are trained to work with the courts. "Many misdemeanor drug cases can be prosecuted without crime laboratory analysis," he explains. "Prosecutors must buy-in and felony cases cannot use it." Often a plea agreement can be reached based on test results.
Agencies can adapt the FIDO program to suit their individual needs. Officers must pass a series of hands-on problems and then will take a proficiency test annually. Quality assurance is also a large part of the program. "If in doubt, they send the sample to the lab which does quality assurance," says Lothridge. Several field test kits are commercially available and cost just a little over a dollar each. For more information on the various test kits and study details, contact the NFSTC.
Although currently only a pilot program, departments are seeing incredible benefits. The Utah Bureau of Forensic Services, one pilot site, evaluated a department-adapted FIDO program and state benefits, such as laboratory submission reduction, caseload reduction, redirection of resources and a stronger law enforcement relationship. Their evaluation states, "The FIDO program has become an integral part of the BFS business plan." Other pilot sites include the Oregon State Police and the Philadelphia Police Department.
E-Crime Awareness Tools
Another NIJ program assisting law enforcement with their own forensic evidence is E-Crime Awareness Tools. A part of the Electronic Crime Partnership Initiative (ECPI) funded by the NIJ, E-Crime is designed to assist law enforcement in solving computer crimes. "Small departments are finding in every crime computers are involved," Barker explains. "Whether it's a PDA, a laptop or a telephone." When officers seize electronics, they often don't know how to process it so it's sent to the state laboratory. "In the last three years, the labs are overwhelmed. It can take one year to get it back," says Barker. "Officers are missing a lot of evidence, so we started training our officers in evidence collection. Officers are trained how to seize, manage and secure evidence, for example in bags which kill the signal on laptops." Lothridge explains the E-Crime Awareness Tools program puts training tools in law enforcement hands, teaching them not only how to collect, but also analyze electronic crime tools. Pulling information off hard-drives and investigating internet use, assist officers in securing evidence useful in prosecution without the risk of the analysis delay causing a potential drop of the case. Many small departments, including Ironwood Public Safety (MI) and Escanaba Public Safety (MI) have sent officers through computer analysis courses.
With the increase in the need for forensic evidence analysis, many departments are struggling to find ways around the backlog at their local crime laboratories. Rural and small agencies especially struggle with few personnel and even fewer resources. The FIDO and E-Crime Awareness Tools programs help ease the burden. "Because they are available online or at no charge, there is no cost to the department making them accessible," says Lothridge. As the tech-savvy new generation of officers hits the street, these programs will become even more useful. Maybe someday soon, television programs with the main character who is a law officer/forensic scientist won't be so dramatic.