The Operational Command Unit Department in the Metropolitan Police - Essay Example

ment ment I am 10351579, an experienced crime scene detective. I am also an exhibit sergeant for the Operational Command Unit Department in the Metropolitan Police. I have worked for this department for last twelve years. From this period, I obtained experience in participating in several crimes inspections that involve homicide, abduction and also assassination cases. As a crime scene investigator and exhibit officer I am charged with the task of performimg criminal investigations such as attending scenes, recovering, recording and packaging seized exhibits that are for investigatory purposes, demonstrating continuity and integrity (Smith, 2013, p. 12). On February fourth, I arrived at 6 City Walk, Middleton, which was the family home of Laura Hugh missing person’s report. Julie’s parents had reported her missing on the previous day. Julie was twenty two year old who had disappeared after visiting a dentist on the 4th of February 2013 at 12.30pm. Julie lived with her parents at 6 City Walk, Middleton and works as an office administrator at Office Works Ltd (Hook, 2014, p. 16). On the 5th of February 2013, when I arrived at Julie Sharp’s home address at 8.00 am, I remained near the front door. I realized that the following exhibits were being packed by police investigative officer Angela Still, who has been given the exhibits by police investigator James Winchester, before the exhibits were ready for me to collect in the presence of crime scene manager David Johansson. Date/time/seized Bag no. Exhibit no. Description 5/2/2013 521301 AS/1 Laptop 5/2/2013 521302 AS/2 Photo 5/2/2013 521303 AS/3 Diary I took the responsibility of transporting the exhibits to the storage unit at Middleton police station at 12.15 hours. All items were individually packed, correctly labelled, which also included the contact number for transportation to the forensic laboratory at Middleton and sealed by Angela Still in the presence of Commissioner, Sir Andrew Putland and I. Both of us owe the key to the storage unit, (Smith, 2013). The laptop was securely packed in an evidence box to be transported to computer forensic expert, the photograph was labelled and sealed in the antistatic bag that has a tamper-evident seal, and the diary was packed in a nylon bag. On Wednesday, the 6th of February at 9.00am, Angela Still, and I visited the Office Works Ltd, where Julie Sharp worked, so as to obtain statements from her colleagues. On the same day, I visited the dentist where she had an appointment on the day she went missing. At the dentist, there were no CCTV cameras to provide enough information about Julie. Within little background information, I could not determine whom she interacted with or even spoke to on that day. On the 7th of February 2013 at 15.45 hours, I arrived at Middleton Railway Car Park, where the crime scene manager David Johansson who was present at the scene with police officers Lee Jones and Emma Watson to protect the area from contamination of exhibits, seized the items from the car that was found VW Golf LM09OWL which belongs to Julie Sharp. I collected the following exhibits from the David Johansson in the presence of Detective Sergeant, Michael Hobs. Items from Middleton Railway Car Park Date/time/seized Bag no. Exhibit no. Description 7/2/13 521304 LH/4 Fibre from driver seat 7/2/13 521305 LH/5 Fibre from passenger seat 7/2/13 521306 LH/6 Car keys for fingerprints 7/2/13 521309 DJ/1 CCTV footage from Station Rd. (from north) 7/2/13 521310 DJ/2 CCTV footage from Station Rd. (from south) I transported all the seized exhibits to the secure unit storage at Middleton police station, where all items were packaged, labeled and sealed correctly by James Winchester at 16.30 pm. At 12.20 pm on 8th of February 2013, I went back to Middleton Railway to collect the CCTV footage that was seized by Detective Michael Hobs from the Station Road area. Seized exhibits were packed robustly by police investigative officer, Angela Still, who tasked me safe transportation of items to the secure storage unit at Middleton police station. Still at the police station at ten thirty past midday, the exhibits, which were packed, labelled and sealed correctly by James Winchester in the presence of commissioner, Sir Andrew Putland, were to be sent to IT forensic experts. February 10th 2013, I arrived at Layby on the A66 J/W at 13.10 pm, with the crime scene manager David Johansson and detective sergeant Michael Hobs, were a black handbag was found in the ditch by a passer-by who gave it to the police officers, Constable Samantha Samson and Lee Jones. Police investigative officer Katherine Winfield arrived earlier at the scene, who collected the items from both police officers. Cordons were set by police officers, to stop further contamination and preparing the following exhibits for the collection and transportation to the police station. Date/time/seized Bag no. Exhibit no. Description 10/2/13 521308 KW/1 Black hand back 10/2/13 521309 KW/2 Mobile phone 10/2/13 521310 KW/3 Personal diary These exhibits gathered from Layby to the Metropolitan police station at Middleton to secure storage were transported to the police station and sealed by Katherine Winfield. They went to the crime scene on 11th February at at 12.15 pm. On arrival the cordons had been set, and the team was gathering exhibits. The following items were securely packaged and ready to collect by 12.30 pm. Date/time/seized Bag no. Exhibit no. Description 11/2/13 521311 AS/4 White Blouse 11/2/13 521312 AS/5 Swaps – wet and dry under left hand finger nails 11/2/13 521313 AS/6 Swaps – wet and dry under right hand finger nails 11/2/13 521314 AS/7 Black Skirt Police officer Samantha Samson collected the exhibits. She was the first in possession before releasing them to Detective sergeant Michael Hobs, who has given the exhibits to Angela Still who then packaged robustly, labeled and sealed them carefully. AS/5 and AS/6, the swaps were packaged in the tubes and in the bags. I transported them to the secure storage unit at Middleton police station. I returned to secure storage at Middleton police station on February 12th at 14.35 hours to transport the following exhibits to the forensic laboratory at Manchester. These exhibits were delivered to forensic laboratory at Middleton. All the exhibits were received by IT forensic expert Sophie Thompson at 15.55 hours in safely packaged, sealed, labelled condition: Bag no. Exhibit no. Description Laptop Photo Diary Car keys Station Road CCTV footage KW/2 Mobile phone KW/3 Personal diary 25th February 2013 I attended Middleton police station at 12.55 hours to transport the following exhibits to the forensic laboratory: Bag no. Exhibit no. Description JW/1 Fibre from the seats JW/2 Fibre from headrests AS/5 Swaps – wet and dry under left hand finger nails AS/6 Swaps – wet and dry under right hand finger nails KW/1 Black handbag AS/4 White Blouse AS/7 Black skirt I transported JW/1, JW/2, AS/5 and AS/6 to the forensic laboratory in Manchester, where they were received at 13.45 hours by Dominique Williams. KW/1, AS/4/ and AS/7 were transported on the 26th February at 15.40 hours, and they were packaged, labelled and sealed when received by forensic scientist Dominique Williams at 16.35 hours. I transported all the seized exhibits on the 25th and 26th of February in the boot of my van (Smith, 2013). References Hook, B., 2014. ‘Forensic Assessment and Examination Techniques: Julie Sharp’ Lecture to BA H Criminology, Policing and Forensics year 3. 5 February 2014. Smith, D., 2013. Witness Statement. Statement of Detective Constable David Smith Read More