NCJ Number
228667
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 36 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2009 Pages: 18,20,22
Date Published
July 2009
Length
4 pages
Annotation
After providing general information on the features and benefits of mobile crime laboratories, this article describes the capabilities of Pinellas County's mobile crime lab (Florida).
Abstract
Mobile crime labs enable crime-scene technicians to conduct extensive evidence collection and processing at crime-scene sites, such as homicide scenes, meth lab sites, arson sites, and investigations that involve mass casualties. Most mobile crime labs contain equipment for analyzing chemicals, special hoods for fume disposal, isolated boxes for hazardous material analysis, and supplies for crime-scene investigation. The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is part of the State's forensic response team, which is a component of a regional domestic security task force. In this capacity, Pinellas County was able to obtain Federal homeland security funding for the purchase of a mobile crime lab. The rationale for this purchase was to have a mobile crime lab that could be deployed at a crime scene for several days with the capabilities of processing evidence at the scene. The county uses the mobile crime lab about six times a year in responding to homicide scenes that require crime-scene technicians to work at a crime scene for an extended period. It has also been used in a regional, multiagency training exercise. The mobile lab is 40-feet long with three separate sections. The rear section is a conference room or investigative room for detectives. It is equipped with a white board, radio communications, and video technology, which enables investigators to see the crime scene without actually going to a particular spot. The middle section contains a microwave, refrigerator, sink, and bathroom. The front section houses the lab, which can be closed off when evidence is being processed. A separate entrance is provided for this section of the vehicle.