Running head: MODULE 2 CHECK UNDERSTANDING

Module 2 Check Your Understanding

Andrew Uhlenkamp
Allied American University

Author Note
This paper was prepared for CRJ: 350: Homicide Investigation I, Module 2 Check Your
Understanding taught by Casey Floyd.

Directions: After reading the LIRN article(s) below, please answer the questions below. Each
question should have a 2 to 3 paragraph response. Remember to support your work with APA
references and in-text citations. Please visit the Academic Resource Center for concise APA
guidelines.
Questions for: Geberth, V. (2005). First officer's duties at the homicide scene. Law & Order,
53(9), 105-109.
1.

Summarize the authors main points.

When an emergency call is put out, the first person to become aware of the scene from the

responding party is the person answering the call. That persons first responsibility is to attain as
much information as possible from the person reporting the crime. This includes as many details
as the caller can relate about the crime that they saw, including information about the suspects
and any other persons they saw on the scene. Its also important that the operator get as much
information about the caller as possible, including their name and contact information. From
there, in an ideal situation, the caller can take measures to help protect or preserve the scene until
responding officers arrive.
Pending the availability of someone on the scene responsible, competent, and willing to
assist with the protection of the scene, it falls upon the first responding officer to perform their
primary duties. All of these necessary tasks are detailed in the article. First and foremost, above
the importance of any evidence, is the safety of life. If the officer can, they need to determine if
any victim or victims at the scene are living, and if so, follow any necessary procedures to ensure
that they stay that way, including applying first aid and lifesaving techniques. Above the
importance of preserving the life of victims on the scene, however, is the preservation of life of
the officer and any other bystanders that may be threatened by hazards.
Once the scene has been made safe and it has been determined that any victim discovered
is, in fact, dead, the officers next duty is to identify and secure any and all possible evidence on

the scene. This is significantly less in-depth than it might sound, as only investigators should be
handling evidence. Recognizing and detaining witnesses in addition to preventing noninvestigative personnel from contaminating the scene make-up the most difficult and involved
responsibilities of the responding officer. Establishing a large perimeter area allows the officer to
maintain the security and integrity of as much potential evidence as possible. Throughout this
process, the officer should try to notify the appropriate parties, including investigative personnel,
as soon as possible. They should keep a log of all individuals entering the scene, and take
gratuitous notes throughout.
2.

What are your thoughts regarding the article?

Geberths article is comprehensive, instructive, and thorough in its content. The amount of

responsibility seems like it could be astronomical, depending on the status of the scene being
responded to. The more people found at the scene, the more work it is for the responding officer
to not only identify everyone at the scene, but also detain possible suspects and witnesses, while
at the same time keeping them separated. All the while, the officer needs to be assessing the
scene while also making sure its safe. Once the scene has been identified as a potential
homicide, the appropriate parties must be notified. Once that is all handled, then the officer needs
to make sure that the scene stays secure, while at the same time making sure that the detained
persons are secured as well.
Its a lot of pressure in an already stressful situation. Obviously this is a job best handled
with more than one person. In addition, despite the necessity for quick work and timely decisionmaking, care must be taken throughout the entire process that mistakes arent made and the scene
remains intact as completely as possible. The whole scenario sounds very difficult and tedious,
especially with potentially unruly bystanders, distraught friends and/or family members of the

deceased, and a suspicious public eye observing and criticizing every move an officer makes.
Practical exercise in addition to study of the theoretical aspect of the job seems to be the
key here. Much like any other skill, the more this is rehearsed in practice, the easier and less
stressful it should be in the real world. Running through scenario after scenario and role-playing
the scene with other officers would help to ease the anxiety connected with this kind of detail and
allow an inexperienced officer to recall their training and attempt to handle the situation in the
best way they can.
3.

Describe ADAPT, the 5-Step Approach. What is the role of the first officer?
When an officer first arrives on the scene of a homicide, the necessary task present and the

importance of their role can seem overwhelming. In such a strenuous situation, it can sometimes
be difficult to prioritize an officers duties and perform them appropriately. Vernon Geberth
officers an acronym- ADAPT- that some officers might find useful if and when they come across
the scene of a homicide. This acronym is made up of five letters, representing the five most
important steps necessary for a responding officer to remember, and listing them in order by
priority.
The first step a responding officer must take once hes happened upon a crime scene is to
arrest the alleged perpetrator as soon as possible. Thats why the first letter in ADAPT stands for
Arrest. At such an initial phase, this would more likely be an apprehension than an arrest, but if
action is not taken to detain potential suspects, the case becomes that much more difficult to
investigate and prosecute. Investigators can perform the true arrest when they have assessed the
scene and determined that there is sufficient evidence- in addition to the probable cause observed
by the responding officer- to make an arrest..
Once the officer has either apprehended the suspect or determined that the suspect is not

obviously at the scene, he or she can look for and detain witnesses for interview by the
investigator. The letter D in the acronym stands for detain. While it may be difficult to detain a
witness, especially if they are uncooperative or refuse to speak to the police, an officer must
gather as much information as possible from anyone who observed the crime. If they are able to
get a witness name, phone number, and home address, at the very least an investigator can make
arrangements to interview them at a later date.
The next A in the acronym ADAPT represents the third step in the first officers
responsibility list, and that is assess the crime scene. From this point the officer must determine
what might have happened with the best of their ability. The key here is not to try to learn what
happened through examination of the evidence, but simply to discover whether or not the victim
is living or dead and determine who to call. Investigators will get more in depth on the scene and
make a better determination as to what happened.
The final two letters of the acronym ADAPT stand for protect the crime scene and take
notes. Protecting the crime scene requires the officer to use whatever means necessary, usually
police tape, to section off the widest area around the crime scene possible and disallow entry to
anyone except investigative personnel. With this in mind, the officer might even keep a log of
everyone coming in and out of the crime scene to help eliminate possible evidence later on.
Taking notes of everything observed at the scene is the final task that a responding officer
should keep in mind when they come across a homicide scene. Theres no telling when even
seemingly insignificant details may be capable of helping investigators solve a crime.

References-

1. Geberth, V. (2005). First officer's duties at the homicide scene. Law & Order, 53(9), 105109.
Questions for: Donofrio, A. W. (2000). First responder duties. Law & Order, 48(4), 117-122.
1.

Explain the main points of the article.

The most obvious and important piece to take away from this article is that it is

impossible to not leave any trace of evidence on a crime scene. At the same time, however, that
applies not only to the perpetrators, but also any other person that comes in contact with the
environment. Its inevitable that evidence at the scene of the crime will not remain pristine. With
enough care and training, however, it may be possible that those responding to the scene can take
appropriate measures to minimize the level of alteration that the scene may undergo during the
initial response and ensuing investigation.
Locards exchange principle is the most prominent feature of this article, as it is described
in detail just what effect it has on the scene as well as anyone who comes into contact with the
scene, including the victim, the perpetrator, bystanders, and law enforcement- both authorized
and unauthorized personnel. The best way to ensure that this principle works in the favor of law
enforcement is a healthy level of awareness for all members of law enforcement. Being aware of
their potential to contaminate evidence is enough in some cases to prevent an officer from
entering a scene, or at the very least, remind them to take appropriate precautions if they need to
be on the scene.
2.

What are your opinions about the first responder duties after reading the article?
First responders need to maintain an attitude of awareness and professionalism at all

times. Forgetting themselves or the responsibilities of their station can be the difference between
a carefully protected crime scene and scene devoid of relevant evidence. Constant care and

consideration must be taken to be sure that all potential evidence is protected and able to be used.
The other aspect of the scenario requires a first responder to conduct crowd control, while also
determining who in this so-called crowd may be a witness, who may be a suspect, and who is
simply in the area trying to catch a glimpse of the crime scene. Keeping in mind all of the
different mindsets and attitudes that the general public has towards police, especially those who
may be near a homicide scene, this may be even harder than it sounds.
Maintaining calm and being able to appropriately conduct ones self under pressure is a
hallmark of a skilled responder and may take time and practice to ensure that the officer is
confident in their abilities.
3.

Describe Locards Exchange Principle.

Locards Exchange Principle is stated regarding crime scenes. It specifically deduces that

any object on a crime scene that a person comes in to contact with is not only permanently
changed, if only in an insignificant manner, but the person that touches it is also affected
similarly. (Donofrio, 2000) An example is a person picking up a weapon that was used and
dropped at the scene of a crime. The persons fingerprints are now on the weapon, and the
gunshot residue left over near the handle of the weapon has now been transferred, even if only in
trace amounts, to the hand of the person picking it up. Oils from a persons skin, fingerprints,
latent saliva or mucous, or even traces of blood on a persons hand can be transferred to the
surface of any object that any personnel not wearing fresh, new latex gloves at a crime scene
might touch.
Proper measures must be taken to minimize the effect of Locards Exchance Principle.
Wearing gloves, taking care where one steps, and keeping as many people out of the crime scene
as possible are some of the most vital.

References1. Donofrio, A. W. (2000). First responder duties. Law & Order, 48(4), 117-122.