Title CHAPTER 22 Exhibits, Handling, Packaging and Labelling.pdf ✅

CHAPTER 22 Exhibits – Handling, Packaging & Labeling EXHIBITS An exhibit means anything having bearing on, or relevant to the matter under investigation. 1. Exhibits are found or come into the possession of the police in the following ways: (a) a. At the scene of the crime; (b) At the post-mortem examination by the Pathologist; c. During the execution of a search warrant; d. At the hospital or D.M.O’s office after his examination of a patient (e.g. a swab) or (b) Otherwise during investigation. 2. An exhibit should be handled by as few persons as is necessary and preserved, wherever possible, in the same state or condition in which it was found. The police officer who finds the exhibit or in whose possession it first comes, should retain it in its personal custody until he has marked it for future positive identification – particularly for such identification by him, if and when he produces the exhibit in court. If an exhibit is found or produced by a member of the pubic and handed over to a police officer, he should; (a) mark the exhibit in the presence of the member of the public, so that he/she may be able to identify such mark if required to do so in court; (b) ask the member of the public to similarly mark the exhibit. 3. The best general way to mark an exhibit is for the officer to put his initial and date on some “obscure” part of it, care being taken to preserve it in its original position and for the avoidance of obliterating, or otherwise making ineligible any writings on the exhibit, in the case of a document. If the exhibit is a metal object, it should be marked with a sharp pointed metal object just sufficiently to make positive identification possible at some future date. In addition, a police exhibit label, should be affixed to the parcel or container in which the exhibit is kept. 4. An exhibit should be taken to and from the Government Chemist, or other expert, by the police officer who found it or in whose possession it first came, and who should: a. be able to inform the expert exactly what he is required to do b. receive from the expert any report on his examination of the exhibits; and c. return the exhibit to the station property keeper, and the report to the person in charge of the investigation. 5. The Station Property Keeper: a. is responsible for the safe keeping of all exhibits entrusted to him; and
b. shall, when required to do so, hand over to the complaint all exhibits required for court. 6. A weapon suspected to have been, or allegedly used to inflict a wound or bodily harm should, wherever practicable, be: a. shown to the doctor who examines the victim for his opinion as to whether that weapon could have inflicted the injury; b. sent to the government chemist for his examination even though bloodstains are not visible to the naked eye. 7. Clothing or other articles containing wet bloodstains: a. should be dried in a cool place away from direct sunlight; b. should be handled in such a way as to avoid contact with other articles of exhibit to prevent the transference of the stains on to the other; and c. may not be sent to the government chemist except it is desirable to prove the group to which the blood on the article belongs. 8. All stains, blood or other, found on the clothing or other articles should be encircled, whenever possible, using a crayon, for ease of future reference. Where there are more than one such stains they may be numbered for the same purpose. Clothing and other articles taken to the Government Chemist or other expert for examination, must be accompanied by an “Advice Letter” in the following form: (see attached)
SUBMISSION OF EXHIBITS TO THE TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FORENSIC SCIENCE CENTRE (This form is to be completed fully and submitted in duplicate) POLICE REF. NO...........................LABORATORY CASE NO........................... POLICE STATION .............................. POLICE DIVISION ........................... INVESTIGATING OFFICER ....................................................................... MEDICAL OFFICER CONCERNED ............................................................. NAME ................................................... TEL NO. ................................... OFFENCE .............................................................................................. DATE AND TIME OF OCCURRENCE .......................................................... PERSONS INVOLVED .............................................................................. NAME AGE (YR) SEX (M/F) *RACIAL IDENTITY CODE HOW INVOLVED (e.g. Victim, suspect) BRIEF CASE HISTORY (Continue on separate sheet as necessary)
..................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................... *Racial Identity Code – Use only in cases involving blood 1. Negroid 2. East Indian 3. Caucasian 4. Chinese 5. Mixed 6. Other LIST OF EXHIBITS SUBMITTED FOR EXAMINATION Note: 1. Each exhibit submitted must be properly packaged and labelled. 2. The description and Police identification number given below must correspond exactly with those on the label. POLICE I.D. N.O LAB. EXHIBIT NO. DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT HOW PACKAGED Have any of the above articles been in contact Submit where appropriate and indicate with an infectious disease? Yes/No with tick in box: If yes, elaborate under Case History over leaf. Sexual offences form Plans Photographs Toxicology form Reason for submission of Exhibits - Other forms (Quote lab. Case No. of previous submissions). Signature and Rank of officer in Charge: