Cordon Off/Secure Scene

Another procedure that will be carried out either by the police officers attending the scene or by the scenes of crime officers is cordoning off the crime scene. This procedure will be carried out using ‘crime scene tape’, an officer will also be stationed at the entrance to the scene ensuring that nobody gets past the crime scene tape if they are not meant to be there. This ensures that the scene remains secure. The reason this procedure is carried out is in order to prevent unauthorised personnel from entering the scene, these people could include; the media, the general public and also potentially the person who has committed the crime trying to enter back into the crime scene. The crime scene can also be cordoned off and secured using a tent-like structure, this is often done in outdoor scenes this again will protect the scene from the view of the public, media and others as the area is completely undercover. Also it can protect the evidence from the weather, for example if it is raining if the scene wasn’t covered the evidence could become contaminated or evidence could be washed away completely such as in the case of fingerprints.

The main reason a scene is cordoned off, no matter in which way is to prevent evidence from being contaminated or even potentially removed from the scene by an unauthorised person. Cordoning off the scene also clearly points out the area or areas in which the crime has occurred and the areas in which evidence could potentially be, this in turn prevents any evidence from being missed or overlooked as it is clearly marked out.

When cordoning off the scene it must be ensured that the cordon is wide enough, this is because if only the main scene is cordoned off potential evidence could be left outside the cordon and then is very likely to get damaged and contaminated by people gathered around the area of the scene. This procedure is effective as it ensures that evidence at the crime scene is kept from being contaminated, and also is kept secure and prevented from potentially being removed from the scene. Another reason securing the scene is effective is that it makes it easier to keep track of who is entering and exiting the scene. Each of these things prevents questions being asked in court regarding the reliability of the evidence.

In the case of the murders of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman the procedure of the scene being cordoned off was completed upon the arrival of Sergeant Coon and officers McGowan and Walker. As the media and neighbours had begun to arrive at the scene the cordon was put up quickly at the gateway of the entrance to the property. However as this cordon was only applied to the immediate area where the crime had taken place. Crucial evidence pointing to the perpetrator that may have been on the pavement such as tyre marks or blood drops would have been lost and contaminated.