Speak to the First Attending Officer

This will be the first procedure to occur when a scenes of crime officer attends a crime scene. This step is put in place in order for the scenes of crime officer to gain knowledge and learn the details regarding what has happened at a crime scene, for example what type of crime has occurred. The first attending officer will be able to supply details regarding any witnesses and also information regarding any specific evidence, such as whether there is a body at the scene. The use of this procedure at the crime scene is that a SOCO knows what they are facing, where in a house the crime has occurred and what type of crime has occurred. This procedure can be seen as effective as by receiving the information from the first attending officer the scenes of crime officers are able to enter a crime scene with an idea of the type of evidence they will have to collect.

In the case of the murders of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman in relation to the procedure of the SOCO’s speaking to the first attending officer on their arrival at the scene, by the time the scene of crime officers arrived, the investigation had been taken over by the homicide special section (HSS) of the LAPD’s robbery/homicide division. Also the first attending officers at the scene of the murders had been relieved from the scene and had gone off duty. However Detective Vannatter, one of the lead detectives at this point, briefed the Scenes of crime officers regarding the scene and the suspected crime. Therefore allowing the SOCO’s to be prepared in relation to what the scene consisted of and the type of evidence they would be required to collect.