after the Criminalistics Laboratory has inspected and tested them. The Laboratory appreciates that prompt return of the officers’ handgun is important, and will return them as soon as possible.
Any other physical evidence at the scene which is in danger of being contaminated, destroyed, or removed must be promptly and effectively observed, recorded, and then protected for subsequent collection. Evidence adhering to live participants (such as blood stains), footprints, fingerprints, volatile substances, various types of trace evidence, and firearms discharge evidence, are examples.
Transporting and Sequestering of Involved Officers:
Officers who were present at the scene at the time of the critical incident, whether actors or witnesses, will be relieved of their duties at the scene as promptly as possible and shall be sent to their own police station unless other suitable and agreeable arrangements were made for them. Officer(s) not involved in the incident shall be assigned to accompany these officers, either in a group or individually. Actors should be driven to the station by an uninvolved officer.
If circumstances prohibit removal of all witnessing and involved officers from the scene at once, those officers who where Actors should be relieved first.
An uninvolved officer shall remain with the involved officers, either in a group or individually, until they can be interviewed. The sequestering officers are present to ensure the officers have privacy, that their needs are accommodated, and to ensure the integrity of each officer’s later statements by investigators. They should not be present during confidential (privileged) conversations. The initial interview will be conducted so as to ascertain the basic information necessary for the investigation to proceed. This interview is the “Initial Public Safety Statement”. The follow-up detailed interview will be conducted with the