- 01: Introduction
- 02: History of Firearms Identification
- 03: Powder, Ammunition, and Firearm Development
- 04: Manufacture of Firearms
- 05: Small Arms Ammunition
- 06: Handling Procedures
- 07: Equipment and Instrumentation
- 08: Examination of Firearms
- 09: Cartridge and Shotshell Examination
- 10: Characterization and Evaluation of Fired Projectiles
- 11: Bullet Comparison and Identification
- 12: Gunshot Residue and Distance Determination
- 13: Toolmark Identification
- 14: Communicating Results
Examiner
Home > Evidence Handling Procedures > Roles and Expectations > Examiner
It is unusual for a firearms/toolmark examiner to respond to a crime scene. However, the examiner may be called upon as a content expert to advise investigators or crime scene technicians during a crime scene search. This occurs on an exceptional basis when the scope of the scene or the volume and complexity of the firearm/toolmark evidence is beyond the experience of those primarily responsible for evidence collection. High profile cases may also require their assistance.
The role of the examiner in these situations is to insure that:
- Firearm/toolmark-related items of potential probative value are recognized and collected
- Proper preservation and packaging techniques used
- Continuous technical feedback and advice is provided
It is important to emphasize that, unless directed otherwise by laboratory management, examiners should not assume responsibility for the collection, preservation, and documentation of physical evidence. The examiner's role at the scene is generally in an advisory capacity only. This general policy helps to insure that the essential forensic expertise of the examiner is focused on actual laboratory bench analyses. As direct on-site field support by laboratory examiners increases, case production and completion back at the laboratory decreases.
| An excellent example of an exception to this general rule is the Branch Davidian case in Waco, Texas. In this case, there were an estimated two million firearms-related items, including nearly ten thousand items of probative value and over three hundred firearms. Hundreds of FBI forensic examiners and laboratory technicians were on-site for months. Forensic personnel from over a dozen state and local agencies were pulled away from existing cases during the investigation. | |
