- 01: Introduction
- 02: History
- 03: Propellants, Firearms, and Ammunition Development
- 04: Modern Firearms Manufacture
- 05: Small Arms Ammunition
- 06: Evidence 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
- Resources
- Safety
- Worksheets and Reports
- Selected Bibliography
- Ethics
- Assessments
At the Crime Scene
Home > Safety > General Guidelines > At the Crime Scene
Safe handling of firearm evidence prior to arrival at the laboratory is critical. The on-site protocols used by investigators or crime scene technicians for the collection, packaging, and preservation of evidence items should address the potential dangers. These protocols must be followed whether the intention is to ship or hand-carry the evidence to the laboratory.
Firearms
Safely packaged firearm
Firearms collected during a crime scene search should be unloaded and made safe according to laboratory protocols. If there is any doubt as to the procedure for unloading a firearm and making it safe, assistance should be requested from a competent source (firearms instructor, departmental armorer, or an on-site firearm examiner). Unloaded ammunition should be packaged separately, marked, and identified as to the firearm from which it was removed.
