Lt. John Wood

The Brentwood Police Department’s Crime Scene Technicians are sworn police officers of the Field Services Division and perform crime scene duties as an additional responsibility. The department implemented this program in hopes of developing and enhancing officers’ skills and knowledge regarding evidence preservation and scene interpretation. The Crime Scene Technicians work under the direction of Lt. John Wood.

The Crime Scene Technician Program provides the valuable service of processing and documenting evidence at serious crime scenes. Crime Scene Technicians assist all members of the police department in handling, processing, preserving and securing evidence. (Storage of evidence is handled by the Property and Evidence Officer within the Support Services Division.)

Methods used include photography, latent print development, sensitive evidence handling, and other procedures available using modern crime detection technology. Crime Scene Technicians are equipped with special equipment not readily available to other police officers. This includes evidence collection kits, digital cameras, and fingerprinting lifting materials. Additionally, all technicians have access to the special response unit for use at major crime scenes.

Each Crime Scene Technician is required to attend a basic crime scene class prior to their appointment. In addition, they must stay abreast of current technologies and strategies within the evidence collection specialty. The Brentwood Police Department is proud to have two officers who are graduates of the National Forensics Academy in Knoxville, Tennessee:

 

· Captain David O’Neil

· Detective Guy Carden

This academy is a highly regarded course of ten-weeks. Officers accomplish educational objectives through tests, case files, research papers, and various other hands-on experiences. At the end of the course, an officer will be a highly trained crime scene investigator who is able to easily recognize the key elements of evidence recovery and submission.