Scenes of Crime Officer

Scenes of Crime Officers

Scenes of Crime Officer? Oh, you mean a ‘CSI’...

Few people will have missed seeing a CSI at work on the TV.  If not on the TV news dealing with a real crime it may be an episode of Frost! We even have our own TV show in America 'CSI', Crime Scene Investigation!  The attention-grabbing image portrayed by the media is of a busy murder scene with CSI team in protective suits using the latest high-tech equipment and coloured lights!  So, yes, we sometimes do that, when we have good reason, but remember what you see there for entertainment with only fictional victims.

Rather than CSI, many UK police forces still prefer the traditional term ‘SOCO’, Scenes Of Crime Officer. Unlike the TV shows, most of our work is about quietly and diligently looking for evidence left on stolen cars or at scenes of burglary.  

The trail to the offender is of course a team effort.  Civilian police staff from our Scientific Support Department including SOCO’s provide scientific evidence to initiate or assist an investigation conducted by our police officer colleagues.  SOCO's are the skilled scene examiners.  They are the finders, recorders and collectors of forensic evidence.  Their role also includes the crime scene photography and video.  The analysis and the final meaningful result of forensic evidence e.g. DNA is mainly provided by forensic scientists who are employed independently of the police.  Fingerprints found at scenes by SOCO's are sent to the Fingerprint Bureau where experts can identify them

If you would like to consider SOCO as a career then remember it is a job very different from all others.  SOCO's work shifts providing cover every day of the year and provide an ‘on call’ service at night.  It will mean being disciplined to be able to work on your own but also fit into a busy team.  SOCO’s have good time management skills and are required to work methodically and accurately in difficult and traumatic situations.  The role tends to be suited to people with good academic achievement with technical and science based abilities.  However, it should be recognised that a significant part of the role involves daily contact with people who are victims of crime in their homes and workplaces.

SOCO’s follow a training programme requiring several years of study to evidence progression and improving ability.  The programme involves a mix of residential courses and workplace experiential learning. SOCO’s learn to recover fingerprints and forensic evidence and how to photograph crime scenes and evidence.  Later there may be other courses that specialise in areas such as fire investigation and a requirement to evidence maintained competency in the role.