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CRIME SCENE UNIT
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Crime Scene Unit falls under the command of a Detective Lieutenant. CSU consists
of two Detectives and one Prosecutor’s Agent, supervised by a Detective Sergeant, who
perform all aspects of forensic investigations. The duties of the Crime Scene Unit include
crime scene processing, photography, video recording of major crime incidents,
identification and evaluation of items of physical evidence, conducting chemical and
other scientific analysis processing, preparation of crime scene diagrams,
measurements of crime scenes and the location of evidence in accordance with
accepted procedures, development of latent fingerprints, examination and analysis of
fingerprints, evaluation and comparison of latent fingerprints to known prints, and
documentation of post-mortem examinations. The members of the unit also search crime
scenes for biological evidence such as blood and other bodily fluids utilizing specialized
equipment, including forensic light sources and chemical reagents. Crime Scene
Investigators are trained in crime scene analysis and reconstruction, including bloodstain
pattern analysis. Members of the Crime Scene Unit also prepare courtroom exhibits for
trial use and provide forensic expert witness testimony on fingerprint identifications as
required.
In addition to working on major crimes cases handled by the Burlington County
Prosecutor’s Office, these detectives also provide assistance to the other units of the
Prosecutor's Office, such as the SACA Unit, CAR Unit, GGNTF, Trial Team, Special
Investigations Unit, Financial Crimes Unit, and Family Unit. Also, CSU provides services
and assistance to municipal police departments in the furtherance of solving crimes not
directly handled by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.
OPERATIONS, ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES IN 2012
In 2012, CSU Detectives conducted seventeen death scene investigations involving two
homicides, four fatal motor vehicle collisions, two fatal fires, a buried human remains
investigation, and nine suspicious death investigations. In addition, CSU Detectives
conducted approximately 81 investigations involving attempted murders, fatal fires,
aggravated assaults, sexual assaults, bank robberies, robberies, drug offenses,
burglaries, weapons offenses, various other crimes, police involved shootings and
special investigations.
CSU Detectives also conducted latent print examinations involving 31 cases, many of
which involved subsequent comparison of latent prints to known prints, resulting in
several positive identifications. CSU Detectives testified as expert witnesses in
fingerprint identification on several cases.