Criminalist
Under general supervision of the Criminalist Supervisor, the Criminalist will respond to crime scenes and perform technical investigations that involve the identification, collection, preservation, packaging and analysis of evidence.
Salary: $22.84 – $33.06 Hourly
Responsibilities:
Essential Job Functions & Other Important Duties
Essential Job Functions:
Processes crime scenes by personally visiting the crime scene, making and recording observations, collecting evidence, packaging and preserving and analyzing evidence to aid the prosecution of perpetrators.
Processes crime scenes by taking photographs, dusting for fingerprints, collecting, preserving and logging physical evidence, packaging and inventorying evidence; preparing detailed forensic laboratory reports, and delivering evidence to the Department of Public Safety laboratory for analysis.
Responds to fatality and serious injury accident scenes for photographic, evidentiary and evidence collection purposes
Composes detailed crime-scene investigation sketches and reports.
Maintains a comprehensive latent fingerprint collection by lifting latent fingerprints at crime scenes; analyze and interpret latent fingerprints, making positive identification, a negative comparison or determining a print is of no value for comparison purposes; making comparisons of known prints against latent fingerprints;
Mixes and uses chemicals to process evidence; use alternate light sources to locate latent prints, serological, biological fluids and trace evidence.
Operates the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to develop candidate lists for conducting comparisons to identify individuals and latent prints.
Review all Crime Scene Reports and Lab Reports.
Reconstructs major crime scenes using advanced forensic techniques such as blood spatter interpretation, gunshot trajectory etc.
Testifies in court as expert witness regarding crime scene and police identification matters and
Provides training classes for police officers on crime scenes, teaching classes at police academies and providing public safety education at public schools
Other Important Duties:
Responds to crime scenes and emergency situations during regular work hours, evenings and weekends.
Ensures that the lab is kept clean and evidence is processed in a timely manner.
Ensures all divisions in the police department have an adequate supply of crime scene
processing materials and evidence collection, and packaging supplies.
Travel to attend meetings, conferences, and training.
Set up and operate still and video camera equipment.This includes preparing court photographic enlargements for jury illustrations.
Ensure the Crime Scene Unit's vehicles are properly maintained
Conducts briefings and training requested or required
Researches forensic science field for current materials regarding new techniques in locating,
collecting and preserving all types of physical evidence.
Maintains forensic field and laboratory supplies for the department.
Perform other related duties as assigned.
Regular and consistent attendance for the assigned work hours is essential.
Qualifications:
Required Knowledge and Skills:
Must be proficient in the use of computers and modern office equipment.
Must be able to operate photographic equipment and computer software.
Must have Complete basic and intermediate mathematical calculations relevant to documenting and reconstructing crime scenes.
Knowledge in the use of hand tools including hammers, metal detectors, saws, pliers, electric drills, scissors, scalpels, tweezers, and forceps in recovery and processing of evidential items.
Must have the ability to organize and manage time efficiently.
Must be able to work independently in the absence of immediate supervision.
Must be able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
Preferred Education, Experience, and Certifications:
High School Diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (G.E.D.); two (2) years advanced full time crime scene investigation experience. Must have completed courses in crime scene investigation, latent fingerprint examination and comparison.
Must have successfully completed A.F.I.S. certification test (both latent and ten-print requirements).
Current Certification as a Latent Print Examiner from the International Association for Identification
Must pass a pre-employment drug screen, criminal background investigation, psychological and polygraph tests and/or post-offer physical agility exam.
Must possess valid State of Texas Class C Drivers License.
Environmental Factors and Conditions/Physical Requirements:
Work is performed in municipal police department office and crime scene environments.
May be subject to repetitive motion such as typing, data entry and vision to monitor.
May be subject to extended periods of standing, sitting, walking, bending, reaching, crawling, climbing, kneeling, lifting and carrying when responding to an emergency police situation, accident or investigation collecting evidence, photographing or sketching crime scene, or transporting evidence.
May be subject to exposure to extreme weather conditions, hostile environments, hazardous chemicals and fumes, body fluids, infectious diseases, air and water borne pathogens.
Work in close proximity to dead bodies in various stages of putrefaction to recover and record evidence, photographing and videotaping the scene.
Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
Equipment and Tools Utilized:
Equipment utilized includes personal computer, copier, calculator, fax machine and other standard office equipment, standard issue police equipment, photographic equipment, chemical analysis and fingerprint kits and department vehicles. Standard crime scene investigation equipment to include generators, portable lighting, metal detector, crime scene search equipment and tools, chemicals.