National Police Staff Week of Celebration: Crime Scene Investigation (CSI)
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As part of National Police Staff Week of Celebration, we speak to two of our Crime Scene Investigators (CSI’s) Sharlene Watkins and Jo Chalmers, about the role they play gathering forensic evidence from crime scenes, that ultimately help lead to the detection and prosecution of criminals. A CSI will attend a variety of crime scenes, such as burglaries and vehicle crime, to major incidents such as murder and sexual offences.
What is the role of a CSI?
The role of a CSI is to attend at crime scenes when tasked. They document and record the crime scene using specialist techniques during the examination to locate, preserve and recover evidence. Typical responsibilities include:
- Establishing what evidence is required from incident scenes and developing a strategy as to how best to obtain it, ensuring all findings are available for the wider investigation
- Gathering forensic evidence such as samples of blood, hair, footwear impressions and fingerprints, etc, using appropriate scientific techniques
- Handling evidence from investigations in line with agreed protocols to maintain the integrity, continuity, and security of the evidence for investigative processes and court proceedings
- Preserving evidence in protective packaging and submitting it away for forensic analysis
- Taking photographs and video of the scene
- Providing evidence in court
Sharlene Watkins has been a CSI for nearly 23 years. She joined as a CSI in Llanelli in 2002 and transferred to South Yorkshire Police in 2009 before returning to Dyfed-Powys Police in 2009 as a senior CSI. She was promoted to Forensic Operations senior manager in 2017.
How did you get into the job?
I have a degree in Applied Biology, a PhD in Biochemistry and a post-doctoral position at the University of Sienna, Italy, and subsequently the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne. I worked for pharmaceutical company Roche in Switzerland as a clinical pharmacologist before coming back to Wales in 2002. I have always been interested in forensics and was a member of the Forensic Science Society from doing my degree. I asked a friend if you had to be a police officer to be a CSI and she told me about a job being advertised for a part time CSI in Llanelli, but the closing date was just 24 hours away. I phoned HR, got them to fax the application form, which I completed, and hand delivered to HR at HQ just before the deadline. I was interviewed the following week, got the job and started the week after going on a 12-week CSI course, the rest is history!
Why are CSI’s important?
They are critical as forensic evidence is increasingly relied upon to support investigations and bring those responsible to justice. You have one chance with forensics, you can’t go back as evidence will get altered, compromised, degraded, contaminated, or lost. My motto is “it is better to have and not need, than need and not have.” We also have to get everything right as any errors will open opportunities for the defence to get a defendant off, even though they may have committed the crime.
What is the best part of your job?
Working alongside so many talented and knowledgeable colleagues and external experts as part of the investigation team to gather forensic evidence that can be used to assist in obtaining justice for victims of crime. It takes a team effort to identify all the pieces of the jigsaw to evidence someone’s guilt or just as importantly their innocence, to ensure there are no miscarriages of justice. I really enjoy sharing the knowledge I have gained over nearly 23 years through training inputs, while also constantly learning and developing myself.
Can you describe your proudest moments?
Two of the most challenging investigations I have been involved in, carrying out the role of both crime scene manager and crime scene coordinator, were in what we call ‘no body murder’ investigations. This is where no body was ever found to assist the investigation in determining what happened or to provide evidential links between the offender and the crime. These present significant challenges more than any other investigations.
Through the diligence, professionalism, commitment, and dedication of everyone involved we were able to obtain some justice for the families involved, by getting those responsible convicted of murder with life sentences, due to the overwhelming evidence recovered. I am not sure if proud best describes the feeling at the end when we obtain successful convictions, more a sense of relief that all the hard work invested by everyone had not gone to waste, whilst being honoured and privileged to have worked on and contributed to, such important, challenging investigations.
What is the hardest part of your job?
Seeing the suffering of family members when awful crimes have been committed. I could never be a family liaison officer as it would be too emotional. When dealing with forensics, I can separate the emotional side by concentrating on the evidence to assist the investigative side.
Are there any challenging cases you have had to cover?
I was a crime scene manager/coordinator for the murder of toddler Lola James in July 2020 in Haverfordwest. From the forensics and assistance of the pathologist and scientists, we were able to prove that the catastrophic brain injuries were not consistent with Lola falling down the stairs as claimed by the suspect Kyle Bevan. He was convicted of her murder and her mum Sinead James who was convicted for causing or allowing her daughter’s death.
We were unable to identify the cause of injuries, but got a conviction, due to the evidence recovered. This included a video on Kyle’s phone after he had inflicted the fatal injuries, which still to this day pulls on my heart strings, as no child should suffer what this little girl was subjected to.
Describe a typical shift?
You never know what you are going to deal with, things are very dynamic in the world of CSI, especially when serious incidents occur. It’s a case of down tools and dedicate all of your time and effort into the investigation. Otherwise, my days are a mixture of meetings and training mostly, while supporting the team and officers in any way I can.
Do you have any success stories, where you worked together as team?
A proud achievement due to excellent teamwork by every single member of the CSI team and others within forensic services is being awarded our CSI ISO 17020 accreditation. We were the first police force in Wales to be granted any CSI accreditation. This was an outstanding accomplishment by a very small team that everyone should feel a huge sense of achievement and satisfaction. I feel honoured and privileged to be part of such an amazing team and every single member is valued and appreciated.
How did you get into the job?
I was studying photographic design at university and had shown a particular interest in police photography. I was allowed to work with Devon and Cornwall Scenes of Crime Office (SOCO) now CSI once a week. This was over 30 years ago, and the cameras were very different (medium format) but the job is still the same. I finished university and the following year applied and was given the role of SOCO with Leicestershire Police. I then worked for Staffordshire Police, in the same role, before joining Dyfed Powys in 2018.
What is the best part of your job?
Knowing I am helping to make a difference. Whether it is helping with a distraction burglary to respectfully caring for a deceased person, while always remembering that is someone’s family and deserves care.
Can you describe a proud moment?
I am still proud of fingerprint and DNA identifications. Also being part of the team here at Dyfed-Powys Police, when cases have a positive court result is rewarding. I am very proud to work here. I covered a large hotel fire in Aberystwyth, which was my first large case in the force. I was working as both CSI and Crime Scene Manager due to staffing and cover, and we hand lifted 50 tonnes of debris from the hotel carcass. However, as a team, we found and recovered the deceased and found the point of origin of the fire, working with the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), who rebuilt parts of the hotel to help us.
What is the hardest part of your job?
As well as the large fire that I had to cover, I find any job or cases involving children upsetting, from Sudden Unexpected Death in Children (SUDIC) to abuse cases. I also find distraction burglaries difficult, where people’s trust is exploited.
Any challenging cases you have had to cover?
Sadly, we deal with many suicides, and these are mentally challenging. I recently was called to a tragic case of two deceased individuals. I had to work as part of a team with the Disaster Victim identification (DVI), the fire and ambulance service to recover a man from a sceptic tank. I have also been required to attend aircraft crashes and train suicides in previous forces. You will usually find me on the ariel platforms at fire scenes or hanging from the crane in a basket ‑ I’m not keen on heights at all.
Describe a typical shift?
There is no typical shift. We task ourselves to jobs and make sure the rest of the team are okay to attend. I can often end up anywhere across the force, whether it’s dealing with anything from damage to death. It is an amazing but challenging role, and I am still learning on a daily basis.