It’s hard to imagine now, but the TV pilot for CSI:Crime Scene Investigation was actually passed over at first. But since the first CSI aired in 2000, it became so popular so fast that other CSI spinoffs began popping up left and right. Colleges and universities noticed a sharp spike in enrollment in forensic science classes. Jurors began expecting DNA results and hard forensic evidence at every trial. For better or for worse, all these unexpected outcomes became known as “The CSI Effect.”
Owensboro Living decided to do our own investigation to see how Owensboro CSI practices compare to what we see on TV. Owensboro CSI Ken Bennett gave us a behind the scenes look into CSI at OPD.
[tw-divider]The Process[/tw-divider]
There are three CSIs at OPD. Any one of them could get a call to go to a crime scene at any time. They are not assigned to a particular type of scene (like homicide, drug related, or burglaries, etc). Instead, whichever CSI is in the office at the time of the call gets to investigate the scene.
The CSI’s job is to locate evidence, collect it, process it, reconstruct the scene, and then document the evidence.
It’s also their job to process and catalogue any evidence that comes in from a patrol officer, which happens a lot. This used to require a tremendous amount of paperwork, but now it is done mostly by computer. Reports are sent to labs and results are sent back via computer.
[tw-divider]The Gear[/tw-divider]
As for the equipment, OPD CSI vehicles are fully stocked with kits that are loaded with much of the same gear you see in the TV episodes: rubber gloves, cameras, tape measures, tire track and shoe print plaster kits, GSR (Gun Shot Residue) kits, swabs to retrieve DNA or paint samples, cones and markers to give perspective in photos, tweezers and envelopes to preserve evidence left at a crime scene, and various other things. They also carry Tyvek suits that they wear if there is blood at the scene.
So the bottom line is this, most of the gear and gadgets you see on TV are pretty much the same things OPD uses as well. The difference is that OPD works on a very tight budget and isn’t quite as high-tech as CSI Las Vegas, Miami, or New York. Here’s a comparison:
What we see on TV:
Fancy magic spray that detects blood.
What they use at OPD:
Blue Star spray is standard operating procedure at OPD. It’s not too expensive and works like a charm. Even after blood is wiped away, once the surface is sprayed with Blue Star, any trace of blood will turn bright blue and can be easily seen under low light.
What we see on TV:
That really cool laser they use to determine a bullet’s trajectory
What they use at OPD:
String. Yeah, it works just as well and is a fraction of the cost. Actually, they also use a “trajectory rod” that is a long, metal, telescoping rod to help trace the bullet trajectory. It looks like an antenna off a CD player/radio. That, along with the string, will usually do the job.
What we see on TV:
Fingerprints come back from the lab in 20 minutes.
What they use at OPD:
OPD gets bonus points for this one! They are very fortunate to have their own print analyst on staff, which means they can process prints in-house instead of sending them off to the state lab like most police stations in Kentucky. Because of that, OPD CSIs can actually get print results in as little as 30 minutes.
What we see on TV:
Once you have a fingerprint, they run it through AFIS (automated fingerprint identification system) and get a match immediately.
What they use at OPD:
The same AFIS system, but they usually only run it through Kentucky and Indiana. A nationwide scan can be done if needed. Most of the time it comes back within 15 minutes but it can take up to a day. In real life, AFIS lists the top 20 most possible matches. It’s up to the analyst to take that list and identify the match using minutia points.
What we see on TV:
GSR swabs.
What they use at OPD:
Almost exactly the same as seen on TV. It comes standard in every CSI kit at OPD. What it actually detects is barium, antimony, and lead, which are found in gun powder. When the CSI swabs someone’s hand, or the barrel of a gun, etc., the kit is then sent to the lab for results.
What we see on TV:
DNA samples run through CODIS (combined DNA index system), which spits out results in a few minutes.
What really happens at opd:
In reality, DNA is sent off to a lab, which can take up to 6 months because they are so backlogged. That one hour stuff is just Hollywood.
What we see on TV:
Bullets can be traced back to the gun that fired the round.
What really happens at opd:
This is a little more complicated than TV. If a bullet fragment is found, along with the bullet shell and the suspected weapon, then ballistics can determine if the bullet was shot out of that particular gun by matching the striations on the barrel and shell. That’s why CSI Bennett will sometimes spend all day reenacting a scene to trace the bullet trajectory to find a bullet or fragment out of a wall or ceiling. Very tedious.
Next, I sat down with CSI Bennett for some Q&A.
Owensboro Living – How does an officer become a CSI?
Ken Bennett – Everybody starts out as a patrol officer for about three years before they are eligible to transfer to another position. It’s not a promotion or a pay raise; it’s just a different job. For an officer to make CSI, they go through a 10-week school that is specifically related to evidence collection and crime scene reconstruction. We’ve all three got that certification.
Owensboro Living – In your experience, what are some positives from the CSI effect?
Ken Bennett – Because of these TV shows, people are more aware of what we do, and it has caused departments everywhere to pay more attention to what’s done at crime scene investigations and reconstructions. It’s also brought more resources into evidence collection, which has helped all of us.
Owensboro Living – What about the negatives?
Ken Bennett – People can be a little unrealistic about their expectations because they see it on TV, but they don’t understand why we can’t do it here all the time. Or, sometimes it’s the opposite – they think if they see it on TV then it’s all garbage, which isn’t true either. The biggest negative is that prosecutors have to spend time explaining to the jury about the CSI effect. They didn’t have to do that before.
After a walkthrough at OPD, a tour of a CSI vehicle, and an interview with CSI Bennett, it’s very clear that Owensboro CSIs must always be on their game. They take their jobs seriously and approach it with caution and thorough care. After all, this isn’t Hollywood – it’s the real thing.
If we’ve learned anything from the CSI effect over the last 14 years, it’s that interest in forensic science is at an all-time high. The evidence doesn’t lie, and those who find that evidence must treat it as truth and protect it at all cost. If these three men are any indication, the truth is in good hands in Owensboro.
