Year 6 Crime Scene Investigation Visit

Our Science Week Visit by Emma the Crime Scene Investigator

On Monday afternoon of Science Week, we were lucky to have a visit by a guest speaker called Emma Bromley, who is a Forensic Examiner (otherwise known as a CSI – which is a Crime Scene Investigator!). She has been working as a CSI for over 8 years and has visited 100s of crime scenes, in that time. She spent the afternoon telling us about her job, including what she does when she arrives at a crime scene, the equipment she uses and some of her ‘tricks of the trade’, as well as how to analyse fingerprints and even footprints!

Emma works for the Metropolitan Police and is based in the borough of Enfield and she spoke to us about how she uses her special forensics kit to collect fingerprints and other samples in criminal cases such as robberies, burglaries, assaults and even murders! In her interesting session she demonstrated to us (using some Year 6 pupils – Bobby Moore and Ruby Clarke) about how to take a suspects fingerprints (using a special form to document the evidence). In addition, she told us how she dresses for a crime scene (sometimes in a white suit and mask) to ‘work’ a crime scene, using a range of metallic powders and brushes to dust over a range of surfaces, in addition to modern techniques of using ink gel pads. She explained that ‘smooth and shiny’ is best when collecting prints and that some materials, such as clothing, are really bad for collecting them. Next, a hemastix was shown to us, which is used when swabbing for DNA. Emma explained the importance of ‘bagging up’ your evidence properly into exhibit bags – she even said that if a CSI doesn’t send their evidence off properly to the laboratory, then the case will most likely be thrown out and then the suspect will walk free – which would be terrible!

Although she sometimes has to examine several crime scenes a day, occasionally working through the night, Emma said that she really enjoys her job as she feels that she is ‘doing good’ and helping to put bad people away and get them punished for whatever crimes they have committed. We would like to say thank you to Emma for coming in to visit us and showing us her equipment and helping us to see what an amazing job she is doing!

Report by Mr Jarmain