INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION

The Investigations Division of the Dade County Sheriff’s Office, is responsible for complex crime scene investigations, has the responsibility for the evaluation of the scene, uses various types of equipment, develops, secures, and packages physical evidence for scientific evaluation and comparison, prepares detailed reports on the observations and activities at the scene for the law enforcement agency responsible for the investigation of the crime, and testifies in court regarding the findings and processing methods used at the scene.

 

The Investigator oversees complex crime scene investigations, including but not limited to, homicides, sexual assaults, armed robberies, home invasions, and property crimes such as burglaries. Approximately 70% of the investigator’s time is spent processing crime scenes, packaging and transporting evidence, attending and photographing autopsies, and attending briefings and conferences with other police agencies. The remaining time is spent preparing investigative reports, testifying in court, and maintaining equipment in a state of readiness.

 

The Investigator is expected to respond to calls for crime scene services, as quickly as good judgment and safety will allow. All issued equipment must be maintained in a "ready to use" condition at all times. The investigator processes scenes of major crimes, at any hour of the day or night, under any weather conditions, and systematically surveys the area and formulates a plan of procedure. Investigators physically secure crime scenes, before conducting a search for all objects and articles that may be evidence. The investigator must also be proficient in “reading” the scene, and reconstruction of the events as they happened, just prior to, during, and shortly following the commission of the crime, in order to determine the sequence of events, and to ascertain the type and location of evidence.

 

The Investigator must collect, and properly package any evidence, and establish a permanent record of the crime scene. The Investigator is responsible for preparing criminal cases and giving expert testimony in criminal court cases.