Researching Murder: Part 1

[Blacksin]

Since for my book I have general research questions, if you guys would like to help answer them, feel free to jump in!

Just so you know, I'm not a professional LE anything. I'm just a perpetually nosey individual trying to write her first book. Ask questions as necessary, offer alternate alternatives, and if you see obvious mistakes or have personal tips or tidbits about what you do specifically in this situation, feel free to offer! I'm especially interested in what's running through your mind/emotions in situations like this and details. I know general overviews about how CSI's work, but details are where it's at. This will mostly be used as background for me to build my investigation on for my characters and I can't use or guarantee that what you say will be used in my writing, but any and all help is greatly appreciated.

*I only have one rule: If it's too sensitive to print, I don't want to know. Don't tell me about cases or things that could get you or me in trouble. You probably already know that, but it's a good reminder.*

Thanks in advance! Here's the scenario. I'll be posting peices of this mock up murder scene in seperate parts as I run across questions in my murder that I need specifics for. This first part is mostly for you who are/have been on first response.

***

Dispatch comes through to you while out on patrol around 7:24 pm on a Saturday evening. It's a call from an apartment complex nearby where a neighbor two doors down who is reporting hearing a woman screaming like she’s being hurt/killed as they speak. They are not sure if who or what is with her in the apartment. This is the first time that anyone is aware of previous trouble at this apartment complex.

Do you:
A.) And your partner go by yourself.
B.) You call for back up right away.

Does Dispatch:
A.) Radio for an ambulance immediately
B.) Wait for you to secure the situation first and wait for you to request an ambulance.

The officers arrive at the apartment complex within five minutes, and are pointed out by the gathering neighbors in the halls and parking lot which apartment it’s coming from. One says the screams ended about two minutes before the uniforms showed up. Another tells you that the woman who owns the apartment lives alone but he knows her boyfriend is with her. You head up to the second floor and the door is closed and it’s quiet now.

Do you:
A.) Knock on the door and announce yourself
B) Enter regardless

[Jay7376]

Do you:
A.) And your partner go by yourself.
B.) You call for back up right away.

This would be an automatic two officer call, I would not have to request another car, dispatch would send one right after sending me.

Does Dispatch:
A.) Radio for an ambulance immediately
B.) Wait for you to secure the situation first and wait for you to request an ambulance.

Probably wait for me to request one. However, they may start one my direction non-emergency until I determine what exactly is going on.

Do you:
A.) Knock on the door and announce yourself
B) Enter regardless

Depends on how reliable the witnesses appear. Also, I would try to look inside any windows to get an idea of what it going on

[TPDHellhound]

In this scenario two officers would be dispatched. Smaller agencies sometimes don't have that luxury, but larger ones do.

Meds aren't dispatched until the officers on scene confirm someone needs them.

And finally, unless the screaming is occurring at the time the officers arrive, they would knock. Officers can force entry into a residence if they can articulate that someone is being hurt at that moment or is in serious need of aid and waiting would further the potential for a loss of life.

[Jay7376]

I know general overviews about how CSI's work

I certainly hope that you did not get this knowledge for TV such as CSI and Law & Order

[txinvestigator1]

Since for my book I have general research questions, if you guys would like to help answer them, feel free to jump in!

Just so you know, I'm not a professional LE anything. I'm just a perpetually nosey individual trying to write her first book. Ask questions as necessary, offer alternate alternatives, and if you see obvious mistakes or have personal tips or tidbits about what you do specifically in this situation, feel free to offer! I'm especially interested in what's running through your mind/emotions in situations like this and details. I know general overviews about how CSI's work, but details are where it's at. This will mostly be used as background for me to build my investigation on for my characters and I can't use or guarantee that what you say will be used in my writing, but any and all help is greatly appreciated.

*I only have one rule: If it's too sensitive to print, I don't want to know. Don't tell me about cases or things that could get you or me in trouble. You probably already know that, but it's a good reminder.*

Thanks in advance! Here's the scenario. I'll be posting peices of this mock up murder scene in seperate parts as I run across questions in my murder that I need specifics for. This first part is mostly for you who are/have been on first response.

***

Dispatch comes through to you while out on patrol around 7:24 pm on a Saturday evening. It's a call from an apartment complex nearby where a neighbor two doors down who is reporting hearing a woman screaming like she’s being hurt/killed as they speak. They are not sure if who or what is with her in the apartment. This is the first time that anyone is aware of previous trouble at this apartment complex.

Do you:
A.) And your partner go by yourself.
B.) You call for back up right away.

Does Dispatch:
A.) Radio for an ambulance immediately
B.) Wait for you to secure the situation first and wait for you to request an ambulance.

The officers arrive at the apartment complex within five minutes, and are pointed out by the gathering neighbors in the halls and parking lot which apartment it’s coming from. One says the screams ended about two minutes before the uniforms showed up. Another tells you that the woman who owns the apartment lives alone but he knows her boyfriend is with her. You head up to the second floor and the door is closed and it’s quiet now.

Do you:
A.) Knock on the door and announce yourself
B) Enter regardless

You writing a book to sell, to earn a profit? Maybe if you offered someone a piece of the profit it would help.

[chris2001]

You writing a book to sell, to earn a profit? Maybe if you offered someone a piece of the profit it would help.

I wondered how long that would take.

[Mike Romeo]

I love you guys.

[Creeker]

...Ask questions as necessary, offer alternate alternatives, and if you see obvious mistakes or have personal tips or tidbits about what you do specifically in this situation, feel free to offer!

Here's a tip:

Avoid Redundant Redundancies. That's like having a Chief Deputy and an Assistant Sheriff.

.... I know general overviews about how CSI's work, but details are where it's at.

Details: I guess "Crime Scene Technician", "Evidence Technician", "Crime Scene Photographer" and "Fingerprint Technician" is no longer modern terminology in parts of the USA who live and die by hyped up and impossibly sterile TV shows which feature civilians carrying firearms on the job and being smarter than your average beat cops by the sole virtue of their "science".

Sorry. Can you tell I despise that show and the acronym's that go with it?

[Blacksin]

certainly hope that you did not get this knowledge for TV such as CSI and Law & Order

Sorry. Can you tell I despise that show and the acronym's that go with it?

My sincerest apologies. I'd seen it used in a few of my research materials as a way to indicate everyone that moves through a crime scene.

I would not ever use the television shows as research material. I've been a professional writer and artist for several years now, and the one thing you NEVER do is use someone else's work as "research" unless it's intended for that purpose.

[Blacksin]

You writing a book to sell, to earn a profit? Maybe if you offered someone a piece of the profit it would help.

The sheer amount of people I talk to and interview makes that an impossibility. The most I can offer is lunch.