Throughout the history of law enforcement, the internal investigation process has held the most negative connotation of any investigation conducted by law enforcement personnel. As we progress through the new millennium, the need for efficient and effective law enforcement services and practices grows ever more critical. The goal of this book is to demonstrate this need for proper and complete internal investigations, and to teach the entry level and tenured police supervisor the form and function of the internal investigations process. The text selectively focuses on the purposes and practical implications of internal investigations and the pitfalls. The goal is to guide students and professionals through definitions, terminology, legal and labor issues, case law, techniques and procedures, critical and special investigations, including issues in administrative and civil claims. The reader will find a model for conducting internal investigations of police personnel that will allow a police supervisor or commander to perform investigations in a thorough, ethical, legal, and equitable manner. This book will meet the needs of attorneys who litigate cases involving allegations of police misconduct as well as representatives of collective bargaining groups who represent police personnel in similar actions. The text ends with the offering of evidence identification, evaluation and collection, case review processes, risk management, training and managing internal investigators, and the future trends in internal investigations.

Scores of talented and dedicated people serve the forensic science community, performing vitally important work. However, they are often constrained by lack of adequate resources, sound policies, and national support. It is clear that change and advancements, both systematic and scientific, are needed in a number of forensic science disciplines to ensure the reliability of work, establish enforceable standards, and promote best practices with consistent application. Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward provides a detailed plan for addressing these needs and suggests the creation of a new government entity, the National Institute of Forensic Science, to establish and enforce standards within the forensic science community. The benefits of improving and regulating the forensic science disciplines are clear: assisting law enforcement officials, enhancing homeland security, and reducing the risk of wrongful conviction and exoneration. Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States gives a full account of what is needed to advance the forensic science disciplines, including upgrading of systems and organizational structures, better training, widespread adoption of uniform and enforceable best practices, and mandatory certification and accreditation programs. While this book provides an essential call-to-action for congress and policy makers, it also serves as a vital tool for law enforcement agencies, criminal prosecutors and attorneys, and forensic science educators.

This textbook provides students and law enforcement officers with the fundamentals of the criminal investigation process, from arrival on the scene to trial procedures. Written in a clear and simple style, Criminal Investigation: Law and Practice surpasses traditional texts by presenting a unique combination of legal, technical, and procedural aspects of the criminal investigation. The hands-on approach taken by the author helps to increase the learning experience. Criminal Investigation: Law and Practice, Second Edition, has been written to provide future law enforcement officers with a basic understanding of the investigative process. It merges two areas that are crucial to the successful completion of an investigation: the law, both criminal and procedural, and criminal investigative techniques. It is writen to provide the student investigator with the information needed to complete and investigation that can result in a successful prosecution.- comprehensive coverage of the criminal investigation, from arrival on the scene to trial procedures -unique combination of legal, technical, and procedural aspects of criminal investigation -many updated cases, many personally experienced by the author.