Crime Scene Investigator by Paul Millen

suspects. The recovery of clothing was dealt with by detectives I had trained and instructed along with police surgeons. One suspect was sitting in a change-over car bearing false number plates, a few streets away. He realised something was up and simply got out and walked away from the car. He was arrested fifty yards away but denied any involvement. The vehicle was in the street and I went to give it a screening search so that it could be brought in for full examination later. The screening would ensure that there was nothing in the vehicle, like weapons or masks, which the detectives should know about before they conducted any interview. On the driver’s seat I found a pack of branded cigarettes and a lighter. This I removed and packaged so the vehicle could be taken away by a tow truck. I went to the police station to enter the items I had found on the custody sheet of the arrested man. As I was doing so I overheard a detective who was about to interview the suspect say that the suspect was asking for a cigarette. Showing the detective the sealed exhibit bag, I suggested that the suspect might sign for the ones I had found in the vehicle. If he did he would unwittingly associate himself with the vehicle. I had sealed the item with a view to fingerprinting them later. If the suspect signed for them he would save me the trouble of associating them with him. Although probably well handled, there was no guarantee that I would find his fingerprint so I opened the bag and gave the contents to the detective. Within a minute the suspect had signed for them and the job was done. He was later to plead guilty to conspiracy to rob.
    Being an expert in a particular field within a diverse team comes with its responsibilities. There were times when I needed to say something that was uncomfortable. On one occasion, whilst covering the south-east London Squad office, I was called to assist them when they arrested a team of robbers as they committed an robbery. I noticed that one overzealous officer new to the Squad had arrested one of the suspects away from the scene but went back to the scene later and recovered an item. There was a potential risk of contamination of the evidence we were seeking. In a crowded briefing, I told the senior investigator, a detective inspector. There was silence, it was an awkward moment. It was not the news he or any of the officers present wanted to hear. Nothing could be done to undo the problem. There was one small crumb of comfort though, and I offered that. Although there was a risk of contamination from the suspect to the scene, there was none from the scene to the suspect as the officer had only gone one way. So, although a two-way transfer of evidence was unsafe, a one-way transfer was still worthy of investigation. The detective inspector accepted the advice. The scientist who undertook the laboratory examination was given the full facts and this was also disclosed to the defence. It rather deflated any of the usual allegations of planting of evidence which were often made by the defence. In any event, the suspect later pleaded guilty.
    I was fortunate to receive commendations from the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and his deputies on a number of occasions. I have received kind comments and congratulations from the best of detectives with whom I have worked. To me they worked as motivators, and gave me comfort that I was doing my job well. It was, however, some words spoken by a young detective, one who did not know me, of which I am proudest. I had received a call to an armed robbery at a bank in Romford in Essex. Shots had been fired and I was only a mile or so away when the call came out. I responded to the call and informed the control room that I would make my way there. When I arrived at the scene a local detective was already there. I showed my identification and told him I was from the Flying Squad, but he must have assumed that I was a detective (if a short one), or perhaps I