The ability of a criminal investigator to determine what happened at a crime scene and the ability of a Crown attorney to accurately re-create that scene through evidence introduced in a courtroom are both affected by the way in which the crime scene is protected and how the physical evidence found there is documented, collected, and preserved. In large part, this is determined by the actions of police officers from the moment they arrive at the scene to the time the first police witness takes the stand to give evidence in court.

This module examines some common myths regarding crime scene investigation; the legal obligations of police officers regarding the collection and preservation of physical evidence; what a crime scene is and how to protect it; the various individuals involved in investigating and managing the scene of a crime; and the documentation, collection, and preservation of physical evidence at the scene of a crime.