Scenes of crime officer

Career path and progression

With a minimum of 2 years' experience as a Tier 1 investigator, you could apply to move onto Tier 2 training.

Once you've finished Tier 2 training, you could become an advanced practitioner, dealing with major crimes.

After a further 5 years, you could become a senior or principal officer, with responsibility for managing a crime scene investigation (CSI) team.

You could also use your skills and experience to go on to become a forensic scientist.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• the ability to work on your own
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
• knowledge of public safety and security
• administration skills
• to be flexible and open to change
• legal knowledge including court procedures and government regulations
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

• pass enhanced background checks

For some police forces, you might need to undergo vetting procedures like psychological screening.

You'll usually need a driving licence.

Related subjects

Most relevant

• Chemistry - Scenes of crime officers collect and handle chemical evidence such as blood samples, fibres, and unknown substances at crime scenes. Understanding how chemicals react and how to avoid contaminating samples is essential for preserving evidence that will later be analysed in a lab.
• Biology - Scenes of crime officers gather biological evidence like DNA, blood, hair, and skin cells from crime scenes. Understanding how biological materials degrade and how to handle them properly ensures that samples remain usable for forensic analysis.
• Law - Scenes of crime officers give evidence in court and must follow strict legal procedures when collecting and handling evidence. Understanding court processes, rules of evidence, and government regulations ensures their work can withstand legal scrutiny.
• English Language - Scenes of crime officers write detailed crime scene reports and keep precise written records of every piece of evidence they find. Their reports must be clear, accurate, and understandable to detectives, lawyers, and juries who rely on them to build a case.

Also relevant

• Physics - Scenes of crime officers use knowledge of light, optics, and materials when photographing evidence and examining scenes under different lighting conditions. Understanding how forces and impacts affect objects also helps when interpreting patterns like blood spatter or broken glass.
• Art and Design - Scenes of crime officers use photography and video extensively to create a detailed visual record of crime scenes. A strong eye for composition, lighting, and visual detail helps them capture evidence accurately and produce images that are clear and useful in court.
• Mathematics - Scenes of crime officers take precise measurements at crime scenes to create accurate diagrams and reconstruct events. They also use basic calculations when documenting distances, angles, and the positions of evidence relative to key features of a scene.
• Psychology - Scenes of crime officers work in emotionally demanding environments, including violent crime scenes and mortuaries, and need to manage their own wellbeing. Understanding human behaviour can also help when working alongside detectives and forensic psychologists to interpret what may have happened at a scene.