SRR Training, NESPIN and the Nashua, NH Police Department present

 Basic Death Investigation

The investigation of the death of another person is the greatest responsibility that can be bestowed upon any law enforcement officer.  In order to be a successful death investigator, an officer must have a working knowledge of several different disciplines.

This course is designed to provide front-line officers and supervisors as well as new investigators with the information and processes needed to navigate the difficult and challenging environment of death investigation scenes.

This course is not designed to make any officer or investigator an expert in management or investigations of death scenes or will it make them understand the more advanced topics involved in death investigation.

Based on the information presented in this course of instruction the student will be able to:

• Recognize, define, and understand the manners of death and the differences between them
• Understand the priorities involved in the preliminary investigation of death scenes
• Know the personnel involved in a preliminary investigation as well as their responsibilities
• Understand the common mistakes made by officers and supervisors during the conduct of a preliminary investigation of death scenes
• Understand the processes for transition from preliminary investigation to crime scene management at a death scene
• Know the goals of the preliminary investigation as well as the personnel involved and their responsibilities
• Understand the common mistakes made as investigations transition from preliminary investigation to the crime scene management phase
• Know the goals of effective crime scene management and the responsibilities of the investigators and supervisors responsible for the management of death related crime scenes
• Understand the common mistakes made during the management of death scenes
• Be able to recognize the tasks necessary to successfully complete investigative follow-up once a case transitions from crime scene management to the follow up phase
• Understand the different nuances of commonly seen death scenes versus unique death scenes
• Know the tasks that need to be accomplished to successfully identify a suspect in homicide scenes and how to handle suspects once they are in custody
• Know and understand the functions and importance of court preparation
• Be able to manage a mock death scene and accurately understand what the scene is and the tasks that need to be completed to successfully manage the scene