Evidence Technician or Crime Scene Investigator: Why Differences Matter

Here is a bit of history on Crime Scene Investigators in Illinois. In the early 2000s the title of Evidence Technician was held by two groups of individuals. One group consisted of civilian personnel employed by the Illinois State Police Forensic Science Laboratory System (8 Labs across Illinois).These employees work at the intake counters of the Laboratory. If you bring in physical evidence for analysis into the laboratory, the first line of screening is done by Evidence Technicians. They ensure that the items are packaged correctly and are probative in nature to be submitted, to an analyst, in that specific laboratory discipline.

The second group of individuals called Evidence Technicians were sworn officers (currently more and more civilian personnel) working for a specific Police Department or Agency. Many police departments in Illinois, facing high incidence of crime, were diligent in training patrol officers to handle the processing of property crimes, thefts, and items that were not attached to a violent crime. Items where the time could be taken to process in a small area of the police department dedicated to evidence. For many years, evidence technicians were developed within the patrol division to handle evidence from crimes that would be sent to investigations later. Again, the training was predominantly for crimes that were not specifically against a person, nor caused injury or death to any individual.

Over the years as crime rates have risen, Departments rely more and more on patrol officers to have the training to document scenes through photography, locate forensic evidence that will be used to connect a suspect or a victim to a scene, and preserve that evidence in a timely manner. This forensic physical evidence is imperative to criminal charges, court room testimony and ultimately convictions.

The title of Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) was used by sworn Troopers or appointed Inspectors employed by the Illinois State Police (the last of the Inspectors retired around 2002). There are approximately 35 (yearly) sworn Troopers, Sgts. and Master Sgts, who annually complete 5 additional weeks of training in Crime Scene Investigation training and a 14-week Field Training Program with on the scene training. After those two levels are completed, written tests, scenario-based assessments, and work toward IAI (International Association of Identification) certification as a Crime Scene Investigator. While IAI is a great source of continuing education, and a good addition to your CV or resume, keep in mind, for sworn officers in Illinois, currently, the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board (ILETSB) does not recognize an IAI certification as a certified Crime Scene Investigator.

In the years of 2009 – 2012 in Illinois, a five-week course, certified by ILETSB, was held at the Illinois State Police Academy. The course was 200 hours and included classroom instruction, 18 scenarios to complete, weekly exams and 10 assessment exercises. This course was certified and the 143 officers, State, Local and County are recognized as Certified Crime Scene Investigators.

The course was removed from the State Police Academy Curriculum in late 2012. During those years, many years before and currently today, the mobile training units across Illinois and under the certification of ILETSB, offer a 40-hour basic Evidence Technician Course. The coordinator of the 5-week CSI course has assisted in the curriculums being taught by the MTU’s since 2002.

It is speculated that the difference in title of Evidence Technician and Crime Scene Investigator may have been a way to differentiate the civilian staff in the Laboratory from the sworn officers with ISP, who all had offices within the 8 laboratories across the state. State Police CSIs worked exclusively in processing crime scenes across the state, as well as the CSIs for multiple task forces that were created to investigate major crimes. The ISP CSIs were available to any police department or agency in Illinois. By law, they were expected to be available to local agencies, 24/7 and there was never a cost associated with the services that were provided.

As years passed, serious and major crimes were on the rise, the only training that was available to the local, county, or federal officers were through Northwestern University and the Mobile Training Units (12 total).

Independent companies began teaching courses in Crime Scene Investigation, but these were not certified by ILETSB and police mandate hours could not be given. Northwestern University no longer offers CSI courses.

We are back to the Mobile Training Units carrying the responsibility of Crime Scene Investigation training, that is certified and meets police mandates as directed by the SAFE-T Act of 2021.

I would be remiss if I did not mention that effective 01-01-2012 under 50 ILCS 705/10,11 only law enforcement officers who successfully complete the 40-Hour Lead Homicide Investigator training program may be assigned as lead investigators in homicide investigations. This is a certification governed by the ILETSB. It also includes 32 hours of continuing education yearly, to maintain your certification.

This brings us to why it is necessary to move toward consistency in the Crime Scene Investigator training program. Just as all the Lead Homicide Investigators are being put through consistent certified training across Illinois, Crime Scene Investigators are on the same major crime scenes or responding with major crime squads or regional task forces.

In law enforcement, we often talk about the “CSI Effect.” The CSI effect describes the various ways in which the exaggerated portrayal of forensic science on crime television shows such as CSI, influences public perception. Public perception is also public reality. We do not have TV shows called Basic Evidence technician, and if we did, the mere fact that basic is in the title, makes it sound very underwhelming and not very scientific.

The push to eliminate the title of Basic Evidence Technician and move everyone to the title of Crime Scene Investigator is because that is what those who have completed certified training are. They are Investigators of the crime scene and Lead Homicide Investigators are Investigators of the Homicide, which has many facets outside of the scene. Two very different types of investigations occur between the physical evidence at a scene to connect a suspect or victim there, with physical evidence and the interviewing and interrogation that must be done with suspects, victims, witnesses, or co-conspirators. These are two very separate types of investigations, both essential to the charges filed, testimony given and conviction of the perpetrators.

The public recognizes the title of CSI and how forensic evidence is science. There is no discretion in forensic science, it is the person’s DNA, or it is not. A technician is an individual trained with special skills or knowledge in how to operate machines or equipment used in the sciences. A Crime Scene Investigator is an individual trained with special skills or knowledge in how to use the same technician skills, but further apply the science and analysis of the physical forensic evidence to create a connection between the suspect, victim, or scene.

The final reason that ITLETSB supports the title change to Crime Scene Investigator has to do with the below excerpt from the SAFE-T Act.

Except as otherwise provided in this Section, the recording officer and his or her supervisor may access and review recordings prior to completing incident reports or other documentation, provided that the supervisor discloses that fact in the report or documentation.

This except specifically talks about the title of detective or investigator. A Crime Scene Investigator may need to review video footage, body camera footage or in car squad video to be directed where to search for physical evidence of the crime.

It is time that we become consistent across the State of Illinois in the title of our type of Investigation, consistent training, and the consistency in the quality that we provide services to the citizens of Illinois.