Police - Crime Scene Technician
The City of Poughkeepsie Police department Crime Scene Technician Program began in the late 1970’s. It began after the homicide of an elderly woman on the North side of the City and the necessity of having an outside forensic unit assist with the complicated homicide crime scene investigation. The Program ensures that there are available trained persons to process crime scenes on all shifts, again leading to the increased chance of the crime being solved by the use of evidence gathered. The first group of Crime Scene Technicians consisted of approximately 12 Patrol Officers. They were the first responders, and as such were vital to the preservation of the crime scene. In addition, they serve as a valuable resource that operates along with detectives in major crimes. These officers completed several weeks of training consisting of: Photography, Latent Fingerprint Identification, Basic Concepts of Physical Evidence and Handling, Protecting the Crime Scene, Technicians for Processing the Crime Scene, etc. The duties of these new Crime Scene Technicians includes processing crime scenes, ranging from simple larcenies to homicides.

Over the last 23 years many City of Poughkeepsie Police Officers have served as Crime Scene Technicians. Presently,  many supervisors in the Patrol Division of the Department started out as Crime Scene Technicians, and the list includes the Chief of Police.

Usually, every other year the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department holds a Crime Scene Technician School where our patrol officers, as well as members of other local Police Departments, are trained.

Crime Scene Technicians in the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department have raised the bar on training and professionalism. In August 2000, the body of a 50 year old woman was found dead in her apartment. It took three Crime Scene Technicians nine days to process the crime scene, resulting in the first homicide solved by DNA in Dutchess County.