Forensics
3D Laser scanning around the world is fast becoming a necessary tool in the arsenal of Law Enforcement officers. Proper documentation of a crime scene can be challenging for investigators, especially when the evidence is sensitive and the time to collect it is limited.
The method of 3D laser scanning has proven that it can map a crime scene comprehensively as compared to traditional methods. Without 3D Laser Scanning capability, investigators and technicians must ponder and decide on what essential evidence must be collected that would be relevant to their case. This evidence may be photographs, video footage, and measurements between furniture, windows, doors, vehicles, people and a variety of objects. Clearly, the outcome of a case can be skewed if measurements are excluded or collected erroneously. Also the opportunity may be lost to recapture this evidence. 3D laser scanning can collect or map a total crime scene digitally and quickly with point clouds of tens of millions of points all accurate to 3 to 6 millimetres.
In other words the crime scene is preserved digitally, uncompromised and anyone can revisit this data at any time to retrieve measurements or view images as if they were at the actual scene.
Other advantages of this application include:
The ability to view the scene from any point of reference
The jury can visit the crime scene
See what a witness or victim would have or could have seen
Take measurements while studying the scene
Label objects for clarity
Save space, with all of the case information on a couple of disks
Save time, no more shuffling through photos
Create a dimensionally accurate animated video
Analyse and understand how incidents may have occurred
3D laser scanning as a method of collecting evidence is not yet used by our local law enforcement agencies. Also this evidence cannot be used in court until the necessary legislation for its use is enacted by the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago. Other law enforcement agencies around the world such as the FBI and Scotland Yard are already using this technology to help solve crimes. Hopefully within the next few years, our local law enforcement agencies will be utilizing this tool as a viable option as well.
For more information of how 3D laser scanning assists law enforcement agencies in solving crime, please visit YouTube and search.