Speaker - Jim Thomson, 4th April, 2012

Wednesday night’s speaker Jim Thomson had a captured audience (that’s the only bad joke in the text, folks) as we listened to how the police deal with serious crime. Ian began his career with the police in 1973, rising through the ranks to Deputy Divisional Commander. He talked through the tools and techniques used by the modern police force in crime detection. It was a case of ‘CSI’ meets ‘Taggart’ with the real story of police work added to the mix…..

From the discovery of a murder scene to the conclusion in a court, every minute piece of evidence is collated and protected to sustain a conviction. We learned how the Scene of Crime team cordon off the crime area to protect from ‘outside contamination’. This has been carried out since 1927 when Edmond Locard, a Forensic Scientist, expounded his theory that ‘every contact leaves a trace’ – that is, that anyone entering or leaving a room takes something with him/her and leaves behind something of him/herself. In other words – evidence.

Ian gave examples of this theory through some of the cases he has worked on. From the Yorkshire Ripper to murders committed in Scotland. For example, one murderer was captured because her fingerprints were discovered on a work surface at the scene of a murder – her fingerprint was captured in blood on the counter. A second murderer was incriminated by police finding the bloody fingerprint of the victim (female) on an item at the perpetrator’s house. He also told us about the killer caught as he sliced onions in his kitchen …….

The crime scene is protected to allow the Scene of Crime Team to comb for evidence. This evidence may be biological, for example DNA or physical, where the perpetrator has touched or even removed something at the crime scene. Each Serious Crime Team has a member in who is responsible for maintaining the integrity and logistical management of the crime scene and of the evidence. An Office Manager who co-ordinates officers’ movements and a Statement Manager who methodically goes through each witness statement to highlight salient points. These are then transferred onto a nationwide police computer to find ‘matches’ which might fit the case (e.g. where a car or van is mentioned by colour or plate). If a murder remains unsolved the team need to carry out an evaluation of each stage to review the case.

Having outlined the tools and techniques used by police, Jim gave some examples of real life cases (not for the faint hearted). The police have access to state-of-the-art IT equipment and modern policing methodology however, it is the human input which is key to solving murder. It appears that in many cases, the local bobby and his knowledge of his community have proven invaluable. In at least two of the cases discussed last night, the local constable was able to pinpoint likely offenders – and they were proved correct.

Jim talked about some of the characters he has met through his work. From the local ned who tries to provoke the police, to the career gangsters who shy away from them to a paranoid degree (they won’t use mobile phones or computers in case they are traced) and even the gun toting madman that the police fondly named ‘Basil’ – ‘he was mad as a brush!’ We sat open-mouthed at this glimpse into a nether world.

So … when you next watch ‘CSI’, ‘Taggart’ or even ‘Columbo’ (still being repeated!) – keep in mind that there are a lot of unsung heroes/heroines in the background who are carrying out repetitive and essential work to help bring offenders to justice. When you next see a local bobby on his patch, remember that he also has an important role in the police team and maybe just give him a wee smile … For all the sophisticated equipment, it’s the ‘Sherlock Holmes’ emphasis on clues that solves the crime. Oh, and the killer chopping onions in his kitchen? That was to wipe the blade clean of DNA evidence from the blood of his victim ………
Wilma Scott