CHARLOTTE — Channel 9 got a first-hand look at new technology that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department crime scene investigators are using to get answers more quickly.
They are the ones called in when evidence needs to be documented and collected.
“Every day is different. You never really know what you’re gonna get,” said CMPD Crime Scene Technician Sarah Daborowski. “We respond to everything. So one day I might process a stolen vehicle, or I might have a house break-in, and the next day I’m processing a homicide or an officer-involved shooting.”
Their work can make or break a case.
Daborowski set up a mock scene for us to show how this crucial piece of technology has made the job more efficient.
“We want to capture a 3D model of the scene before anything is moved while we search for additional evidentiary items,” Daborowski said.
After marking the scene, she used the FARO Focus Scanner, a laser that spins 360 degrees, measuring the distance between everything within the scene.
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Daborowski said these are littles ways to save time.
“Let’s say we want to measure the distance between this point and this one,” she said. “And then it tells you the distance. 1.4203 feet.”
That’s information that could be crucial in a case.
“I just think it’s really great to be able to be in the group that responds to scenes and tries to answer the questions that are unknown,” said Daborowski.
Those 3D scenes can also be used by prosecutors and defense attorneys during a trial to give more insight to a scene.
The technology cannot be used during bad weather. When that happens, crime scene technicians measure by hand.
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