NCJ Number
187592
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 28 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2001 Pages: 20-22,24
Date Published
February 2001
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article describes the West Valley City Police Department's (Utah) use of the argon-ion laser for reconstructing bullet trajectory.
Abstract
Traditionally, crime scene technicians have attempted to recreate bullet trajectories by placing either string or wooden dowels in the bullet holes. The string or dowel method cannot be used successfully with lengths longer than a few feet. Today, however, a straight, non-bending column of visible light can point out the path of a bullet. Using the SceneSweeper Argon Laser on tripods from LumaChem of West Jordan, Utah, the West Valley City Police Department can document each bullet hole at a crime scene. In a case described in this article, six bullet trajectories were perfectly angled and photographed by using visible laser light. The argon-ion laser used for bullet trajectory reconstruction can also be used for examination of evidentiary substances such as bodily fluids, fingerprint residues, narcotics, and trace evidence such as fibers and arson accelerates. This article describes the features and operation of the SceneSweeper Laser, as well as the increased use of this equipment in the United Kingdom, after a representative from New Scotland Yard visited the West Valley City Police Department in September 2000.