NCJ Number
239474
Journal
Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal Volume: 45 Issue: 2 Dated: June 2012 Pages: 57-63
Date Published
June 2012
Length
7 pages
Annotation
The three studies described in this paper were undertaken to determine whether gunshot residue (GSR) particles could be detected on police officers, on their equipment, in police vehicles, and on civilians who work in a police environment.
Abstract
Three Toronto-area municipal police services participated in this research. The first study involved collecting samples from patrol and plainclothes officers and their equipment. The second study compared observations for forensic identification officers and civilians working in the same facility. The prevalence of GSR particles in the rear passenger compartment of police vehicles was examined in the third study. For each study, tapelift samples were collected and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM/EDX). At least one GSR particle was detected on the hands of 60 percent of the patrol and plainclothes officers sampled and on 24 percent of the police equipment sampled. Twenty-five percent of the forensic identification officers sampled had at least one GSR particle on their hands. No GSR particles were found on any of the civilians samples. Only two of 18 vehicle samples were found to have any GSR particles present; and in each of these two incidences, a single particle was detected. The presence of GSR particles on police officers' hands, equipment, and vehicles demonstrates that these are potential sources of particles available for transfer. (Published Abstract)