Today's Police Photofinishing

• NCJ Number: 216403
• Journal: Law and Order Volume: 54 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2006 Pages: 73-76
• Author(s): Gregory Joe
• Date Published: October 2006
• Length: 4 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article describes photofinishing equipment and procedures used by the Baltimore Police Department (Maryland), the Connecticut State Police Forensic Lab, and the Miami Beach Police Department (Florida).

Abstract

The Noritsu America Corporation digital lab equipment used by the Baltimore Police Department has enabled the agency to accomplish more with fewer employees. The Noritsu QSS-2301, QSS-3213, and dDP-621 are used for a variety of tasks, such as printing, scanning, and copying. In addition, the QSS-3213 is equipped with Adobe Photoshop and a built-in scale, so staff can size and sharpen images of fingerprints, shoe prints, and tire impressions. With the QSS-3213, the lab can scan items on the flatbed scanner, drop them into Photoshop, and make enlargements up to 12 x 18 inches without having to return to the darkroom. The team of three forensic photographers in the Connecticut State Police Forensic Lab uses the Noritsu QSS-3211 to produce images up to 12 x 18 inches, which is the preferred image size for many State attorneys who use them for court presentations. The lab also purchased three CT-2 Kiosks, which were sent to the three major crime squads in the State. This allows shooting more major crimes with digital cameras. The cards can then be taken out of the cameras and sent to the lab immediately, reducing processing time by 2 to 3 weeks from the time a homicide scene is photographed to the time images are delivered to the State attorney's office. The Miami Beach Police Department's photo lab processes its film on a Noritsu QSFV-30SM. This allows the department to operate in either analog or digital media. The department also uses a Noritsu QSS-3311 digital minilab. In addition to reducing processing time, the QSS-3311 also requires three times less paper than that of the old processor. Images are previewed on a screen and can be adjusted for contrast, density, and color balance.