Forensic Investigation Unit

Overview

The Forensic Investigation Unit (FIU) of the Albany Police Department functions as a unit within the Detective Division. It is staffed by one Detective / Lieutenant, eight forensic detectives and two secretaries. The unit is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Detectives assigned to the unit attend a New York State Certified Evidence Technicians Course. During their employment, some detectives will also receive training relative to arson investigation, fingerprints, chemical processing, photography, evidence collection and crime scene management to name a few. In addition, these detectives are called upon often to train others in the department and the Capital District in forensic related matters. Our unit is very active in the training of new recruits at the police academy as well as detectives from other agencies. The detectives assigned to the Forensic Investigation Unit are called on to perform a wide variety of functions.

The FIU is currently home to the department’s criminal history files of all persons who have been arrested by our department. In addition our unit fingerprints and photographs persons arrested by this department. This will change in the immediate future with the onset of “live-scan” and digital imaging, which will computerize this process and allow the patrol unit to fingerprint and photograph their own prisoners. Our unit will continue to print parolees and non-criminal applicants for things such as pistol, taxi, teachers, day care, financial, adoption, police and so on as well as do numerous background checks for various employment and housing requirements.

FIU’s other major responsibility is to respond to crime scenes and process them for evidence. This includes but is not limited to:

    * Developing latent fingerprints at a scene or from objects brought to our office for processing
    * Utilization of various chemicals to facilitate the collection of evidence
    * Collection of DNA evidence in whatever form it may be
    * Photographing, Videographing and sketching of scenes
    * Copying of and enhancing photos and videos for court presentations
    * Drawing large-scale diagrams for court presentation
    * Utilizing metal detectors to locate evidence
    * In-house development of black and white film
    * Assisting with the assembly of photo line-ups
    * Witnessing and recording of evidence during autopsies

In addition to our responses to criminal activity, we also respond to such occurrences as unattended deaths (to help determine if death was from natural causes), suicides, personal injury and fatal auto accidents, and other types of personal injury and fatal accidents. Detectives from the FIU are called upon extensively, to testify in court cases relative to evidence collected and documented.


Types of Evidence FIU Collects

Latent Fingerprint Image

Latent Fingerprints
Latent fingerprint examiners are responsible for processing latent finger prints on evidence from crime scenes. There are many chemical and physical methods for the detection and visualization of latent prints. After the latent fingerprint has been developed, the examiner also has to compare the latent print with the suspects inked prints to determine whether or not they match.


SketchPhotography/Sketching

The purpose is to provide a permanent graphic representation of the appearance and position of objects and their relationship to each other at a crime scene. It serves to support the testimony of the investigator as to what he found, its location, nature and condition.


DNADNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid)

DNA is the fundamental building block for an individual's entire genetic makeup. DNA is a powerful tool for law enforcement, because each person's DNA is different from every other individual's. except identical twins. Because of that difference, DNA collected from a scene can either link a suspect to the evidence or eliminate a suspect, similar to the use of fingerprints. DNA also has many other purposes such as missing persons and unidentified body investigations.


Contact Information

126 Arch Street,
Albany, NY 12202
518-462-8028