Evidence Receipt and Disposition
Forensic evidence must be submitted to the Bureau either by hand delivery or via a certified carrier (United States Postal Service Registered Mail, Federal Express, United Parcel Service, etc.) (Evidence Submission Form DFS-K5-1096). Please be aware that there are federal as well as courier specific restrictions regarding the shipment of materials. Specifically, you must be aware that certain items must be listed as "dangerous goods" and thus have special labeling and shipping requirements.
Film, flashcards, video tapes, compact disks, DVD's, etc. may be mailed to the Bureau ). In some instances, limited numbers of images for processing may be submitted via e-mail (there is a limit as to the size of files that can be effectively sent and downloaded). Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations investigators have access to a shared virtual drive allowing a more convenient submission of images.
Forensic evidence submitted to the Bureau will be returned to all submitters. Evidence will be returned or transferred to a representative of the submitting agency after the samples are analyzed and a report is mailed. All Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigation evidence is transferred to a representative of BFAI for long term storage under their control. Should BFAI evidence be needed for court purposes, either the investigator or a court officer may request the evidence be shipped to them by contacting the BFAI Technician in charge of evidence storage, Lance Tomkins.
For specific requests as to evidence receipt, shipments, or transfers, please contact the Bureau's Forensic Technologist in charge of this area, Elizabeth Kamerick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is an accelerant?
A: An accelerant is
technically anything which speeds up a process. In deliberately set fires, most
accelerants are ignitable liquids. The most common ignitable liquid used as an
accelerant is gasoline. The BFFEA determines the presence and identity of
ignitable liquids. Whether or not they were used as "accelerants" is for the
investigator or the courts to determine.
Q: How do you find ignitable
liquids?
A: Fire scene investigators utilize their skills and tools
(electronic sniffers and specially trained canines) in the fire scene to find
areas with a high probability of the presence of an ignitable liquid. They
collect one or more samples and place them in vapor tight containers. These are
sent to the laboratory. The technicians and analysts in the Bureau subject the
evidence to a technique called "passive headspace concentration" in order to
extract trapped ignitable liquid molecules. After being extracted from the
evidence sample, the trapped ignitable liquid molecules are put into a liquid
solution. The solution (extract) is then injected into a gas chromatograph with
mass spectral detector. This instrument creates an electronic representation of
the organic chemicals in the sample mixture. The complexity of this mixture is
represented as a "total ion chromatogram" which can then be further subdivided
into specific ion fragment profiles and mass spectra to determine the presence
or absence of characteristics specific to ignitable liquids.
Q: What if somebody mixes several
ignitable liquids together?
A: Ignitable liquids can be divided into several
classes based on the presence or absence of specific chemical compounds.
Familiarity with these classes allows the analyst to distinguish between a
medium petroleum distillate and deteriorated gasoline. If a mixture were used
the analyst should see a mixed pattern and should be able to make a
differentiation.
Q: How should evidence from a fire
scene be preserved and packaged?
A: Evidence from fire scenes should be
packaged so that the sample is protected from both evaporation of volatile
residues or contamination of the residues after they are collected. This is best
accomplished by placing the sample in an air-tight container. The most common
are clean unused paint cans with a friction lid which is tightly sealed. Glass
jars with tight fitting screw-on lids (using a Teflon type liner) may also be
used. If glass jars are used, take care that they will not break during
transport or shipment. Some brands of nylon "arson" plastic evidence bags are on
the market. Some studies show them to be very useful so long as they are sealed
properly. BFFEA strongly suggests limiting their use to items with odd shapes or
bulk that will not fit into a gallon can. If the debris placed inside them has
sharp points or edges, the plastic bag could be punctured. Plastic bags must be
completely heat sealed. Regardless of the type of container used, place the
debris in it without drying as this will reduce the presence of the ignitable
liquid traces. The container should never be filled more than fifty (50%) to
seventy-five (75%) percent full, as the laboratory needs an adequate vapor space
above the debris for testing. Please see the link to "Guidelines for Submission"
on the Bureau Main Page.
Q: What are the key exceptions or
differences if I have evidence from explosions or clandestine labs?
A: The
Bureau will not accept any intact explosive devises. They must be rendered
"safe", or disassembled before submission. For items from a clandestine
laboratory, if there is a suspicion that any drugs are present, the item must be
submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) as the Bureau will
not accept any drugs for analysis. Items other than fire debris or organic based
solvents should not be directly placed into a metal container as the item may
chemically react with the metal. Instead, glass or plastic containers should be
used. Be careful to observe if there is a chemical reaction or gas evolution
inside the container as this may cause a build-up of pressure in the container
to the point where it would burst. Additionally, these types of evidence may
require larger sampling amounts to ensure an adequate variety of tests. Please
call the Bureau if in doubt.
Q: What can I (the investigator) do
to make sure the best sample is sent to the lab?
A: First, take care in
selecting the sample to be tested. It is best to take a sample of fire debris
from the area of origin between the center and the edge of a pattern suspected
of containing an ignitable liquid. Second, send the sample to the laboratory as
soon as possible. Deterioration of ignitable liquids occurs whenever they are
not sealed in air-tight containers. Additionally, certain microbes have been
known to "eat" components of ignitable liquids. If the concentration of
ignitable liquid is low and the presence of microbes high (as in soil samples),
a delay in sending the sample may cause enough of a change in an ignitable
liquid so that the analyst cannot make a clear determination. Third, if at all
possible, send in a "comparison" sample. This would be a sample (preferably
un-burned) of the same type of material as in the debris to be tested. For
example, if the sample from the point of origin is burned carpet and padding, a
sample of the same type of carpet and padding from a protected area (under a
bookcase or planter) would be a good "comparison sample." The laboratory will
prepare the "comparison" sample under controlled conditions so that the
potential interferences can be seen. Comparison samples are also any absorbents
used to collect a sample. A paper towel, gauze pad, or hydrophobic pad used to
absorb a liquid should be tested to determine it was contaminated. This test is
done by submitting an unused portion of the absorbent material as a separate
comparison sample. Comparison samples of any absorbents used to collect a sample
should be taken at a different location as ignitable liquid vapors may be
absorbed from the air near the scene.
Q: How long will it take to get
results?
A: Ninety-five percent of the samples submitted to the Bureau are
completed and a report issued in fewer than 10 calendar days. Certain cases,
depending on the number of samples and the difficulty in interpreting the
results, can be completed in two to three days. These RUSH cases need to meet
certain criteria:
1. Fatality - If a fatality occurred
in the incident it should have rush priority.
2. Injured victims or
responders. If there are burn victims or first responders who were injured in
any phase of the incident (fire suppression, scene investigation, or scene
clean-up) it should be marked as rush.
3. Major fires or explosions with
significant dollar losses. If a city block, a large business, or historical site
should burn or be involved with an explosion it should be marked rush.
4.
Suspect in custody/impending court would also be a rush criteria.
Q: Who can submit samples?
A: At
this time, the Division of State Fire Marshal's Bureau of Forensic Fire and
Explosives Analysis will accept samples from any government/public service
agency in Florida. This includes all police or fire investigation agencies for
the state, county, or municipality. This, also, includes investigators from
State's Attorney Offices or from the Public Defender's Offices. Other State of
Florida or federal agencies investigating incidents occurring in Florida may
submit evidence, but should contact the Bureau in advance. In the spirit of
forensic cooperation, foreign law enforcement or fire investigation agencies may
be permitted to submit evidence under specific instances and with prior
approval.
Q: What does an analysis of the
evidence cost the submitting agency?
A: At present, the only cost to the
submitting agency is the cost of shipping the evidence to the laboratory. The
Bureau does not charge for analysis of samples. We do charge reasonable and
customary fees for the reproduction of reports, case files, and
photographs/images. Foreign submitters must also agree to bear all costs for
work performed by the Bureau as well as any costs associated with bringing
Bureau personnel to their courts for testimony.
Q: Where can I learn more about the schools that offer degrees
in forensics?
A: The following websites list several of the schools and
information although there are additional resources if you search the web:
http://aafs.org/accredited
http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/203099.pdf
http://forensicsciencetechnician.net
Q: Who do I contact if I need further information?
A:
Call Bureau Chief Carl Chasteen at 850/539-2705 or e-mail Carl Chasteen.
Workload and Turnaround
The Census of Publicly Funded Laboratories, 2009 was released by the U. S. Department of Justice in July, 2012. For the year 2009, they report that there were 411 publicly funded forensic laboratories in the United States with only about half offering the Trace Evidence discipline which includes fire debris, explosives, and unknown chemical analyses. In State laboratories, 78% perform fire debris analysis, 30% perform explosives analysis, and 56% perform the analysis of chemical unknowns. The mean staff size of full time personnel in all forensic laboratories was 32 and the median was 17 per lab. Of the 374 laboratories reporting data categorizing the requests they received, there was a total of 42,000 Trace Evidence Analysis requests. This averages to 112.29 trace evidence requests per laboratory.
By comparison, the Bureau of Forensic Fire and Explosives Analysis has 9 full time employees with only 4 analysts assigned to the examination of fire debris, explosives, or unknown chemical trace evidence. The Bureau processed 3808 fire debris, explosives, or unknown chemical requests (requiring 10,708 separate chemical analyses) in fiscal year 2011 - 2012. The mean number of trace evidence requests processed by BFFEA examiners assigned to trace evidence was 952 in fiscal year 2011 – 2012 (2,677 analyses per analyst). Typically cases are assigned for analysis on the day they are submitted. The Bureau has achieved an average turnaround time for sample analysis under seven days with virtually no backlog.
AN ASCLD/LAB-International ACCREDITED LABORATORY
(SINCE July 20, 2010 in the subdisciplines of Explosives, Analysis of Unknowns, and Fire Debris)
