What’s New In Evidence Detection?
The world of crime-solving evolves every day. New multi-million-dollar products, technology, and break-through discoveries make catching the bad guys a little easier. But, sometimes it’s the small things – the cheap stuff – that brings a smile to an investigator’s face.
Developing latent fingerprints just got easier. Simply place the item to be fumed inside a fuming chamber along with a small container of warm water (the water is used to create humidity).
Then peel open one these handy Peel & Fume pouches and place it inside the chamber with the evidence. The fuming process begins immediately, producing complete results in 10-12 minutes. The cost – $3.65.
We always knew which detectives had just completed a burglary call, because he’d have black smudges all over his face, especially around the nose (it never fails, whenever you have fingerprint powder on your hands, your nose begins to itch). The stuff is almost impossible to remove. Believe me, it takes a lot of scrubbing.
Even worse are the smudged surfaces in the victim’s home. Fingerprint powder has the incredible ability to multiply like the Tribbles from Star Trek.
Powder-B-Gone is a latent print powder-removing solution that eliminates that pesky black stuff from all non-porous surfaces. All that’s required is a squirt from the bottle and then wipe the area clean with a damp cloth. So where was this stuff when I was dusting for prints and fielding complaints from irritated homeowners?
Many felt they’d rather suffer the loss from the burglary rather than dealing with the mess caused by fingerprint powder.
Photo courtesy of Lisa Provost, Guilford College Forensic Biology
Those of you coming to the Writers Police Academy later this month will have the opportunity to experience this first hand. You will be dusting for, and lifting, actual fingerprints.
One bottle of Powder B. Gone – $13.25
This handy-dandy aerosol spray is used to detect the presence of cocaine residue impregnated in fabric, cloth, textiles, and many other types of surfaces. $12.00
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* It’s not too late to register for the Writers Police Academy in Hamilton, Ohio. This is going to be a fantastic event. Where else could you rub elbows with top authors, publishers, and agents while taking a walking tour through a real, working morgue? Who knows what you may see lying around. This is the morgue of Dr. Richard Burkhardt, a coroner who’s been featured on Forensic Files, Court TV, and Skeleton Stories. Dr. B. is one of the all-time great storytellers.
Hamilton was once known as Little Chicago since it was a favorite hide-out spot for gangsters such as John Dillenger. Things aren’t much quieter now. In fact, during a late-night session I’m going to take conference attendees on a photographic tour (real crime-scene photos) of a couple of the country’s most horrific murders – murders that occurred in Hamilton. It’s a presentation that’s not for the faint of heart. But it is a presentation that’ll stir a mystery writer’s imagination.
I hope to see you there!
Wow I can’t believe you found the picture I took while printing bags of crack cocaine. yeah that stuff gets everywhere!!!
Lisa P
queenofmean – Saturday’s post has all the conference details.
When is the Writer’s Police Academy? And which Hamilton, Oh? I’m guessing the one near Cincinnati. Thanks.
There’s an interesting mention of pepper spray as ‘extra’ equipment in the “Homicide – Hussey” (that’s his name, not his behavior) chapter on my blog today as well.
http://terryodell.blogspot.com/
I loved the Tribbles! My cat kind of sounds like one sometimes.
I wish I could make the conference–too many other commitments right now, most of which have nothing to do with writing.
Here’s a link that kind of goes along with your post today:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09093/960318-85.stm
Terry – Unfortunately, no, there were some officer deaths this week, but I didn’t receive details until it was too late to post. I’ll include their names next week.
Jenifer – I’ll contact you with some conference details later today. Right now, I’m leaving for a meeting.
It’s always good to see the less high-tech side of these things.
I’m not yet registered for the conference (not sure about other commitments yet), but interested. Is there any way for attendees to get together for things like ride share and room share?
It’s Friday. No fallen heroes? A good thing. Tribbles are much better. (But Amok Time was and probably is my favorite)
Funny, I was just reworking a scene where the resident had to clean up fingerprint powder detritus. Way back when I wrote it, my consultant said they used to use Gunk hand cleaner. But if I give my character this new stuff, she won’t have to work nearly as hard as I need her to.
Trouble with Tribles was my favorite Star Trek ! Of course, I was a kid.
And look how handsome Captain Kirk looks with them !
Budget has me grounded =(
You mean Tribbles don’t automatically come to mind when you hear the words fingerprint powder? What’s wrong with you?
I think PBG can also be used to erase rejection letter stains from the heart.
Hey, airplanes fly to and from that area every day. I live in Boston, too, and I’m going. 🙂
I never thought I’d see the day when Tribbles and fingerprint powder appeared in the same sentence. Is Powder B. Gone good for anything else? Polishing silver? Removing smudges from glass?
Wish I lived closer to Ohio!