Peek Inside the NYPD’s Forensic Unit Where It Investigates Gun Crimes
- Posted on June 26, 2012 at 3:09pm by
Liz Klimas
- Print »
- Email »
(Photo: CBS screenshot)
“This is our little police museum down here,” Lt. Denis Burke said as he gave a local news network a tour of the New York Police Department’s Forensic Investigations Unit. Among the thousands of confiscated weapons is the gun that killed Jon Lennon and .44 the “Son of Sam” used to attack people in parked cars in the mid-1970s.
CBS New York’s Maurice Dubois went behind the scenes into the lab where the officers working may not be apprehending criminals, but they “really do help put bad criminals in jail,” Burke said.
(Image: CBS screenshot)
After every shooting in the city, CBS explains, this lab is integral in researching bullet fragments in an effort to identify the gun that fired them:
“What were trying to do is match up the striations that are left behind when the gun is fired,” Lt. Burke said.
Like a fingerprint, each gun barrel leaves a distinct pattern on the bullet, but sometimes the data base is no match for an experienced detective’s memory.
“We’re sort of like fitting a puzzle together,” Det. Jonathon Fox said.
Watch the CBS report with footage on the inside:
Last year, more than 10,000 pieces of gun-related equipment and 6,500 firearms made it through the lab.
As you might imagine, the work is very tedious and methodical but, as Det. Joseph Cummings told CBS, “it actually does give you a pretty good feeling that you could be helping the detectives out here looking for the bad guys.”
Comments (23)
Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In
Popular Stories
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 575 Comments
‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 404 Comments
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 402 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 372 Comments
President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 340 Comments
Faith
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 402 Comments
Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 404 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
- President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 340 Comments
- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 150 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 302 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 402 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
SlyFox123
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 9:45pmNot to be an “upsetter”, but folks, all of what has been said….the final comment is what the (either side) can be said as a final……All of the science is just that, so much science….., “can” lead to something of a wrong conviction. This means, that we WILL HAVE a wrong conviction. This is a very easy way out, and we have a wrongful conviction, this being for the SAKE of a conviction!.
Report Post »Parnell3rd
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 12:20amWait one minute! They had 6,500 guns last year alone? I thought guns were illegal in NYC since the early 30′s? Dayum criminal’s do not pay attention to laws do they?
Report Post »RevRiles
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 11:57pmI am so glad they got those evil guns locked up, because if they ever got out, the guns would commit crimes!
Report Post »sasquatch08
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 8:32pmForensics is mostly pysdoscience. Popular Science looked at techniques such as bullet tracing, bloodsplatter analysis, fingerprint analysis and DNA testing.
They concluded that the only method investigators use that has any basis in scientific reality is DNA, the rest are a coin-flip at best and have no real scientific basis for their claims.
Report Post »cous1933
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 11:02pmSasquatch,
Report Post »I’ve been a police officer for 27 years and a Crime Scene Investigator and Latent Print Examiner for the past 18. I have also been qualified as an expert witness in Bloodstain Pattern Analysis. I’m familiar with the Popular Science article you refer to (which was inspired by the National Academy of Sciences report from 2009 which was highly critical of many aspects of forensics in the criminal justice system). While I agree that standardization could and should be improved, your statement that forensics is mostly “pysdoscience” ( I assume you meant “pseudoscience”) is ignorant.
The methods used in latent fingerprint examination, ballistics, and bloodstain pattern analysis are valid and reliable and have proven so over many decades. The science behind these methods is sound. Reporters like the author of the PS article highlight the human errors that are occasionally (though relatively very rarely) made and try to discredit the entire profession. Of course defense attorneys and academic elitists are all aboard this bandwagon. Over the course of my career I have made thousands of latent fingerprint identifications and I am absolutely 100% certain that every single one is correct. I know that each one would be verified by any properly trained and competent fingerprint examiner in the world. To not avail ourselves of these forensic practices would be a true injustice.
Maji
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 12:28amCous1933
Report Post »You statement while on a technicality is correct but the ability to change the profiles
of a firearm is so elemental it’s almost a moot point!
I can’t help but wonder if your omission on pupose.
Anyone with a juvenile knowlege of guns can effect them…thus the same reason that
gun(bullet)stamps don’t work.
It’s just an anti-gun ploy.
cous1933
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 6:43amMaji,
Report Post »I had a recent case where a man killed his boss with a Glock model 26 then switched out the barrel. The suspect gladly turned over his gun thinking that it could not be connected to the crime. Of course the spent bullet from the scene did not match his gun due to the barrel switch. However the firing pin impression and extractor marks on the spent casing from the scene did match his gun. I’m aware that changing the profile of a gun is easy, but it is extremely rare for a murder suspect to do it and even when they do attempt it, it is not always successful for them. My point is that regardless of the criticisms brought on by the rare case of erroneous conclusions, forensics in law enforcement are reliable and valuable.
By the way, I’m also aware that the legislation proposing new stamping requirements is just an anti-gun ploy and I’m against any legislation that tries to back-door the gun industry. I’m extremely pro-2nd Amendment. I personally don‘t like any gun laws except the one that says don’t shoot anyone unless you have to.
sasquatch08
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 8:30pmForensics is psydoscience. Fingerprints, bloodsplatter analysis and bullet “tracing” was all looked at by Popular Science, and they debunked them all.
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 4:27pmYou cant trace buckshot
Report Post »mharry860
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 8:13pmThanks for the tip.
Report Post »txbigfoot
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 7:30pmYoung Jedi, please read above: However the firing pin impression and extractor marks on the spent casing from the scene did match his gun…. oh, and could there be finger prints on the shell from loading.. omg.
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 3:26pmCBS New York’s Maurice Dubois went behind the scenes into the lab where the officers working may not be apprehending criminals, but they “really do help put bad criminals in jail,” Burke said.
As opposed to good criminals? I thought all criminals were bad.
Report Post »Steelheadisadouche
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 3:42pmCan’t mix them up with elected criminal, or pro-sports criminals. Just baaaad criminals.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 3:48pmSlayer haven‘t you listened to Barry’s wise words? Criminals that break our immigration laws are good criminals and deserve college schollarships. Pay attention when the Emperor speaks!
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 4:28amdo not forget “If I had a son he would look like trayvon” or “the police acted stupidly”
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 3:22pmThey need a new mayor in New York. That man has no discretion and/or judgement that is meaningful. He is a sheep following after an agenda that is not good for his people or America.
Report Post »I am 'We the People
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 3:21pmWhy is the focus on the guns rather than the people that commit the crimes. They don’t care so much about the knife that kills someone as they do the gun.
Report Post »battles
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 5:15pmThere, of course, can be only be one reason. Liberals desire to usurp the constitution and our rights therein and set up a totalitarian communist state. As long as we still have the right to keep and bear arms, their desire can not be realized, at least as long as there are people who will die resisting such a takeover. The taking of arms from the American people is extremely important and a top priority to liberals. The New Orleans / Katrina disaster was use by our government to test the American people to see how they would react to cops (from all over the nation) going door to door confiscating legally owned and possessed guns. They hoped that people would accept the false pretense that the ends justified the means.
Report Post »ENIGMA28724
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 9:06pmBecause a citizen with a firearm, particularly a long gun, is no where near as easily controlled as one with a knife, or no weapon at all. It is all about people control, not gun control.
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 3:21pmWhen guns are gone, I wonder if rocks and clubs are gonna give as much clues? There are so many ways to kill people that guns is not the issue, but the issue is the people themselves and the rotten role models the children have, even up to, and including the man in our High Office. Sports figures, anyone? Not many of those stand up and try to be a role model. This country is showing the symptoms of sin sickness, rebellion and disrespect for authority. This is the result of being dummed down with a carrot on a stick in front of their noses until they are led off a cliff. This is the result of grown, selfish and narcisistic individuals who have taught your children to not trust you or any adults in authority. It has been quite an experiment for those seeking control.
Report Post »hard.right
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 4:36pmA most excellent point. At least if we keep guns out there, there’s a chance of catching murderers. With a knife, club, baseball bat…not much to go on. Can’t be traced. You have to find the murder weapon. Maybe they should focus on banning all the other instruments of murder and pass out guns to all of us. Just thinking outside the box. I‘m a ’solutions’ kind of guy.
Report Post »CulperGang
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 3:19pmAll paid an bought by TAXPAYERS. Remember that OATHKEEPERS.
The Obama Adminsitration et al. IS THE ENEMY WITHIN. THEY ARE THE TERRORIST AROUND THE WORLD.
God Save the USA from the enemy within. God save the world from the criminals in the WH/Pentagon and the Bilderbergers.
Report Post »Exrepublisheep
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 6:09pmAnd replace them with even worse? No thanks.
Report Post »