The Forensics Squad responds to Homicides, Suicides, accidental or suspicious deaths, deputy involved shootings, sexual batteries, robberies, child / domestic / elderly abuse cases, burglary cases with exceptional circumstances and any cases which would require evidence collection or forensic skills beyond that of patrol deputies.  They also respond to assist other law enforcement agencies who may not have our capabilities.

Major Case Mobile Crime Lab

The grid pattern is one method of documenting evidence location

Crime Scene Investigators are responsible for the preservation of the crime scene, providing documentation of the scene through photographs or sketches, processing the crime scene for latent fingerprints by use of conventional powders fluorescent powders, chemical enhancers, and alternate light source enhancements.  The Crime Scene Investigator is responsible for locating, documenting, collecting and interpreting evidence (e.g. bloodstain patterns, glass fragments and fractures, projectile trajectory, trace evidence including hairs, fibers, tissues, latent fingerprints via lifting tape, photography, and 'Mikrosil', foot, shoe, hand, and bite marks through casting materials and photos).  They are also responsible for laboratory submissions to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

The Image Lab Squad is responsible for developing color and black & white film and printing color and black & white negatives submitted by Crime Scene Investigators and all other agency divisions.  Technicians prepare photo lineups and print / copy latent fingerprints.  They Support the photographic needs of the Public Information Office as staff photographers, photograph public relations activities, and photograph Sheriff's Office awards and retirement ceremonies.

Dowel rods are inserted into holes to determine the trajectory of bullets and probable location of the shooter relative to (in this case) the car.	Removal of the skin from the fingers of a significantly decomposed victim is a procedure for obtaining postmortem fingerprints.  The skin is placed on the gloved hands of a Crime Scene investigator for the prints to be obtained.