Topic 9.

FIREARM
FORENSICS
FIREARM FORENSICS

•Police officer/s should observe gun

safety when recovering and handling
firearm evidence value.
•Take note that safety is an issue that
every handler of firearms must reckon.
a. What do you think is our primary concern
when handling firearms?
b. When do we say that there is safety?
c. What do you think happens if there is NO
safety?
d. What do you think are the major causes of
gun accidents?
Two major causes of gun accidents:

1. Ignorance; and
2. Carelessness
Rule 1. Consider Every Gun is Loaded
“I thought the gun was empty”. This
statement is usually the reason why
accidents happen.

*This should be an absolute rule!

Always assume that all guns are
loaded until you have personally
checked that there is no ammunition in
the chamber or cylinder nor a loaded
magazine inserted.
What are the parts of the gun to be
checked whether or not a gun is
unloaded? How do we check?
Parts to be checked:
a. Magazine
b. Action / slide
c. Chamber
HOW?

Check that a gun is unloaded by

first - removing the magazine,
second - opening the action, and
third - inspecting the chamber.
What is the proper way of passing or
handling a gun to another person?

As a matter of etiquette, pistol must be

unloaded with its slide pulled back and
locked when handed over from one person
to another. Cylinder of loaded revolvers must
be open.
 A pistol in a safe
condition (chamber
empty, slide locked
and open, and
magazine removed)
Rule 2. Always keep the
muzzle of the gun pointed
in a safe direction or never
let the muzzle of a gun
point at anything you do
not intend to shoot
(muzzle consciousness)

*This is the primary rule of gun safety.

What do you think is meant by?

a. Safe direction-
b. Muzzle -
Rule 3. Keep your finger off/out the
trigger unless you are ready to fire
(trigger finger consciousness)
 Accidental firing is more often not
equipment related. It is a finger
unconsciously pulling the trigger
before an intention to shoot.
If your finger is kept off the trigger,
where should it be?

trigger finger outside the trigger

Rule 4. Be sure of
your target and
what lies beyond
and around it before
shooting
SAFETY FEATURES

Semi-automatic pistols incorporate

several positive safety devices which, if
properly employed, can minimize the
danger of accidental firing. These are
the ff:
a. Trigger Guard
b. Slide Lock/THUMB
Safety
c. Grip Safety (common to
model 1911 pistols)
CRIME SCENE PROCEDURE
FOR SHOOTING INCIDENT
A. RECOGNITION OF EVIDENCE

The process of applying keen

observation in search for physical
evidence at the crime scene for
proper identification.
B. COLLECTION OF PHYSICAL
EVIDENCE
The process of gathering physical evidence at
the crime scene. Photograph and sketch the
physical evidence before collecting them from
the crime scene and maintain records as to
when, where, who, what and how the evidence
were recovered.
Great care should be exercise
when collecting physical evidence.
Be sure not to MAC the very nature
of the evidence.
 “MAC”
M – Mutilate
A – Alter/Adulterate
C - Contaminate
Specimens subjected for
Processing/Recovery from
the Crime Scene:
a. Firearms
b. Ammunition
c. Ammunition Components, such as:
• bullet
• pellet
• cartridge cases
• primer
• propellant
• wads
• bullet fragment
• other related specimen
FIREARMS
EVIDENCE
COLLECTION
a. Firearms
Rules:
- Make sure it is unloaded
- DO NOT put a pencil into a barrel
- Hold the gun at the rough part of the grip,
stock and/or slide where no possible prints
can be deposited.
- Place ID tag on trigger guard
b. Ammunition
Scribe on base or nose
Package in pill box or envelope
Wrap in tissue to protect
c. Clothing
Protect and preserve any possible residue
Air dry if wet
Package separately in paper bags

Note: Establish CHAIN OF

CUSTODY
MARKING OF PHYSICAL
EVIDENCE
RIFLE UPPER RECEIVER BOLT

LOWER RECEIVER BARREL

 SLIDE

PISTOL

RECEIVER

BARREL
 CYLINDER
REVOLVER

BARREL
FRAME
BULLET
NOSE OGIVE

BASE
Marking an evidence bullet

bullet base
example:
engraved
marked “ABC

On the nose (if the

base is badly damaged)
never on the body
CARTRIDGE CASE
INSIDE OPEN
OUTSIDE OPEN MOUTH
BODY
MOUTH

Pistol
cartridge Rifle
case cartridge
case

INSIDE OPEN OUTSIDE OPEN BODY

MOUTH MOUTH
Mark a fired cartridge case ( e.g. “FFB”), outside near
open mouth or inside near open mouth

Inside, near open mouth

Outside, near open mouth

Marked “FFB”

Date: “02-18-06”
d. PRESERVATION OF PHYSICAL
EVIDENCE
The process of keeping and preserving

physical evidence like firearms, fired bullets,
fired cartridge case, pellets/shots, wads, and
bullet fragments should be properly
preserved for proper presentation during the
trial of the case.
1. FIREARM/S
Should be properly wrapped and
placed in a container, box or envelope
to prevent loss or tampering. The
container or envelope itself should be
properly labelled by the recovering
officer.
Properly packed firearm evidence
Unsafely packed evidence
2. BULLETS AND CARTRIDGE CASES

After having been marked, should be

wrapped in a clean soft “tissue”, paper or
cotton and placed separately in a self
sealing plastic packet or any similar
container.
The container should be properly
marked/labelled.
 Evidence Bags, paper
Small Evidence Boxes and plastic
 e. TRANSMITTAL OF PHYSICAL
EVIDENCE
Once the officer has marked and preserved
those pieces of evidence, these pieces of
evidence should be endorsed to the PNP
Crime Laboratory specifically at the Firearms
Identification Division/Section for examination.
NOTE:

• The IOC should be well versed with the ‘chain-of-

custody’ procedures. It is very important to have a
record of all persons who have handled the physical
evidence from the time of its recovery until its final
disposition in court. Information as to who received
and accepted the evidence, date and time of
receiving, and quantity and condition of the physical
evidence should be document properly.
- RevisedAdministrative Code (RAC)
Act No. 2711, March 10, 1917

- P.D. No. 1866, June 26, 1983

- R.A. No. 8294, June 6, 1997