Scenes of crime officer
Help solve crimes as you find, collect and record evidence.
Also known as: SOCO, CSI, crime scene investigator, crime scene examiner
About the job
What it's like
When a crime takes place, securing the scene and collecting every scrap of evidence is the top priority. That's where scenes of crime officers come in!
Dressed in their distinctive white suits, gloves and masks, scenes of crime officers gather evidence at crime scenes. You'll collaborate with police officers during an investigation. You may work directly for a police force, or with a security services company that teams up with the police.
In this role, you'll recover evidence from all types of crime – ranging from minor crimes to murders and robberies. You must stay calm in unpleasant and distressing situations, keeping confidential information private.
If you were an assistant scenes of crime officer or volume crime scene investigator (VCSI), you'll deal with more common crimes such as vehicle theft.
Your tasks might include:
protecting the crime scene so that evidence can be recovered without being lost or damaged
finding out what evidence is needed and deciding the best way to collect it
recording the scene using photography and video
employing various techniques to collect evidence such as fibres, blood, hair, paint or glass
searching for footprints, identifying marks left by tools or weapons and recording fingerprint evidence
putting samples into protective packaging and sending them for analysis – you'll sometimes be asked to give evidence in court and attend post-mortems
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Scottish Police Authority – learn about forensic services in Scotland's criminal justice sector
The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences – discover accredited training courses
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- problem solving
- observation
- researching
- cooperating
- working with technology
- understanding
- attention to detail
- developing a plan
- resilience
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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Biology
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Chemistry
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Human Biology
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Photography
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Physics
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Skills for Work: Laboratory Science
There are a few ways you can become a scenes of crime officer in Scotland. Entry to this role is very competitive and requirements may vary.
University
A degree that's accredited by The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences can help you get into this job. You could study subjects, such as:
Forensic Science
Applied Science
Criminology
Psychology
Chemistry
Biology
Once you've completed your degree, you can apply for scenes of crime officer vacancies.
Due to the level of competition for jobs, some people progress to a master's degree.
Use the My World of Work course search to find degrees.
College
Getting qualifications at college, such as an HNC or HND, could help you find a job or progress to more advanced study. Useful subjects include:
Applied Sciences
Applied Biological Sciences
Applied Chemical Sciences
Applied Sciences
Applied Analytical Sciences
Forensic Science
If you have lab-based or technical work experience, you can apply for a scenes of crime officer role once you've completed your college qualification.
Work
Already working in a police staff or administration role? You could apply for internal scenes of crime officer vacancies.
You'll likely still need to have a university or college qualification. Experience in a police staff role can be a real advantage, putting you in a strong position when applying for a scenes of crime officer job.
Qualifications or experience in photography can be useful. In fact, this may be essential for some jobs.
It's helpful if you have experience dealing with the public, working in security services or handling sensitive situations.
Volunteering can help you gain experience in photography, work with the public or build skills in security. Look for relevant opportunities on Volunteer Scotland.
You'll probably need a driving licence.
You should have normal colour vision.
Police services will look into your background and employment history. This might include checking on your close family members. A criminal record may not always prevent you from being employed in the police service but you must declare any convictions.
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Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Scenes of crime officer'
