Page 19 - Veritas - 02.03.22

you, then it can lead to a self-destructive path. I had been there, and

eventually, I could comprehend how it had been affecting me so I could

move forward, but that is not everyone. There has been an exponen-

tial rise in the rate of suicide of law enforcement personnel, so I be-

lieve it’s important to introduce mental health awareness in training

and universities to prepare new investigators.

5. Has there been any case where the modus operandi was some-

thing you had never seen before?

A double homicide of two teenagers I worked on a few years ago was

brutal. There were acts that took place, which I could tell based on

the blood patterns on the victims, which was something I had never

encountered before.

6. What is the evidential importance of blood pattern in a case?

In most reconstructions of shootings, needing to know how exactly

the shooting happened helps to understand if it was self-defence or

not. And therefore, from a forensic standpoint, to provide information

through blood pattern analysis to either refute or include a suspect’s

testimony is important. In cases where finding the area of origin is

crucial, it can be shown irrefutably with physics and math how the

conclusion was arrived upon.

7. Have there been any changes in the modus operandi of crimes

during the pandemic?

One of the most difficult aspects, as a general law enforcement officer,

is the fact that everyone wears a mask. It makes it difficult to identi-

fy people in video surveillance. So that is the biggest impact from an

investigator’s point of view.

8. How do you manage your work-life balance?

It is constantly hectic. I am currently working on my PhD as well. So,

it feels like I’m juggling three chainsaws on fire. It helps me when I