Firearms
By: Michaela Pelletier
When dealing with a firearm safety comes first. Physical evidence and fingerprints are important pieces of evidence but safety is a bigger concern. It is important to make sure the weapon is unloaded, cleared, and safe. A loaded gun should not be submitted to the laboratory unless it is delivered in person. A firearm with the cartridge in the chamber should never be shipped by any method, even if the weapon is not cocked or in safety. The bore, chamber, and cylinder may never be cleaned before the firearm is submitted to the laboratory and it should never be fired before examined. Rifles and shotguns should not be taken apart.
The serial number, make, model, and caliber of the weapon should be recorded and the weapon should be marked in someway that will not detract from its value before sending it to the laboratory. Marking the firearm is important because there are sometimes duplicate serial numbers on different guns of the same make and type.
Personal delivery is the preferred method of delivery to the laboratory but if it can not be personally delivered the US mail can be used. If a firearm has to be shipped, it is very important that the weapon is properly packaged and placed in a heavy container and secured in place to prevent shifting within the container. If there is blood or any other substance that may pertain to the case found on the gun, place a clean paper around the weapon and seal it with tape to prevent movement of the weapon and loss of the sample during shipment. After the firearm is made safe and everything is recorded, package it in a specially designed box to hold weapons in place. The outside label should say that the weapon has been cleared and if the weapon has blood or tissue on it, the label should also read biohazard. When the firearm arrives at the laboratory a well trained firearm examiner should perform the evaluation and comparison of this evidence.