Recently, crime scene investigation techniques have been popularized by the CBS television show, "C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation". The book, "The Forensic Science of C.S.I." by Katherine Ramsland, examines the reality of these procedures depicted in this show.

A crime scene search can be described as a planned, coordinated, and legal search by law enforcement officials to locate physical evidence. The successful investigation and prosecution of crimes requires, in most cases, the collection, preservation, and forensic analysis of evidence, which can be crucial to demonstrations of guilt or innocence. The Crime Scene Investigations Division of the Grand Prairie Police Department's Criminal Investigations Bureau collects physical evidence in the field as well as performing initial evidence testing in our modern crime lab facility. Further analysis, when necessary, is performed by regional forensic labs, such as the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences at Dallas, or the FBI Laboratory in Washington, D.C. The Grand Prairie Police Department recently obtained two “Mobile Crime Labs” for CSI operations.

The Grand Prairie Police Department has a staff of civilian investigators and police officers who are specially trained, equipped and assigned to collect physical evidence at the scene of a crime. This includes the recovery of latent fingerprints and prints; recovery of foot, tool, and tire impressions; photographing crime and collision scenes; preparing crime and collision scene sketches; collecting, preserving, and transmitting physical evidence, including biological materials; and comparing latent fingerprints and palm prints.

Persons interested in the field of forensic science may also want to visit the web sites of the International Association for Identification, the FBI Forensic Science Communications, and the Texas DPS Crime Laboratory.