If you're taking a missing persons report and they say they last saw the person in the bedroom and there is blood all over the walls, what should you do?

• A. Treat the place as a potential crime scene, don't clean it, let the supervisor know and don't mess with anything.
• B. Call the family first
• C. Take photos then leave
• D. File the report and move on

Answer: (A)

When there are signs suggesting possible foul play, the priority is to treat the location as a potential crime scene and preserve any evidence. Disturbing items or cleaning could destroy clues and contaminate the scene, making it harder for investigators to determine what happened. The right move is to avoid touching or moving anything, secure the area, document what you observe, and immediately inform your supervisor so the scene can be properly managed and evidence collected with a proper chain of custody.

Calling the family first delays securing the scene and can introduce uncontrolled variables; taking photos and then leaving leaves the area unsecured and at risk of contamination; filing the report and moving on ignores the immediate need to preserve potential evidence and ensure safety.