Prevalence of organic gunshot residues in police vehicles

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Serval ID
serval:BIB_B4BF705CF0B9
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Prevalence of organic gunshot residues in police vehicles
Journal
Science & Justice
Author(s)
Gassner Anne-Laure, Weyermann Céline
ISSN
1355-0306
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2020
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
60
Number
2
Pages
136-144
Language
english
Abstract
The present study investigated the organic gunshot residue (OGSR) background level of police vehicles in Switzerland. Specimens from 64 vehicles belonging to two regional police services were collected and analysed by LC-MS in positive mode. The driver’s and back seats were sampled separately to monitor potential differences between locations and to assess the risks of a suspect being contaminated by OGSR during transportation to a police station.
The results showed that most of the 64 vehicles were uncontaminated (44 driver’s seats and 38 back seats respectively). Up to six of the seven targeted compounds were detected in a single sample, once on a driver’s seat and twice on back seats. The contamination frequency generally decreased as the number of compounds detected together increased. The amounts detected were in the low ng range and less than amounts generally detected just after discharge on a shooter. Our data indicated that detecting a combination of four or more compounds on a police vehicle seat appears to be a relatively rare occurrence. The background contamination observed was most probably due to secondary transfer from police officers (e.g. through recent participation in a shooting session or firearm manipulation) or from firearms stored in the vehicles. The present results might be used as a recommendation to minimize contact of a suspect with contaminated surfaces if OGSR is implemented in routine work in parallel to IGSR analysis.
Keywords
Forensic science, firearm discharge residue, background contamination, LC-MS
Funding(s)
Swiss National Science Foundation / Projects / 10521A_165608
Create date
25/10/2019 11:41
Last modification date
21/11/2022 8:19
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