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Date: 02/09/2025

Police Identification and Records Officers

Collect evidence at crime scene, classify and identify fingerprints, and photograph evidence for use in criminal and civil cases.

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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Maintain records of evidence and write and review reports.
    • Interview survivors, witnesses, suspects, and other law enforcement personnel.
    • Create sketches and diagrams, by hand or computer software, to depict crime scenes.
    • Process film and prints from crime or accident scenes.
    • Analyze and process evidence at crime scenes, during autopsies, or in the laboratory, wearing protective equipment and using powders and chemicals.
    • Identify, compare, classify, and file fingerprints, using systems such as Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) or the Henry Classification System.
    • Identify, compare, classify, and file fingerprints, using systems such as Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) or the Henry Classification System.
    • Photograph crime or accident scenes for evidence records.
    • Serve as technical advisor and coordinate with other law enforcement workers or legal personnel to exchange information on crime scene collection activities.
    • Analyze and process evidence at crime scenes, during autopsies, or in the laboratory, wearing protective equipment and using powders and chemicals.
    • Testify in court and present evidence.
    • Perform emergency work during off-hours.
    • Dust selected areas of crime scene and lift latent fingerprints, adhering to proper preservation procedures.
    • Coordinate or conduct instructional classes or in-services, such as citizen police academy classes and crime scene training for other officers.
    • Package, store and retrieve evidence.
    • Maintain records of evidence and write and review reports.
    • Look for trace evidence, such as fingerprints, hairs, fibers, or shoe impressions, using alternative light sources when necessary.
    • Submit evidence to supervisors, crime labs, or court officials for legal proceedings.

    Skills

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    4
    Workplace Documents
    5
    Graphic Literacy
    5

    Abilities

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    Knowledge

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • Customer and Personal Service

      Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    Career Video

    Additional videos and more information available on CareerOneStop

    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 79770/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 38.35/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 2,310
    • Yearly Projected Openings 170

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Conventional: People interested in this work like activities that include data, detail, and regular routines.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Integrity
    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Adaptability/Flexibility
    • Initiative
    • Stress Tolerance

    Tools

    • Adjustable widemouth pliers
    • Alcohol analyzers
    • Axes
    • Binocular light compound microscopes
    • Biological evidence collection kits
    • Biometric identification equipment
    • Bolt cutters
    • Bullet proof vests
    • Camera lens
    • Claw hammer
    • Desktop computers
    • Digital camcorders or video cameras
    • Digital cameras
    • Distance meters
    • Fingerprint applicators or brushes
    • Fingerprint latent print kits
    • Footprint lifters
    • Footwear covers
    • Forensic magnifiers
    • Fume hoods or cupboards
    • Gas generators
    • Geological compasses
    • Hacksaw
    • Handheld thermometer
    • Hazardous material protective apparel
    • Infrared lamps
    • Instant print cameras
    • Laboratory scalpels
    • Laboratory scissors
    • Laboratory tools
    • Laboratory vials
    • Lasers
    • Locking pliers
    • Masks or accessories
    • Measuring wheels for distance
    • Metal detectors
    • Microscope slides
    • Narcotic test kits
    • Notebook computers
    • Personal computers
    • Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizers
    • Portable data input terminals
    • Protective gloves
    • Pry bars
    • Pullers
    • Respirators
    • Rulers
    • Safety glasses
    • Screwdrivers
    • Shovels
    • Socket sets
    • Still cameras
    • Tape measures
    • Two way radios
    • Ultraviolet UV lamps
    • Utility knives
    • Wire cutters
    • Wood chisels

    Technology

    • Data base user interface and query software
    • Graphics or photo imaging software
    • Internet browser software
    • Office suite software
    • Operating system software
    • Presentation software
    • Process mapping and design software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Word processing software
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