The Major Crime Squad van includes not only the standard forensic equipment, but also other supplies such as machetes, rakes, shovels, video and still cameras, films, plumbing wrenches, a ladder, and reference books. The van measures 14 by 18 by 7 feet and can reach a crime scene within an hour of the report. It also carries an electronic typewriter programmed with standard warrant language, a checklist of topics to check at the crime scene, and forms used in investigations. The van squad supervisor, Sergeant Thomas O'Connor, notes that the van is used both in rural communities normally covered by State police and to assist in cities that have their own police forces. Each van has 6 technicians and a supervisor who are on 24-hour call. The van squad also continuously samples new products and experiments with innovative uses of familiar materials to aid criminal investigations. Photograph.