THE PRECISE ROLE OF THE POLICE SURGEON CANNOT BE DEFINED FOR EVERY PARTICULAR CASE OF SUDDEN UNEXPECTED DEATH. INVOLVEMENT MAY BE MINIMAL OR MAXIMAL DEPENDING UPON FACTORS OF THE DEGREE OF SUSPICION SURROUNDING THE DEATH, THE EXPERTISE OF THE INVESTIGATING POLICE OFFICER, THE PRESENCE OF A PATHOLOGIST, THE EXPERTISE OF THE POLICE SURGEON, AND THE APPLICATION OF COMMON SENSE. ALTHOUGH NO TWO CRIMES ARE COMMITTED IN THE SAME WAY, CERTAIN BASIC PRINCIPLES APPLY TO ALL SCENES OF CRIME WHICH CAN BE ADAPTED TO EACH CASE. STATEMENTS GENERALLY APPLY TO DEATH BY SUICIDE AND HOMICIDE, BUT THE POSSIBILITIES OF ACCIDENT OR ILLNESS MUST BE CONSIDERED. OFTEN THE POLICE SURGEON IS THE FIRST PERSON AT THE SCENE TO APPRECIATE THAT THE PARTICULAR DEATH IS UNUSUAL, AND HE MAY HAVE TO RESTRAIN WITNESSES AND BYSTANDERS UNTIL THE INVESTIGATORY TEAM IS ALERTED. PRESERVATION OF THE SCENE CANNOT BE EMPHASIZED TOO STRONGLY. THE EXPERIENCED POLICE SURGEON WILL ASSIST IN THE ESTIMATION OF THE TIME OF DEATH, IN ESTABLISHING THE CAUSE OF DEATH, IN ADVISING ON THE SIGNIFICANCE AND PRESERVATION OF TRACE EVIDENCE, IN THE DESCRIPTION AND CHARACTER OF THE ASSAILANT, OR ACCUSED, AND EVEN ADVISE ON ACCEPTED POLICE PROCEDURE. THE SCENE AS A WHOLE SHOULD BE CAREFULLY NOTED, AND NOTHING SHOULD BE TOUCHED OR MOVED UNTIL RECORDED. THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE WHOLE CONDUCT OF THE INVESTIGATION IS THAT OF THE SENIOR INVESTIGATING OFFICER, WHO WILL CALL IN A TEAM OF SPECIALISTS; THE POLICE SURGEON WILL CONTINUE HIS EFFORTS, WORKING WITH THE TEAM. FOLLOWING A TEAM BRIEFING, THE FIRST TASK DETERMINES WHETHER DEATH HAS ACTUALLY OCCURRED; ONCE THIS FACT IS ESTABLISHED, THE INVESTIGATION PROCESS SHOULD CONTINUE METHODICALLY. OBJECTIVES AT THE SCENE INCLUDE DETERMINING WHERE THE VICTIM DIED, HOW THE VICTIM DIED, POSSIBLE WEAPONS, POSSIBLE MOTIVE AND POSSIBLE DESCRIPTION OF THE ASSAILANT. FINGERPRINTS AND TRACE EVIDENCE SHOULD BE COLLECTED; ANY SUSPECT SHOULD BE PROMPTLY EXAMINED SO CONTACT TRACES STILL REMAINING CAN BE PRESERVED. EXCELLENT WORK AT THE SCENE CAN BE DISCREDITED LATER IN COURT IF NOT REPORTED PROPERLY AND ACCURATELY; SKETCHES AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE SCENE ARE ESSENTIAL. SAMPLE PHOTOGRAPHS AND SKETCHES ARE INCLUDED IN THE CHAPTER. (LWM)