FOI 33321

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: HRC0033321/26

I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 2^nd October 2026.  Please find below the response to your request:

For the purposes of this request, I am interested in the use of the following technologies for crime scene documentation, recording or reconstruction:

360deg or panoramic imaging

LiDAR / 3D laser scanning

Photogrammetry

Systems that combine 360deg imaging with LiDAR or other 3D scanning technologies

1. Current use

Does your force currently use any of the technologies listed above for crime scene documentation?

If yes, please state:

1. a) Which technology or system is used; and
2. b) The manufacturer and/or system name, where this information is recorded.

2. Availability

For each technology currently used, please state whether it is:

Routinely available to all or most Crime Scene Investigators/SOCOs; Available only to a specialist CSI/forensic unit; or Accessed on an occasional or case-by-case basis.

If recorded, please also indicate approximately how long the technology has been in use.

3. Crime type                                                                                             For what types of crime, incident or crime scene are these technologies used? For example, are they routinely used across different crime scenes or primarily for particular incidents such as homicide, serious violence, road traffic collisions, major crime scenes or other specialist investigations?

4. Supplementation or replacement                                                                                     Where these technologies are used, do they supplement traditional forensic photography or replace any elements of existing crime scene documentation? If they replace an existing method, please state what they have replaced.

5. Evaulation and reviews                                                                                            Has your force conducted any pilot, evaluation or review of these technologies? If so, please provide any recorded findings relating to their benefits, limitations, costs or impact on crime scene documentation/workflow.

6. Use within your force

                                                                                           If your force does not currently use one or more of these technologies, has their use previously been trialled or formally considered? If so, please provide any recorded reasons for not adopting or continuing their use.