Chris Monturo: Typical day on the job?

[Monique]

Hello!

Would you mind telling me what a typical day on the job is like for you?

~Monique

Hi Monique,

Sorry for the delayed response. I don't get here as often as I used to.

Unlike what Hollywood would have you believe, everyday is not action packed solving complex homicide cases. We do get involved cases which have multiple guns, piles of bullets and cartridge cases, etc. but they can take a month or 2 to complete fully.

Typically, I will go in our porperty room and grab a handful of guns to test fire. We get cases in for function testing. Those are simple documented on a worksheet (make, model, caliber, serial number, etc) then taken to our range which is attached to the office to test fire. I then write up a report with my findings. I will then pull another case. This time i may grab something more complex to break up the day. This may be a gun that was recovered from a suspect and some fired cartridge cases from a crime scene. I will write up the gun the same way as the others (with the worksheet) and will document the cartridge cases (caliber, headstamp info, pictures, etc.). I then compare the cartridge cases from the crime scene to each other to see if they were fired from the same gun. I document my findings (photos and notes). I will then compare the test fired cartridge cases from the suspet firearm to the evidence cartridge cases to see if they came from the same source. I will document my findings and write a report regarding my findings.

Then i go to lunch.

In the afternoon I will start either more simple cases or one big one that may carry over into the next day (or a few weeks if it's a big case).

There are lots of little things i neglected to note such as trasnferring evidence to/from property rooms, proof reading reports, tech. reviewing co-workers reports, etc. I also didn't mention going to court which can take from one hour to a full day (most of it spent waiting outside the courtroom).

There are also interesting types of firearms or ammuntion that will pass through the lab which will require research to define. That is fun.

To sum it up, my day includes paperwork (worksheets), shooting guns, microscope time, more paperwork, and waiting outside courts. I testify about once a month.

Did that cover it? Any specific questions, I'd be happy to elaborate on.

Regards,
Chris

[Monique]

Thank you, Chris! That kind of day sounds pretty good to me! I appreciate the insight.