Myth: Detectives analyze the evidence
“First and most annoying is the portrayal of crime scene personnel also doing detective work,” says Brian McKenna, retired Lieutenant and Crime Scene Investigator. “In most agencies, crime scene work and investigations are two separate functions.”

McKenna goes on to explain that crime scene investigators process the crime scenes, package up whatever evidence they find and send it off to a lab. “Rarely do they participate directly in criminal investigations, especially in larger agencies,” he adds. Unlike what you see on screen, detectives rarely set foot in the lab.