In honor of National Forensic Science Week, the Orange County Crime Lab wants to educate the public on the many ways our work impacts the county and makes a difference in the life of the citizens we serve.

DNA evidence often can be a critical component to solving crimes or identifying suspects, bringing closure to victims and their families.

From blood left at a crime scene, the potential perpetrator of a homicide can be identified. With evidence collected from a sexual assault kit, forensic scientists can provide corroboration needed to prosecute a rape case. When someone’s house gets broken into and rifled through, the Crime Lab can help identify the offender with only a few skin cells left behind.

Through the use of DNA testing, the Orange County Crime Laboratory aids law enforcement investigations throughout the county, and sometimes beyond, so that dangerous individuals can be taken off of the streets.

On April 16, 2018, at approximately 1:15 p.m., an autistic adult male used the men’s restroom at the San Juan Capistrano Public Library. 

Just after the victim entered the restroom, an unknown male entered the restroom carrying papers and a manila envelope. The unknown male sexually assaulted the victim while he was using the restroom. 

Surveillance video shows the victim exit the restroom, followed by the suspect.  The victim reported the crime to staff, who called the Sheriff’s Department. 

The suspect is described as a male, about 180-200 lbs., approximately 5’9” wearing blue jeans, black tennis shoes, and a white long-sleeved shirt with an American flag on the front.

 If you have any information pertaining to this suspect, please contact Investigator Hernandez at 714-647-7464 or OCSD Dispatch at 949-770-6011. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to OC Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.

In honor of National Forensic Science Week, the Orange County Crime Lab wants to educate the public on the many ways our work impacts the county and makes a difference in the life of the citizens we serve.

We all know the importance of making a good impression. Lucky for Orange County residents, Crime Lab personnel are experts at the practice.   

Making a positive impression is the hallmark of the Identification Bureau, which consists of CSI Forensic Specialists, Latent Comparison, Latent Processing, Impression Evidence, PhotoLab and the Evidence Control Unit.

Every scene has a cryptic story to tell, and the Identification Bureau is critical to deciphering the narrative.

Whether early in the morning, late at night, on a holiday or over the weekend, the team is busy documenting crime scenes using a variety of techniques such as photography, sketching, fingerprint analysis and comparison, and evidence collection. From figuring out who burglarized a home to uncovering clandestine drug labs to identifying a  potential murder suspect, the ID Bureau often is a key component in solving the case.

A 24-year-old man is in custody on suspicion of murder after a March 2017 traffic collision that killed a 33-year-old woman.  

At approximately midnight on March 25, 2017, deputies responded to reports of an injury traffic collision on Alicia Parkway at Althea Avenue in the city of Mission Viejo.  Upon initial investigation, it appeared the driver of a 2005 Hyundai Elantra turned left to go southbound on Althea Avenue as the driver of Chevrolet Camaro was traveling eastbound on Alicia, and the vehicles collided in the intersection.

The Elantra driver, Mission Viejo resident Judith Noval, was unconscious at the scene and was taken to a local hospital. Noval never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead on April 25, 2017.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Traffic Division investigated the case and determined the driver of the Camaro was traveling at an excessive rate of speed, which caused the collision. Further investigation found the driver previously had been charged for driving in excess of 100 mph and had stated in court his awareness of the dangers of driving at such a high rate of speed.

Investigators with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department arrested 24-year-old Afiff Kevin Doaifi on Sept. 13 on suspicion of murder. He is being held at the OC Jail on $1 million bail and is expected to appear in court on Monday, Sept 1

In honor of National Forensic Science Week, the Orange County Crime Lab wants to educate the public on the many ways our work impacts the county and makes a difference in the life of the citizens we serve.

Dating back to the late 19th century, fingerprinting served as one of the pioneering practices of forensic science. Matching and maintaining millions of fingerprint images remains an important tool to help law enforcement agencies identify suspects and solve pending cases.

Everyone arrested in Orange County must have their fingerprints recorded and saved in databases at the county, state and federal levels.  Given that no two fingerprints are alike, this practice helps connect criminals to current crimes, previous arrests and potentially crime committed in other jurisdictions.  

The Orange County Crime Lab provides police departments with equipment to electronically capture fingerprints, palm prints, and booking photos, which are all shared with state and federal law enforcement agencies.

The fingerprint database dates back to the 1950s, and continues to evolve today. Soon deputies and officers patrolling the streets will be able to capture a fingerprint from someone they come in contact with on patrol and, with no more information than that, find out who they are and if they have a record.

LAKE FOREST, Ca. (Sept. 5, 2018) – Members of the Orange County Sheriff’s DUI Enforcement Team will hold a DUI and Driver’s License Checkpoint this weekend to stop and arrest alcohol and drug-impaired drivers as part of the department’s ongoing traffic safety campaign.

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Every year, thousands of pounds and millions of dollars’ worth of illegal drugs are confiscated during investigations throughout Orange County.

But when the case has closed and there is no longer any legal reasons to keep these narcotics, where do they go?

Several times a year, personnel from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department participate in what’s called a “drug burn.”

The narcotics are gathered up, loaded into a truck and taken to an undisclosed location where they are incinerated. The drugs are burned at such an intense heat, the facility’s smoke stack releases virtually no smoke.

The Sheriff’s Department on Aug. 28 participated in a drug burn of more than 2,400 pounds of drugs with a street value of $13.2 million.

That’s a lot of work by the Sheriff’s Department to pull harmful substances off Orange County streets!

Take a look at what was burned on this most recent operation:

Cocaine: 478.8 pounds

Methamphetamine: 260.2 pounds

Heroin: 501.2 pounds

Marijuana: 233.7 pounds

Prescription drugs: 361.6 pounds

Miscellaneous: 575.6 pounds

With 13contract cities and Orange County’s unincorporated areas, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department is responsible for the safety of students and staff for more than 125 public and private schools.

While sound tactics and strategy for how to handle violence on school campuses have been in place for many years, the Sheriff’s Department recently launched a new standardized program that will help law enforcement and districts better prepare for, and potentially prevent, critical incidents on campus. 

This summer, the OCSD launched APT – Assess, Prepare, Train – to create a cohesive and comprehensive approach to campus safety.

Teachers and administrators aren’t the only ones hard at work in the summer months in preparation for the upcoming school year. 

Every summer, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department School Resource Officers participate in specialized training that helps keep campuses and students safe.

This year, for the first time, the 16 SROs engaged in a SRO Summer Summit – a 40-hour training course that covers a variety of topics including behavioral threat assessments, updates on laws pertaining to juveniles, how to handle suspected child abuse, how to gauge whether a student is under the influence, and how to ensure campuses are safeguarded against threats.

The training culminated with a scenario-based active shooter drill that included student volunteers from the OCSD Explorer program and several administrators from local school districts.

Administrators were encouraged to participate in the training to better understand what the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s response looks like during a critical incident, such as an active shooter.

Following the SRO Summit, law enforcement personnel, along with teachers, administrators, school counselors and school nurses, participated in a joint training focused on addressing school violence and how to manage threats.

The thorough and dynamic training helps ensure Orange County schools are not only prepared for a critical incident, but also that school officials and law enforcement are equipped to recognize pre-incident indicators and effectively manage various types of threats.

Thanks to an engaged community and quick work by investigators, a man suspected of vandalizing a San Clemente middle school with hate-inspired graffiti is in custody.

Deputies at about 9:45 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 19, responded to reports of graffiti on multiple buildings at Shorecliffs Middle School in the 200 block of Via Socorro. When deputies arrived, they found eight areas had been tagged with white supremacist symbols and monikers.   

Investigators released screen shots taken from surveillance footage and posted it to the San Clemente Police Services Facebook page to solicit the community’s help in identifying the suspect.

Multiple residents who saw the post helped in providing tips to investigators, which eventually led to identifying 20-year-old San Clemente resident Kyle Hackett as the suspect.

Hackett was arrested Monday, Aug. 20, on suspicion of felony vandalism and a misdemeanor hate crime.