Colour Photography in Police Work
| Published date | 01 May 1961 |
| Date | 01 May 1961 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X6103400304 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
POLICE
CONSTABLE
R.
D.
OST
LER
Photographic Department, Portsmouth Citv Police
~olour
Photography
in
Police
\Vork
MONOCHROME PHOTOGRAPHS have been accepted as evidence in courts
for many years now, and one seldom hears of their rejection as
evidence. More recently, a number
of
forces have started to introduce
colour transparencies as evidence and, from time to time, objection
to their admission has been raised.
The application of colour photography to police work has often
been criticized, and there are many, within
and
without the Service,
who still view it with suspicion or disdain. By concentrating on
the practical problems and advantages surrounding the introduction
of
colour material usage into an existing police photographic
section, it is hoped to present the true value of this comparatively
new form
of
evidence.
1. Evidential Value
Quite clearly it would be neither practical nor desirable for mono-
chrome photography to be completely replaced by colour, for
there are many instances (the majority, in fact) where a colour
transparency could not satisfactorily replace anormal black and
white enlargement.
For
example, the photography of a shoe print
would be hampered by the inclusion of natural
colours-black
and
white contrast alone is required to capture the necessary detail.
In street accidents we seek to show the positions of vehicles
and
tyre marks in relation to the pavement or a
road
junction,
and
the
use of colour could serve only to reduce clarity by distracting
attention from the subject.
Careful discrimination is demanded, therefore, in deciding when
the use of colour is really warranted,
and
when it will produce better
evidence than black and white. Experience has shown that in cases
of murder, manslaughter, woundings, assaults, and cruelty to
children there are great advantages. The severity
and
true extent of
an injury is often minimized by a monochrome photograph. A
reddened swelling will appear as a blackened area, whereas a bruise
turning to green will be rendered white.
160
May-June
/96/
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