Historical Scene Canvassing Using Body Cams

By Steven Mason

Steven Mason

Editor’s Note: This article was written by Steven Mason of Mason Investigative Solutions about historical scene canvassing using body cameras. The opinions expressed here belong to Steven Mason.


As private investigators, oftentimes we begin our investigation long after the incident in question. Some investigations commence days after, others years. What’s common among all investigations is that we begin our task by understanding what took place by identifying people, places, and evidence.

The Canvass

The human race has conducted investigatory inquiries for thousands of years. Although many techniques have evolved as a result of science and technology, one technique has remained unchanged: canvassing. Through the methodical examination of an area associated with an investigation, also known as canvassing, investigators begin to understand what took place and discover additional witnesses and evidence.

During my previous career as a criminal investigator with the U.S. Marshals Service, I led multi-jurisdictional task forces investigating murderers, fugitives, escapees, and war criminals. Throughout the majority of these investigations, I consistently utilized canvassing as a way to develop leads and solve even the most complex crimes, and for good reason: because it works.

Officer Body Cameras

According to a November 2018 Bureau of Justice Statistics survey, 47% of general-purpose law enforcement agencies employ …read more

Source:: Private Invest