The Las Vegas Crime Lab is a scientific laboratory located in Las Vegas, which uses primarily forensic science for the purpose of examining evidence from criminal cases while determining who is responsible for the crime that has been committed.
Employees of the Crime Lab are known as criminalists; this includes both CSIs doing mostly field work and lab techs doing mostly lab work.
CSIs are equipped with guns in the field, but are not considered police officers. CSIs often mention this to suspects to make them feel more comfortable. [citation needed]
The Crime Lab is headed by Undersheriff Conrad Ecklie and reports directly into the Sheriff's office. [citation needed] Ecklie was once the Assistant Director and also former Dayshift supervisor of the Crime Lab, but was promoted to Undersherrif after former Undersheriff Jeffrey McKeen was arrested for killing CSI Warrick Brown in the Season 8 opening episode, "For Warrick".
In addition to that, all CSI personnel including some of the techs usually wear stab vests if they're out in the field, doing work or investigating any crime scenes. As well as giving the tags which ID'ds them as LVPD CSIs, they also give the wearer's surname and have various pockets useful for carrying small objects.[citation needed]
Shifts
The Crime Lab has three shifts:
- Day shift - 7 am to 3 pm
- Swing shift - 3 pm to 11 pm
- Night shift - 11 pm to 7 am
Known Employees
Supervisors
Each shift has a different supervisor.
- Day shift -
- Swing shift -
- Night shift - Supervisor: D.B. Russell, assistant supervisor Julie Finlay/Finn
Investigators
Different CSIs work on different shifts:
- Day shift -
- Swing shift -
- Night shift- Nick Stokes, Greg Sanders, Sara Sidle, Morgan Brody.
Detective (LVPD)
- Sofia Curtis- (Is the Deputy Chief of the LVPD).
Lab technicians
Different lab techs specialize in different areas:
- Trace - David Hodges.
- DNA/Toxicology - Henry Andrews.
- Ballistics - Xiomara Garcia; Bobby Dawson(now on Day Shift.)
- Fingerprints - Mandy Webster.
- Audio/Video/Handwriting - Archie Johnson.
Coroners
- Day shift -
- Swing shift -
- Night shift - Coroner: Al Robbins, Assistant Coroner: David Phillips.
Former Employees
Supervisors
- Gil Grissom- (Night Shift Season 1-9;Eventually married Sara Sidle and left the Crime Lab to go guest lecture).
- Catherine Willows- (Swing Shift in Season 5 and night shift season 9-12; Resigned to go accept a position in the FBI).
- Karson Hess- (Swing Shift post season 1; Resigned to accept position at the New Jersey Crime Lab)
Investigators
- Riley Adams- (Resigned due to issues with Catherine Willows's leadership as well as feeling that the team was not working together and accepted a law enforcement position in the Midwest).
- Warrick Brown- (Deceased. Murdered at the hands of ex-Undersheriff Jeffrey McKeen)
- Raymond Langston- (Left the Crime Lab after his IA inquiry and moved to Baltimore to be with Gloria).
Lab techs
- Wendy Simms- (Resigned from the Crime Lab to accept a position at a Crime Lab in Portland where her sister lives).
- Mia Dickerson- (Resigned).
Inside the CSI Las Vegas Crime Lab Building
Break Room: Where all personnel in the Lab go if they need something to eat or drink or just regroup in general during or after a very tough case.
Interrogation Room: Where various suspects are taken to be interviewed usually by dectective Jim Brass.
Senior Supervisors Office: Formerly belonging to Gil Grissom which was decorated with various pieces of his bug and insect collection. In season 9-12, this office belonged to assistant Night shift supervisor, Nick Stokes. Now, this office is shared by most of the CSI team and their new supervisor, D.B. Russell.
Intermidiate Supervisors Office: Formerly belonging to Day shift supervisor, Conrad Ecklie.
Junior Supervisors Office: Formerly belonging to Catherine Willows before resigning. Now assumed to belong to Julie Finlay.
DNA Lab: Where Greg Sanders and his replacements, Chandra Moore, Mia Dickerson and Wendy Simms once worked. Henry Andrews, the Crime Lab's expert on toxins works there, having been chosen as the permanent replacement.
Trace: Where David Hodges works.
Ballistics: Where Bobby Dawson and his replacement, Xiomara Garcia do various tests on different kinds of weapons to see which bullets were fired from which rifle or gun.
Fingerprints: Where Mandy Webster works. Jacqui Franco formerly worked there too.
Audio/Video: Archie Johnson works here.
Handwriting: Archie works here too.
Evidence Garage: Where the team usually work on various cars and jeeps related to the current case.
Layout Room: Where various photos relating to the current case the team are working on are usually displayed and the table is often used so that rough sketches can be drawn or the team can ponder on the case, looking for new ideas.
Locker Room: Where the CSIs store their personal belongings.