English

Alternative forms

• finger-tip search

Noun

fingertip search ‎(plural fingertip searches)

1. (Britain) A fastidious forensic search of a crime scene, usually performed by investigators crawling along the ground.
   • 1999, Andy Feist, Great Britain. Home Office. Research, Development and Statistics Directorate. Policing and Reducing Crime Unit, The effective use of the media in serious crime investigations (ISBN 9781840823820)

     Several media liaison officers placed particular emphasis on the use of photo opportunities of elements of the investigation to gain or revive press interest (fingertip searches, house-to-house visits, underwater searches and so on).

   • 2004, Lord Brian Hutton, Return to an Address of the Honourable the House of Commons Dated 28th January 2004 for the Report of the Inquiry Into the Circumstances Surrounding the Death of Dr David Kelly C.M.G., The Stationery Office (ISBN 9780102927153), page 87

     Police search teams led by Police Constable Franklin and Police Constable Sawyer conducted a thorough fingertip search of the common approach path of the area surrounding the body and of the area on either side of the approach path.

   • 2007, Carey Scott, Crime Scene Detective, Dorling Kindersley Ltd (ISBN 9781405323789), page 9

     If the crime scene is small enough, SOCOs may carry out a fingertip search for evidence. Kneeling shoulder-to-shoulder and moving forward together, officers search the ground in front of them so that every inch of the crime scene is examined.