Crime Scene Van Solves Forensic Investigation Efficiency

September 14, 2026

Quincy Police Department Customer Story KVE Crime Scene Unit Van Investigator Posing

Custom van setup from Knapheide provides options for storage and workspace.

The Quincy Police Department selected Knapheide Van Equipment for its crime scene van focusing on storage and organization.

Key Takeaways

Crime scene investigators can be called out at a moment’s notice, and when they arrive at a scene, which ranges from death to arson to traffic crash investigations, they need to be ready to work.

Until this spring, the crime scene technician at the Quincy, Ilinois Police Department worked out of a Ford Explorer with equipment stored in plastic totes.

Though it worked for the department, it could be inefficient at times.

“You would have to go digging through the totes,” said Crime Scene Technician Haleigh Peters. “It was just messy. It got thrown around all the time, and it was hard to direct people to go get something from my van if I needed it.”

With the department for almost 18 months, Peters’ role involves documenting, photographing and collecting at any scene response in the city of Quincy. She will also take DNA samples as needed.

“I am a very organized person, especially in my workplace. My office is always organized, as is my van and my workspace. If I am not organized, I don’t feel like I am prepared enough to be on scene,” Peters said.

When it was time to update her vehicle, the department upgraded to a 2026 Ford Transit customized with Knapheide Van Equipment.

“It’s super great being able to have everything labeled and organized now,” Peters said.

Customization to Fit the Police Department’s Needs

Peters was involved in the process of customizing the crime scene van to fit her needs.

She worked with the sales team at Knapheide Truck Equipment Center Quincy.

“They were willing to do whatever I wanted them to do, and honestly, they made it seem like nothing was out of reach within the bounds,” she said. “They gave me every single option possible. They didn’t limit me in any capacity.”

The crime scene van was customized with:

Shelving
Steel workbench with additional storage
Two sets of drawers
Partition with sliding door and window
Hanging hooks(opens in new tab)
Storage Pocket
Shelf dividers

Putting the New Crime Scene Van in the Field

Since the van was put into service, Peters noticed the difference almost immediately.

“I just really wanted adequate storage. Drawers, deeper areas to hold all our equipment and I’m able to hold pretty much everything I need. I don’t ever have to run back to the department,” she said.

Peters uses the workbench the most in the crime scene van.

“I can actually get my work done way more efficiently, because once I finish my tasks on scene, if the investigators are still conducting interviews or getting information, I’m able to begin my duties and not have to wait until I get back to the department,” she said.

“It’s super nice for chain of custody reasons and the safety and the security of the evidence.”

The van also provides additional space available for storage when needed.

“We had a search warrant where we collected over 80 items of evidence, including large feed-sized bags, TVs, tables and tons of stuff,” Peters said. “I would have had to make three trips with the Explorer. This time I was able to pick up evidence from two locations and still have room in the van.”