SCENES of crime investigators working for Beds and Herts police will unravel the secrets of forensic science when they feature on a BBC1 documentary tonight (Tuesday).

The 40-minute documentary, Crime Scene Forensics, will focus on the work of scenes of crime officers (SOCOs) from Beds and Herts Scientific Services.

The documentary team followed officers for a year between 2010 and 2011, providing a rare insight into how they use the very latest in forensic science techniques to bring some of the most dangerous criminals to justice.

It shows SOCOs being called to a shotgun shooting and using complicated fingerprint and ballistics analysis to unearth vital evidence.

There is also a painstaking examination of the scene of a violent assault, which leads to the arrest of a gang of attackers.

Principal SOCO Mark Watson said: “Initially I found it quite difficult to concentrate on what I was doing as well as working with the cameraman.

“Over time, though, I found that the opportunity to explain how we interpret scenes and gather evidence gave me greater confidence, and I hope that the final programme conveys the passion I have after many years for investigating crime scenes for the police.”

Dick Johnson, head of scientific services, added: “This documentary highlights the real challenges faced every day by skilled and dedicated forensic teams who work tirelessly to provide quality forensic evidence in the fight against criminality.

“Those people who commit crime in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire should know that we will, as the documentary demonstrates, deploy the full power of forensic science to assist in their apprehension and prosecution through the criminal justice system.”

The documentary will be screened at 10.35pm as part of BBC1’s crime season.