Question

Despite the fact that HIV is not easily transmitted, its deadly potential requires that law enforcement officers protect themselves from becoming infected by it. At the Callen Precinct, officers use only disposable items for collecting evidence whenever blood is present. While investigating a particular crime scene where blood was present, Detective R.C. of the Callen Precinct used only disposable items for collecting evidence.

A) Because blood is easily transmitted and requires special precautions.
B) Because using disposable items is a common practice in evidence collection.
C) Because the law enforcement agency mandates the use of disposable items when dealing with blood.
D) Because Detective R.C. prefers using disposable items for convenience.

Answer 1

Officers at the Callen Precinct use disposable items when collecting evidence with blood to prevent HIV transmission, aligning with health and safety protocols to reduce infection risk from biohazards.

Step-by-step explanation:

At the Callen Precinct, officers utilize disposable items for collecting evidence when blood is present because HIV transmission can occur through contaminated blood and this practice helps reduce the risk of infection. The rationale behind this protocol aligns with several health precautions: avoiding contact with potentially infectious materials, utilizing disposable syringes and needles, and adhering to agency policies that are designed to protect law enforcement personnel from biohazards such as HIV.

The use of disposable items ensures that each piece of evidence is collected with a new, uncontaminated tool, minimizing the chance of disease transmission in accordance with the recommended health and safety protocols concerning biohazards. These protocols are critical, especially in scenarios where there has been an unanticipated exposure to infected blood, as immediate and proper response can mitigate the risk of HIV infection.