".. this is not a movie, this is real life ... "

Sofia, May 2007

A criminalist (aka crime scene technician, examiner, or investigator) is a person who searches for, collects, and preserves physical evidence in the investigation of crime and suspected criminals. They typically work in city or regional crime labs and are expected to do more than the forensic scientists and crime lab technicians there.  They are expected to be on call 24 hours a day to go out to crime scenes, frankly when and where detectives are stumped. Many criminalists consider themselves (professional), but few criminologists consider themselves criminalists.

Portrait of three Bulgarian top criminalists: