CSI was profiled in the July-September 2003 issue of Las Vegas Metro Police Department's internal magazine, The Training Wheel. In the article "The Real CSI: Metro's Real Crime Scene Investigation Posse," writer Cassie Wells takes the reader through the show's inception to its current status as the #1 drama on television, as well as how the real CSI (or CSA) view the series. For one thing, Locard's Principle of Exchange ("anyone who enters the scenes both takes something of the scene with them and leaves something of themselves behind") is as familiar as Survivor's "voted off" mantra. Although the show is the talk at workplaces every Friday morning, members of law enforcement take a less dim view of the series, especially in its portrayal of police officers at crime scenes. Some don't watch the show, while others who do watch will quickly point out the inaccuracies portrayed on the screen. Part of the problem is that, due to the series putting the unsung heroes of the lab into the forefront, the uniformed officers tend to end up, more often than not, as "armed bodyguards and door-openers for the Super Sleuths." However, the police do realize that the CSI are the show's focus, with less than 45 minutes to tell a tale, so dramatic license rolls crime scene investigators, forensic scientists, and police officers all into one.

The show has taken dramatic license even in terms of names. The LVPD is missing the "M" for Metro, but that's only something astute fans or locals will notice. Also, at the real Metro, CSI do not exist. They are CSAs - Crime Scene Analysts. However, CSI is modeled after Metro's department, and in a case of life imitating art, changed the name of its Field Service Section (FSS) to Crime Scene Investigations (CSI) to match the television show.

Metro's Criminalistics Bureau is composed of three groups: Crime Scene Investigation (where the CSA work), the Forensics Lab, and the Evidence Vault. On CSI, these groups are all seemingly performed in one building, but in reality, the first two are located in a commercial park with "grassy hillocks and meandering concrete pathways complete with twittering birds and sun-dappled trees," while the Evidence Vault is across town.

Each of these groups has their own specific responsibilities: The CSAs are dedicated field workers. Their job is to collect and preserve evidence. To do that, they take plentiful notes, lift fingerprints, collect evidence, and shoot literally 100s of rolls of film per day at crime scenes. That evidence is then sent to the "the white coats," the affectionate term for the Forensic Scientists in the lab who will analyze the evidence. That includes running fingerprints through AFIS, analyzing body fluids, examining documents, ballistics, entomology (Grissom's forte!), and more. Once the analysis is complete, it goes to the Evidence Vault for storage until such time it is needed for prosecution. Another point to note is that the Coroner's Office is not conveniently in the same building, as portrayed on CSI, but is a Clark County-operated facility, which resides in another building. Just what does the real building look like inside? You won't find glass walls or high-tech chrome, but instead will be greeted with narrow hallways with wood trim and beige wallpaper. CSAs have offices, and between five to eight share work in close proximity on computers where they "write reports and log evidence." CSAs also drive unmarked departmental vehicles that they load with their gear (comparable to what you see on the show) and spend most of their time on the road, traveling from one crime scene to another. CSAs generally arrive on a crime scene after the police have secured the team, and while detectives are interviewing witnesses. Occasionally, they can arrive after the fact. Once a crime scene is exhaustively photographed, and notes taken, only then do the CSA begin to collect the evidence. The CSAs don't set out to prove who committed the crime, but to show "what really happened." So "CSAs do question victims, suspects and witnesses at the crime scene. "My job," said one CSA, "is to ask what the story is. It's like peeling an onion - I take it one layer at a time. I listen to everybody and then look at the evidence to see what it says and if it denies or corroborates somebody's story. I'm not on anybody's side - not even the side of the detectives against the arrestees. My job is to find the truth through the evidence and to document that truth."

Once the material is brought back to the lab, the CSA can spend hours writing reports. "For every hour in the field, we spend two hours writing the report," said one CSA.

The article wound up with a FAQ that's a dream for writers of the show or fan fiction:

Do CSAs carry guns? Yes and no. Once it was mandatory, but now it's up to personal choice. To carry a gun, the CSA must train, qualify and meet Metro requirements.

Do the CSAs dress like the CSIs on the TV series? No. However, the producers were so impressed with the CSA's new black mesh vests that they procured them for the TV show. You'll see Nick wearing this vest a lot.

Is the science on CSI real? Yes, but results can be altered for the sake of drama, such as getting a DNA test back in hours when in reality it's more like days or months.

What are the requirements for a CSA at Metro? A college degree (2-year Associates), usually in Criminal Justice or one of the sciences. Also "physical strength, superhuman stamina, unflagging endurance, a facile and inquisitive mind; and more attributes than you can list here..."

What type of jobs do CSAs come from? From all walks of life. "One was a chorus line dancer at the Tropicana's Folies Bergiere, another was a hotel room reservations clerk, another a photo lab technician."

How many CSAs does Metro have? 36, but they could use a dozen more. The average squad on any shift has 4-6 CSAs in the field.

What's the most common case? Residential burglaries.

How long does it take to process a scene? As little as an hour for a residential burglary, or 12-15+ hours for a homicide.

How many CSAs go to a crime scene? Usually just one, although homicide cases can involve at least two CSAs, and "as many as give or more" can process a scene.

What are the CSA shifts? 24/7, with swing and grave shifts. "4 days, 10 hours with a two hour overlap (6 a.m. - 4 p.m.; 2 p.m. - 12 midnight; 10 p.m. - 8 a.m.)"

In what respect is the TV show most different from real life? On CSI, there is a small group doing everything that a much larger group of people would do. Also, real life has very few "Who Dunnit?" mysteries, but those are the staples of TV entertainment. In reality, The Who Dunnit's are "stranger killings" and "too often those perpetrators are never caught."

What calls are most disturbing? Each CSA has their own "personal tripwire" on what case bothers them.

What are the best cases to work on? One CSA said that 426 calls (Sexual Assaults) are the best as they can be immediately gratifying due to a quick resolution - and that the CSA knows how the case ends.

Do CSAs conduct lab experiments? Yes, but to the extent the CSI do on the series.

Do CSAs interview suspects and witnesses? Yes, but at the crime scene. "Unlike their television counterparts, they don't generally show up a witness' house the next day to ask more questions nor do they summon suspects into LVMPD interview rooms in order to pummel them with wit and science."

Do CSAs break for lunch? "Seldom, if ever." They're lucky to get coffee at a drive-through.

Does Metro's CSI give tours? No, but that doesn't stop tourists from asking. As for ride-alongs, due to legality, basic decency and victim privacy, civilians have "very restricted access."

Has the popularity of the show changed the life of the CSA? Yes. A uniformed officer humorously greeted a CSAs arrival at a scene with "Hey, everybody, the CSI is here! This caper will be solved in 50 minutes!" CSAs are also now approached by tourists who ask them to pose for photographs or sign autographs.

[Thanks to the author for exclusive reprint permission of selected information/text from this article.]