French Code of Criminal Procedure
In forceIf it is necessary to carry out technical or scientific findings or examinations, the judicial police officer or, under the latter's control, the judicial police officer or the investigation assistant shall have recourse to all qualified persons.
When requested to do so by the judicial police officer or, under the latter's control, by the judicial police officer, the technical and scientific police services or bodies of the national police and the national gendarmerie may directly carry out findings and technical or scientific examinations falling within their remit, without it being necessary to draw up a requisition for this purpose.
Unless they are included on one of the lists provided for in article 157 or if they are a service or body mentioned in the second paragraph of this article, the persons mentioned in the first paragraph shall swear an oath in writing to assist the judiciary to the best of their honour and conscience.
The persons appointed to carry out the technical or scientific examinations may open the seals. They shall draw up an inventory and mention it in a report drawn up in accordance with the provisions of the articles 163 et 166. These persons may also, by mentioning it in their report, reseal the objects examined and place under seal the objects resulting from their examination; in particular, the doctors required to carry out an autopsy or a medical examination may place under seal the samples taken. They may communicate their conclusions orally to the investigators in an emergency.
On instructions from the public prosecutor, the judicial police officer or, under the latter's control, the judicial police agent or the investigation assistant shall make the results of the technical and scientific examinations known to the persons against whom there is evidence giving rise to a presumption that they have committed or attempted to commit an offence, as well as to the victims.
