Police officers—from patrol to top brass—don’t always think about how scientific research leads to innovative solutions that improve their odds of catching criminals. Nonetheless, from bloodstain patterns, to handwriting analysis, to fingerprints, to firearms (and everything in between, such as fibers, glass, shoeprints, DNA, tire treads, controlled substances, digital evidence, medicolegal death investigations), all forensic evidence is derived from scientific research. Research and development (R & D) is every police officer’s “silent partner” in solving crimes using forensic evidence.