Special Evidence Technician School (80 hr) Xenia, Ohio May 6-17, 2024

With the cooperation of the Greene County Criminal Justice Academy, Sirchie is offering a 2-week (80-hr) comprehensive hands-on Forensic Investigation Training at the Greene County Criminal Justice Academy, 532 Innovation Drive (Door 7), Xenia, OH 45385. This special 2-week class will be held Monday through Friday the weeks of May 6th-10th, and May 13th-17th, 2024.

This 80-hour course covers state-of-the-art methods of identifying, recording, processing and preserving various types of evidence found at the scene of the crime. The program is geared for Hands-on use of equipment, materials and supplies necessary for a thorough and comprehensive evidence collection mission.

CURRICULUM

• Evidence Classification: Locard and the Crime Scene Triangle
• Chain of Custody: identifying, examining, and collecting physical evidence
• Safety in Evidence Collection: recognizing potential hazards and safeguarding against them
• Crime Scene Management: learning to control the crime scene and properly document evidence
• Trace Evidence: proper techniques for locating and collecting hairs, fibers, and gunshot residue
• Digital Evidence: current techniques for the collection of digital evidence
• Tire and Footwear: learning to locate and collect footwear and tire evidence through oblique lighting and a variety of lifting techniques including the electrostaic dustprint lifter
• Arson Investigation including the processing of gas containers via traditional powders, mag. powder, SPR, and "superglue"
• ​Crime Scene Photography: students will be taught from the fundamentals through advanced photography techniques and will utilize the camera to document each CSI technique throughout the course so they can experience a wide variety of photography situations
• Sexual Assault and Biological Evidence including Genealogy
• Firearms Evidence including GSR collection, trajectory, and distance determination.  Emphasis will be placed on understanding (M)ass, (V)elcity, and the resulting (KE)inectic Energy produced by small arms.
• Crime Scene Sketching and "Beyond Sketching" with a practical exercise in utilizing the OSCR360 imaging device and a comparison between 2D and 3D scanning devices
• Latent Fingerprint Development and Classification beginning with loops, arches, and whorls and the major types of powders via practical exercises on nearly two dozen different surfaces.  Students will not only process a wide variety of surfaces by powders but they'll also process evidence with Iodine, DFO, and Ninhydrin to better understand what capabilities are possible in the field and laboratory setting
• Skill Building in the Collection of Evidence: this entire course will follow the "theory-plus" concept where the student will understand the science or theory behind a process followed by hands-on practical exercises that include the specific technique and the documentation of the evidence by photography
• Mock Crime Scene Practical Exercise: this two-week course will culminate with a practical scenario based exercise where the student will demonstrate proficiency in completing tasks taught during the course

In addition to the basic outline above students will complete the following exercises after learning the theory and science behind each technique or process: 

• Electrostatic Dust Print Lifter and other lifting processes: Students will learn how to locate, image, lift, and image the lift of a dust print using several unique and very effective forensic devices and processes.
• Biofoam and Casting: Students will learn proper techniques to locate, protect, image, and collect 3-dimensional foot and tire impressions. Students will create a 3-dimensional impression, photograph the impression, and then cast the impression utilizing dental stone or an equivalent casting material. Students will image the cast the following day.
• SirchSil and Gelatin Lifters: A truly powerful, versatile lifting kit for latent prints, toolmarks, and more. Polyvinyl siloxane offers a unique method of mixing and applying liquid silicone for the collection of tool marks, bite marks, blood prints and even developed latent fingerprints. An on-going problem with many silicone recovery methods is proper mixing of compound and catalyst which is eliminated by use of this method. Students will learn about lifting tool marks and processed prints from textured and 3-dimensional surfaces utilizing specialized lifters and processes. Rubber/GEL Fingerprint Lifters are used exclusively by some of the major investigation bureaus in the world. These lifters feature an exceptional adhesive face designed to pick up all powder traces from developed prints—without adhering to the lifting surface - even if the surface is porous (such as paper). These lifters are especially useful for lifting developed prints off highly grained surfaces, as well as irregular and curved surfaces.  Students will learn how to properly image fingerprints before and after being processed, and upon being lifted.
• “Superglue” Processing Techniques: Students will process several different non-porous items utilizing a variety of superglue techniques, so they fully understand the capabilities of fuming individual small items of evidence to large items such as entire vehicles.
• Traditional, Magnetic, and Fluorescent Fingerprint Processing Techniques: Students will learn the differences between traditional, magnetic, and fluorescent fingerprint techniques. They will then learn how properly to image these prints with and without Alternate Light Source (ALS) – white, blue (455nm) and UV (365nm) lights. Students will process a variety of different surfaces and items using different processing techniques, different lifting techniques and products, and learn how to overlay powders and processes.
• Small Particle Reagent and Sticky Side of Tape Processing: Students will process wet surfaces for latent fingerprints and then experience the power of tape releasing agent. Every investigator has experienced a crime scene where the hood or window of a car has moisture or dew on it. An uninformed or untrained officer may omit the possibility of processing such a surface however recommended by the U.K. Home Office, Scientific Research and Development Branch, SPR is a product that can develop prints on wet surfaces. When dealing with bindles of drugs wrapped in tape, or a home invasion or other violent crime, the sticky side of tape can easily be discarded as viable evidence containing fingerprints. Through the use of a release agent and developing agent officers will experiment with developing latent prints on the non-sticky and sticky side of tape.
• Chemical Development of Latent Prints on Porous Surfaces: Students will process paper and similar exemplars with three laboratory chemicals to learn the possibilities and limitations of developing prints on paper and similar surfaces.
• Alternate Light Sources: Students will be instructed on and then utilize ALS during their photographic exercises, including how to search for bones in fire pits, large, wooded areas, and other outdoor scenes. Students will examine a wide range of exemplars containing various biological and trace stains and pieces of mock evidence. During this block of instruction students will understand different types of luminescence and when to deploy ALS for maximum results at a crime scene. The instruction will begin with the theory of light and a basic understanding of the electromagnetic spectrum with emphasis on ultraviolet and infrared energy and there importance in forensic processing of evidence.
• DNA, Investigative Genealogy, Entomology, and Presumptive Blood Testing:  During this incredibly important and timely block of instruction, students will be instructed on the origins and status of DNA and the impact and status of investigative genealogy databases. Students will then conduct “field” tests of various provided exemplars containing real blood and samples resembling blood to determine the power of field testing of stains believed to be blood related to violent crimes.
• Luminol Based Products and LCV - Leucocrystal Violet - Blood Enchancement: Students will be instructed on the various luminol based products utilized to search for latent blood at crime scenes. Students will then be given luminol and exemplars containing latent blood to image. Students will be shown the difference between Luminol and LCV and under which circumstances each product should /would be utilized.
• Serial Number Restoration: Students will process an exemplar with an obliterated serial number in order to develop or restore the serial number to understand what is possible in the field or in a laboratory setting.

For more information contact:
Tracey R. Cassel
tcassel@greeneccc.com

Area Hotel:
Hampton Inn and Suites
194 Progress Dr.
Xenia, OH 45385

The cost per student is $1195.00. All materials, supplies and equipment will be supplied by Sirchie. Students will be responsible for their own transportation and related per diem expenses. Individuals must register on-line no later than 5 days prior to the class.