Hands-On Learning at Its Best
April 6, 2016
Follow the evidence to interpret the hazardous crime scene. No, it's not the opening
to a murder mystery party or a promo for the latest crime investigation drama on
network television. It's the blind training exercise included in the National Center
for Biomedical Research and Training's Advanced Forensic Investigations for Hazardous Environments (PER-228) course.
The course is geared toward fire service, hazardous materials, and law enforcement professionals. In particular, this course is helpful for crime scene investigators, crime scene technicians, and crime scene analysts who are trained to work with various types of evidence as part of one's job requirements, such as crime scene photography; crime scene mapping or sketching; latent fingerprints; hair and fibers; serological evidence; trace or transfer evidence; or impression evidence.
In summary, if you think you will be called on to investigate something as mundane as a drug lab or as complex as a scene like the one at the Boston Marathon bombing, this class is for you. As a matter of fact, the Boston Police Crime Scene Response Unit received several deliveries of NCBRT's Advanced Forensic Investigations for Hazardous Environments course. The CSRU formed a CBRNE team, made up of former NCBRT students, who confidently used several of the techniques learned from the course while investigating on Boylston Street.
"Even though we are teaching those who are experienced in forensics how to process these types of scenes, they commonly find they can actually apply a lot of the collection and documentation techniques from this course to standard forensic investigations," NCBRT Instructor Candace Matthews points out.
This course was developed to combine classroom instruction with hands-on learning, realistic mock scenarios, and expert instructor guidance to prepare you to investigate in a hazardous environment when you're most needed.
"Practical exercises follow each module after it's taught, which gives students experience with the equipment, " said NCBRT Instructor Edward Wallace.
To put it another way, "we practice what we preach, leaning more heavily on the practice side," adds Matthews.
During the course, participants will learn to define commonly used terms; analyze and discuss case studies; don, doff and operate in high-level PPE; understand and implement crime scene management; learn how the FBI 12-step process relates to crime scene investigation; use field screening CBRNE techniques; practice evidence collection and documentation in CBRNE environments; learn how to recognize CBRNE production; and gain experience with new technology.
"There are a lot of courses about hazmat scenes and a lot about how to process the scene. However, this is the only course that blends the two skill sets, so when you have finished the course, you have performed the tasks you will need to in the field wearing the PPE you will need to keep safe," said NCBRT Instructor Debbie Hilliard.
"Overall, the course gives you the tools to be safer and more effective when responding to these hazardous incidents," continued Hilliard.
NCBRT courses are certified by the Department of Homeland Security and covered under DHS's Homeland Security National Training Program. DHS recertified the Advanced Forensic Investigations for Hazardous Environments course in March 2016. The recertified version of the course has been cut down from a five-day course to a four-day course. This has made the course much more streamlined by combining modules and allowing for more hands-on learning.
As a DHS primary training provider, NCBRT can offer this vital training at no direct cost to your agency. Visit www.ncbrt.lsu.edu to learn more or to schedule this course.