This was our last “classroom” event of our course before we graduate, and I’m truly going to miss this group of folks, and going to the Bartlett PD every week. I really like it there and ole Cap, along with the rest of the crew, has been so welcoming and made this 6 week course super fun. Not gonna lie, I was worried that having so many hands-on activities was gonna make me wanna crawl underneath a blanket and hide, but nothing could be further from the truth. I’ve actually relished all the fun activities. Ok, ok, I’ll save the rest of my mushy mush for the last post on the course. Let’s get to the good stuff.
Last night’s agenda (which was actually last Thursday 4/7/22, but I’m just now finishing this because I have been BUSY AF BOIIII!) was “Crime Scene Investigation” and “SWAT”. If anyone knows me, they know I loves me some hot men in SWAT gear. I wasn’t disappointed. But, up first: CSI!
I wish I could tell you it was as glamorous as what we see on TV, but alas, it was not. Detective Anderson was our instructor for this portion and let me just say, she is one badass woman. She can do it ALL, and does. (which means do NOT try her, I repeat, do NOT try her, cause she WILL bring an ass-whoopin on you.) She had just come from a crime scene (see, badass), but still managed to put us through our steps on how to process a crime scene because she’s a boss babe badass beeeoooootch (said with the highest respect, ma’am.). Here’s some of the highlights:
Depending on HOW a crime is committed, and also WHERE it happens, a crime scene is considered either a primary crime scene, or a secondary crime scene. The primary crime scene is where a crime actually occurred. A secondary crime scene is in some way related to the crime but is not where the actual crime took place. One of the most important factors in searching a crime scene is to SLOW DOWN so nothing is missed (this advice is good in a lot of areas in life, ifyouknowwhatimsayingandithinkyoudo). The evidence will support the incident, every single time (giggle, cause I think I was a 13 y/o boy in a previous life). (If you don’t know what I’m eluding to, ask a man and then you can say, OH, that’s what she said.) (Lord, I apologize for that and be with the pygmies in New Guinea, amen.)
We also learned that:
“Forensics” is super important when assessing crime scenes. (The term forensic refers to the application of scientific knowledge to legal problems, especially scientific analysis of physical evidence (as from a crime scene). Generally speaking, Forensics is scientific knowledge meant to be applied in court.)
Forensic evidence is evidence obtained by scientific methods such as ballistics, blood test, and DNA test and used in court. Forensic evidence often helps to establish the guilt or innocence of possible suspects. For example, I use forensics in my house every day when determining who stole my food off the table. It’s almost always The Godfather, but every once in a while Squishy manages to wrangle a morsel and frame TG for it. Forensics always proves who’s guilty…every single time.
I really honed in on “The Locard Principle”. Here’s the who/why/where (trust me, it’s really cool): Edmond Locard (1877–1966) was a pioneer in forensic science who became known as the Sherlock Holmes of Lyon, France (see!!! COOL!). Locard formulated this principle, which states that when two objects come into contact with each other something is exchanged and taken away by both objects. This is the basis of the transfer and recovery of all scientific evidence. This is essential for today’s law enforcement. It’s also essential for any and all movies involving Robert Downey, Jr., as my favorite Sherlock Holmes, ever. Periodt.
Once we got all our learnin’ out of the way, it was time to get hands on. We were given plates and magnetic dusting powder and learned how to dust the plates for prints. Even wearing gloves and being extra careful, I STILL managed to get that black powder all up my arm. Ole Cap warned us and he was indeed, correct. That powder got EV-ER-Ywhere. The process of “lifting” the prints from the plate, onto tape, and then placing on a card is not as cut and dry as you’d think. If you “dust” it too long, it blurs. If you don’t move slow enough, it doesn’t fully transfer clearly enough to read, etc.
We already know that no two fingerprints are alike, cause, like, school, duh. BUT, did you know that In 1892, Sir Francis Galton published his highly influential book, ‘Finger Prints‘, in which he described his classification system that include three main fingerprint patterns – loops, whorls and arches. At the time, the alternative to fingerprints was Bertillonage, also known as Anthropometry. Fingerprints are classified into five categories: arch, tented arch, left loop, right loop and whorl. A fingerprint is formed when a finger makes contact with a surface. The finger leaves behind traces of sweat and any other substances present on the finger that a suspect might have touched. These substances are deposited in the characteristic pattern of the ridges present on the finger tip of the donor. You’re welcome.
This was a really fun portion of the class and I really liked Detective Anderson, and feel like, in different circumstances, we could be really great friends, but I don’t know if she would really, TRULY, put up with me and my 13 y/0 boy kinda humor. I blame my brother. When in doubt, always blame your baby brother, always. 🙂 (Don’t have one, just blame mine. He can take it.)
In order to fully appreciate the entire class, and give each portion their full due, I decided to blog about the SWAT portion in part 2, so stay tuned, cause, well…hot guys in SWAT gear, big badass guns and trucks, and rules about farting. Seriously.
….no baby brothers were harmed in the making of this post.
Walking In Memphis With Kimber 