“Wherever he steps, whatever he touches, whatever he leaves, even unconsciously, will serve as a silent witness against him. Not only his fingerprints or his footprints, but his hair, the fibers from his clothes, the glass he breaks, the tool mark he leaves, the paint he scratches, the blood or semen he deposits or collects. All of these and more, bear mute witness against him. This is evidence that does not forget. “ – Professor Edmond Locard.
This past Saturday, April 21st, the students of the Criminal Justice and Legal Studies programs at Florida National University participated in a Trace Evidence Collection and Preservation training sponsored by the Gold Coast Forensic Association of West Palm Beach. The Gold Coast Forensic Association was formed in 2003 by a group of Forensic Investigators to enhance the level of training on Florida’s Gold Coast. The associations numbers in approximately 100 members and is growing on a daily basis. The member’s of the association’s expertise extends to Crime Scene Investigators, Medical Examiners Investigators, Latent Fingerprint Examiners, DNA Laboratory Scientists, Firearms Examiners, Detectives, Police Officers, and Educators and Students.
The Trace Evidence Collection and Preservation training was held at the West Palm Beach Police Department and it included topics such as fingerprints, small evidence, hair and fiber, body fluids and alternate light source examinations. The participating students were able to cast footprint and fingerprint impressions, dust for fingerprints, collect small fiber, analyze blood, semen, and urine through alternative light source equipment, and determine various substances through chemical enhancements.
If you are interested in participating in upcoming trainings you must be enrolled in the criminal justice or legal studies programs and preferably hold membership in the Alpha Phi Sigma Honor Society chapter at Florida National University. For more information, contact the Chapter Advisor, Jelenny Hernandez at (786) 364-9564 or email at jhernandez@fnu.edu.
