Students from Three Rivers High School’s forensic science class investigated a mock crime scene in a wooded area near the high school Monday as part of a day where the class also took a trip to the Michigan State Police Crime Lab in Grand Rapids to talk with forensic scientists, all to learn more about crime scene investigation and procedures for doing so.
The mock crime scene was set up by Justin Holbrook, a former Three Rivers police officer and the current safety and security coordinator for the school district, in coordination with forensic science teacher Amber Arnold, which had students – some of whom are looking to go into forensics or law enforcement – learn how to properly collect evidence, make deductions, and process a crime scene overall.
“The mock crime scene was a great way for students to practice all the skills that we’ve learned over the course of the year – they lifted fingerprints, identified blood spatter patterns, inspected ballistics, conducted search patterns, sketched the scene, practiced photography techniques, and collected trace evidence, all while learning to follow the chain of custody to prevent contamination of evidence so that it could be admissible in court,” Arnold said. “My goal for them, whatever they end up doing in the future, is for them to be well-informed citizens that may be well-informed jurors someday, making the justice system that much more just.”
The mock crime scene lesson also featured commentary from WMed Medical Examiner Investigator Stephanie Anderson on the process of what to do in working through a homicide or suicide scene, and the scene was also overseen by St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Office Staff Sgt. Jason Auton.
Holbrook said there’s a lot of things to learn from a mock crime scene like the students experienced.
“This gives them the best hands-on lookalike of what this would actually look like in a day that they were actually going to be in the field,” Holbrook said. “This is exactly how it would operate if we were out here and what we would do.”
At top, student Abigail Oldenburg (center) collects simulated evidence from the mock crime scene and places it in a plastic bag while classmates Lexie Page (left) and Magnus Jeitler (right) look on. At center, (from left to right), Lexie Page, Paige Conatser, Macy Harshberger, and Kaylee Smith watch as a piece of evidence gets marked while Holbrook (right) looks on. At bottom, student Macy Harshberger sketches the mock crime scene and the faux “dead body” being used.
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