Marblehead kids got an inside look as to what it takes to become a crime-scene investigator through a camp put on by the Police Department.
The Crime Scene Investigation Camp spanned the course of three days, from Wednesday, Aug. 23, to Friday, Aug. 25, and took place outside of the Hammond Nature Center. Participants learned about a number of techniques and skills used by real-life investigators, including fingerprinting, evidence collection, and writing an investigative report.
19 participants graduated from the class, which included a mock motor-vehicle theft, which the students observed, investigated, and documented.
In a demonstration, Marblehead Police Chief Dennis King had Deputy Sheriff Todd Nestor and K-9 Ryder find synthetic heroin on him to show how a K-9 can be an investigative aid. The camp came to a close with all participants taking part in a tactical obstacle course.
“The kids were engaged, inquisitive and showed all the promise in the world to succeed in anything they choose, which I’m hoping is to become a member of the Marblehead Police Department,” King said in a statement.
King and School Resource Officer Sean Sweeney Jr. developed the course. King said that the kids had an opportunity to meet with Sweeney outside of the school setting.
Afterwards, all participants who completed the three-day camp were awarded with “junior crime-scene investigator” certificates.