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Kampala The U.S. Government is helping to build the capacity of Ugandan authorities to protect the country's natural heritage and to combat illicit trafficking that threatens both Uganda's abundant wildlife and security.

The donation of 10 wildlife crime scene investigation (WCSI) kits by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will assist several Ugandan agencies in their mission to combat wildlife-related crimes throughout the country. The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), the Uganda Police Force (UPF), and the Natural Resource Conservation Network (NRCN) were among the beneficiaries on this donation, and also received training in forensic investigation techniques.

Law enforcement and forensic science experts from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - a division of the U.S. Department of the Interior (the lead U.S. agency for public land management) - trained 17 investigators from UWA, UPF and NRCN during a recent week-long workshop near Murchison Falls National Park. With support from the Uganda Conservation Foundation, these experts helped participants develop the skills to conduct wildlife crime scene investigations, including collecting evidence and preserving the chain of custody. The workshop also fostered cooperation and information exchanges among the participants from UWA, UPF, and NRCN, which will help to advance future investigations.

After the workshop, USAID donated 10 wildlife crime scene investigation kits to be used by the trained investigators in the field. The kits contain materials necessary for collecting and preserving evidence from wildlife crime scenes, which is crucial for the successful prosecution of wildlife crimes. USAID made this donation through its regional Partnership to End Wildlife Trafficking with the Interior Department's International Technical Assistance Program (DOI-ITAP). "Wildlife crime is a threat not just to conservation, but to the security and livelihoods of Uganda's people," said USAID Mission Director Mark Meassick. "This partnership allows us to share the expertise of U.S. conservation professionals to help enhance Uganda's wildlife management and enforcement capacities, improve national and international coordination, and share best practices."

Wildlife trafficking remains a significant problem for Uganda. The Standing Committee of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna in 2013 named Uganda one of the leading nations responsible for illegal ivory trade. Between 2009 and 2014, some 20 metric tons of ivory were trafficked through Uganda, mainly to Asia. The country's continued role as a transit hub for illegal trafficking also exposes it to the negative effects of organized crime and corruption. Illicit revenue gained from such activities often funds insurgent groups that contribute to regional instability and fuel further demand for trafficked products.

The training workshop and donation of the kits are the first steps in a planned program of training and technical assistance in combating wildlife crime to be implemented under the partnership between USAID and DOI-ITAP. This support aims to build a cadre of Ugandan wildlife professionals with the specialized knowledge and skills to bring wildlife poachers and traffickers to justice, and to help end practices that threaten both Uganda's rich biodiversity and security.

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Uganda: US Helps Build Ugandan Capacity to Combat Wildlife Crime - AllAfrica.com

KOIN.com

1 in custody after man dies in Vancouver shooting KOIN.com Come out this morning to find we have a crime scene investigation going on up the street, said Chad Lawrence, a neighbor. First time I've ever in 15 years here that I've dealt with a crime scene unit over a shooting situation. Neighbors said the ... and more »

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1 in custody after man dies in Vancouver shooting - KOIN.com

4-H Tech Connect (from left) members Kacee Arase, Cassidy MatsudaandKristi Echiverriparticipated in a hair and fiber lab activity to solve amock crime.Other hands-on activities included analyzing fingerprints and footprints, career paths in forensic science and criminal justice, and a DNA presentation by Maui Police Department CSI Tony Earles. Courtesy file photo 2015.

The Maui Police Department is currently accepting applications for its 2017 CSI Camp.

The camp is a Crime Scene Investigation experience created for high school juniors and seniors, and is limited to 12 students.

The 2017 CSI Camp is scheduled for June 19-23, 2017 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Topics include: crime scene photography, scene diagramming, testing for blood, bullet trajectory, fingerprints, human remains recovery, polygraph and autopsy.

Interested students should submit the application, available on the County of Mauis web site, on the Police Department page, by April 13, 2017.

For more information call (808) 463-3830 or email [emailprotected]

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Maui Now : Maui Police Department Offers 2017 CSI Camp - Maui Now

"CSI: Crime Scene Investigation." A wall of television screens, containing live footage of the Utica police booking room and pole-mounted cameras as well as point-in-time locations of police calls and hotspot gun crime data.

UTICA It looks like something out of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation."

A wall of television screens, containing live footagefrom the Utica police booking room and pole-mounted cameras, as well as point-in-time locations of police calls and hotspot gun crime data.

There also are elements that arent visible to the naked eye: technological connections among seven other related sites that promise the flow of crime information from more than 70 percent of the state, minus New York City.

Its the Mohawk Valley Crime Analysis Center to be officially unveiled Thursday at the Utica Police Department and its something that participating agencies say will assist them by enhancing the flow of information among law enforcement agencies as well as providing certified crime analysts to assist their investigations.

Michael Green, executive deputy commissioner of the state Division of Criminal Justice Services, said the Mohawk Valley Crime Analysis Center is one of eight in the state that will allow agencies to better investigate, reduce and prevent crime in a collaborative effort. He said the center also will be a real-time crime center with analysts monitoring 911 calls and police dispatches as theyre occurring.

If you look across the network and see what they do there are examples every year of peoples lives that were saved, Green said. Last year there was a kidnapping where the victims were rescued in large part because of information generated by a crime analyst. Literally, SWAT goes in and kicks the door down and saves them. There were also missing persons who are located quickly through the work of crime analysts.

The center will have a full staff of 10, made up of field investigators from local agencies, as well as certified crime analysts and a supervisor. The agencies involved are the Utica police, Oneida County Sheriffs Office, Oneida County District Attorneys Office,Oneida County Probation Department, New York State Police, the state of New York, and the state Division of Criminal Justice Services.

"The Mohawk Valley Center represents the states latest investment in the field of crime analysis and solidifies New Yorks Crime Analysis Center Network as an important tool to help police solve crime, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement. "Having this technology in the hub of Oneida County will usher in a new era of cooperation among law enforcement agencies and provide the resources they need to make the Mohawk Valley safer for New Yorkers.

The startup cost of the crime analysis center is about $280,000, an amount thats paid for by the state and state Division of Criminal Justice Services. The network with centers in Erie, Monroe, Onondaga, Broome, Albany, Niagara and Franklin counties and now Oneida County is supported by a nearly $6 million a year investment from the state and DCJS.Ongoing costs involving things such as staffing are paid for by the entities involved in each center.

Utica Police Chief Mark Williams said hes interested in modeling the center after practices he witnessed at the Monroe Crime Analysis Center in Rochester. He said its crime analysts, in the event of a shooting, visit investigators in the field to determine what kind of information they have, before going back into the office to begin their research. He said one crime analyst at the Oneida center will be focused on homicides and shootings.

(The crime analysts will) find out who the victim is, who theyre associated with, search for any suspect information as well as determine who cars are registered to, Williams said. Ultimately, theyll give that investigator a nice packet of information so they dont have to spend time researching, so they can actively stay on the street investigating that crime. Im really excited about this. I think not only can we solve crimes, but we might even in certain areas prevent crime as well.

Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara said he was hoping for something like the center throughout his career. Hesaid because of the analysis center, and the crime analysts who will be able to watch live footage from the citys 12 pole-mounted cameras, that the office is planning on buying eight more cameras with forfeiture money.

"(The center) can be utilized by any police department and I think as time goes forward we're going to see a lot of police departments utilizing their intelligence ability and data collection," McNamara said. "Looking at the city's pole cameras, we have the ability a lot of time to solve certain crimes, but the fact that ... we bought these cameras and no one watches them (in real-time), and thatthere's no real department within the Utica Police Department that really collects data they collect it, but dont store it in any way thats searchable ... I've always believed we were leaving a lot of info collected as law enforcement on the table where other people didnt know it and couldnt use it. I think for that it's very favorable."

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State to unveil Mohawk Valley Crime Analysis Center - Utica Observer Dispatch

For some, binge watching all 11 seasons of Criminal Minds in a matter of a few weeks can be considered a remarkable feat. For others, watching an FBI team analyze and investigate intense crimes, episode after episode, ignites a different kind of passion: a new career goalCrime Scene Investigation. But what does real CSI involve? Is there a discrepancy between the portrayals of CSI in the media and in real life?

Wade Knaap, a part-time faculty member in the forensic science department at UTM, explains that the new 100-level forensic science course, FSC100H, aims to show students the realities behind the crime scene investigation process.

Knaap says that this introductory course provides an avenue for students that are interested in the forensic sciences, but not planning to pursue it as a program of study, to learn about the field and earn a general science credit.

Its kind of an overview of the whole science itself, how it interacts, and the impact that the television shows have on jurors, Knaap explains.

There are distinct differences between what is portrayed on television versus reality. Even on a general interest level, it is nice for people to have a true understanding instead of a misconception as to what that whole career is based on.

The course will explore crime scene investigation, latest scientific developments, and how the media portrayals impact the whole judicial system.

Unfortunately, the media, especially television shows, do not always mirror reality. Knaap notes that timing plays a huge role in differentiating real crime scene investigations from the ones seen in popular media portrayals.

Obviously, television shows have a limited amount of time to show the crime, the investigative process, the arrest procedure, the lab component, and then the interpretation of the evidence down the road. So theyll generate biology DNA profiles within a commercial break, Knaap says. Everything is kind of accelerated to accommodate that.

Investigative techniques that are used for one specific application will often undergo a transformation in order to accommodate the needs of the shows fictional story line. One example of this is the use of a crime scene light to examine for physical and trace evidence at a crime scene. In reality, this light source has limitations.

You see this regularly on television, where they show the forensic light source at a 450 nanometer wavelength, identifying fluorescent blood. It actually works the opposite. Blood will show dark or black in colour, it doesnt fluoresce, he says.

The media also modifies techniques and applications to enhance the wow-factor of the television show. Knaap explains that many other biological fluids may fluoresce with great intensity under alternate light sources, but it doesnt work that way with blood.

The goal of FSC100 is to dispel these common misconceptions and instead provide students with a more accurate representation of how the process is conducted. When Knaap developed the course, he tried to incorporate discussion on the resources and tools that are available to assist crime scene investigators and forensic identification officers.

Its not just how its portrayed on television, where their investigators are doing everything from entomology to DNA analysis. Their experts in automotive mechanics and underwater recovery and all these different components are comprised into one person, he says. The reality is, its not that way. Its a team effort, its a collaborative thing. The best forensic investigator is the person that knows what resources are available to them and knowing when to call those resources in for a successful investigation.

During the investigative process, Knaap explains that investigators have only one opportunity to do it right, and if they make mistakes in the onset, it will have significant impact later. This is why its important to understand that there are many experts with knowledge and skills in different subject matters who would be an asset at a crime scene.

For instance, Dr. Rogers, the program director, is a forensic anthropologist, so if we have skeletonized remains that need to be identified, whether it be from gender, trauma to the body, or personal identification, [Dr. Rogers] is one avenue we can use to assist with that, Knaap says.

Gabriella Arjun, a first-year student planning to major in criminology, says her interest in the popular television shows influenced her to take the course.

I took this course just to gain some more information about my major, and also because Ive always been interested in watching those shows like CSI, and Criminal Minds. I have a lot of background knowledge on it, so I thought itd be a great idea to take the course, she says.

Last Wednesday, I sat in on Knaaps two-hour lecture. Located in IB110, the class is currently at maximum enrollment capacity.

The lecture focused on the topic of crime scene management, including the role of first responders, the Criminal Code of Canada, and differentiating between various types of evidence. Knaap encouraged class participation by posing questions and scenarios to analyze. He defined critical terms like crime, crime scene, and evidence.

I learned that forensic investigators get called to analyze scenes that are not always crime-related, such as scenes of sudden death and house fires. I now know the difference between testimonials and physical evidence, and that evidence can establish credibility within a case. I also understand the importance in managing crime scenes.

Knaap hopes that students will leave the course with a deeper understanding of the CSI processes, and realize that there are many different components to it.

Its collaborativeits a team approach. As a student, they may have an interest in a particular science, maybe biology, chemistry, or anthropology, and even though they may pursue that and not necessarily have the intent to be a crime scene investigator, their knowledge and skillset may still be utilized and included in that investigative process, Knaap says.

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The real CSI: not as seen on TV - The Medium