Largo center trains officers in CSI

LARGO - It is Crime Scene Investigating 101: someone broke into a makeshift home and you have to figure out how they got in and what they took.

"We focus on the window why? Because the window is partially open, we also have a footwear impression," said Scott Campbell, an instructor, pointing to the window leading into the home.

It's all a part of the National Forensic Science Technology Center in Largo. Law enforcement officers from around the U.S. come to the Bay Area to learn the basics of CSI.

"Subjects that they learn [include] photography and … sketching," says Eileen Fynan, NFSTC's Operations Manager. "They will also learn to identify tool marks and how to properly collect tool marks in evidence."

Taking the course is Cpl. Tim Murray from the Lebanon Police Department in Tennessee. His new job as an officer is to help start a forensic science unit in the department.

"The more you know, the better you can process a crime scene," Cpl. Murray said. "Then take that back and train the other people and hopefully your department is straight when it gets to court."

The program is free, courtesy of the federal government. Smaller law enforcement agencies like Murray's stand to win the most, as they usually don't have enough money to spend on training.

"The biggest advantage is I can take a medium police department or small department and you could come here and get the same training that a large department gets," said Murray.

Those in the program also learn how to cast shoe prints and process DNA and fingerprints. After about a week of training, they should be able to solve a basic crime from beginning to end.

For more information about NFSTC, visit their web site at http://www.nfstc.org/