Crime Scene Technician
This certificate is designed to prepare an individual for a future career in a very specialized area of Criminal Justice. The certificate will also provide the individual who is already a professional public service criminal justice employee with the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills and provide opportunities for advancement.
Participants pursuing this certificate will be taught and trained in the basics of gathering, collecting, and analysis of evidence. Job opportunities for participants who complete this certificate will be available in local, regional, and national public service police employment.
Forensics is recognized as both an art and a science. Scientific discoveries along with advances in technology have increased the accuracy of forensic results and thus the pursuit of justice. Therefore, it is necessary that individuals who are either currently employed or are seeking future employment in the field of Criminal Justice be educated and trained in the basics of crime scene investigation procedures and evidence collection. Local, state and national law enforcement agencies, along with private detectives, attorneys and judges, rely heavily on the work of the professionally trained forensic specialist.
Education Requirements
You can start a career as a crime scene technician with only a GED or high school diploma. While some police departments require as much as a graduate degree in forensic sciences, if you start your career in a smaller department the requirements may not be as stringent. Perhaps the easiest way to realize your dreams is to start with a job in a local police department. From there you can request training in forensic science. Once you get your foot in the door you can pursue other certifications from associations such as the International Association for Identification.Crime scene technicians often advance their careers with non-academic courses and certificates. To qualify for added certificates, they often need to pursue coursework and experience is a large part of their preparation. In fact, many certificates require that GED holders amass four years of full-time experience in any given specialty.
Most crime scene technicians will be trained by their employer, but you can also seek a crime scene certification from an independent association or a university. There are no specific requirements for these certifications, but crime scene laboratories may require a bachelor’s degree or other academic credentials.
Professionals Who Would Benefit From This Certificate:
Peace Officers (with less than 5 years of service)
Paramedics
Emergency Medical Technician
Firefighters
Instructor
William "Lum" FarrFarr began his career in 1981 as a patrol deputy sheriff for Union Parish, Louisiana. In 1982, Farr was elected Chief of Police, Marion, La., where he performed law enforcement duties until 1994 when he took an early retirement to teach law enforcement/criminal justice at the college level.
Farr has over twenty years experience in teaching college level academics in law enforcement and forensic science, as well as technical level educational programs in both, law enforcement and forensics. Developed a college level student based forensics team that assisted local, county and state law enforcement agencies.
Farr is currently commissioned as a Deputy Marshall for Union Parish, La. He has led many felony crime scene investigations and assisted many sheriff, city departments, state police and the FBI in local investigations. He has testified as an expert witness in prior court proceedings.
In the late 1980's, Farr developed the Union Parish Narcotics Task Force and wrote a multi-jurisdictional (dual state/La. - Ark.) Narcotics Enforcement Grant.
From 1993 to 2008, Farr directed the Weatherford College Criminal Justice academic programs, police academy and continuing education programs toward new leadership and curriculum enhancement. As Department Chair, Farr expanded the CJ program by including evening classes in neighboring counties. Farr also included three additional police academies that supported the working hours of neighboring county jails, thereby allowing additional training for officers. Out of approximately 100 police academies in Texas, Farr was instrumental in bringing Weatherford Colleges state testing scores from a 50% status to the upper 10% in state testing scores.
Farr was a co-founder in the Weatherford College Forensic Science program. This program became the model for the Associate degree program for Forensic Science in the state of Texas. Farr toured the state and visited other colleges to assist in their development of a Forensic program.
Click on the courses below for course description and further details.
Click the course Title link for more information.
| Course Name | Meets | Begins | Ends | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Scene Technician - LIVE WEBCAST | Tu & Th : 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM | 05/21/24 | 05/30/24 | 495.00 |
| Crime Scene Technician - LIVE WEBCAST | Tu & Th : 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM | 08/13/24 | 08/22/24 | 495.00 |
Click the course Title link for more information.
| Title | Type | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Court Reporting with Legal Transcription | Online | 1595.00 |
| Certified Legal Secretary | Online | 2295.00 |
| Computer Hacking Forensics Investigator (CHFI) - Voucher Included | Online | 2895.00 |
These courses may be offered at a future date. Click the course Title link for more information.
