Troops teach crime scene investigation techniques to Iraqi Police

Photo By Sgt. Maj. Tanya Lumbard | An Iraqi police officer learns how to properly bag and mark evidence he’s collected during a practical exercise on the final day of his sensitive site exploitation class at the at the Ramadi Training Center, March 2.  

RAMADI, IRAQ

03.02.2011

Story by Staff Sgt. Tanya Lumbard 

4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs

RAMADI, Iraq – Iraqi police officers received a crash course on crime scene investigation as part of the 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division’s ongoing mission to enable the Government of Iraq and provide the Iraqi citizens with a safer, more secure, and sovereign country.

Spcs. Jonathan Lainez and Derek Jackson—both infantrymen and trained members of one of the Vanguard Brigade’s special weapons exploitation teams—taught eight police officers evidence collection during a three-day class, beginning Feb. 28 at the Ramadi Training Center.

“For the last few days, we’ve been teaching them sensitive site exploitation; how to react on scene and how to gather evidence,” said Lainez, a Garfield, N.J. native, on the final day of the class.

“The Iraqi Police learned how to take photographs from different perspectives; that way they are able to find different angles on how to photograph a scene. They’re now able to sketch diagrams of a scene, and they’re able to dust for fingerprints on any kind of surface that we give them.”

Lainez is part of a four-man team, who operate in and around Ramadi. The Vanguard Brigade has two additional SWET teams who advise and assist the IP and the Iraqi army in Fallujah and Al Asad. The CSI soldiers—most of them trained infantrymen—took a seven-week weapons intelligence course at Fort Huachuca, Ariz., prior to the deployment.

“It was a very in depth course,” said Lainez, explain that the weapons intelligence course taught everything from lifting fingerprints to specialized equipment to use at a crime scene.
“That training certified us to train the [Iraqi security forces].”

The 4/3 AAB SWET teams have taught more than 30 classes over the past eight months in an effort to help develop the ISF.

“We throw as much information as possible to them.” Lainez said. “Even though, it might be overwhelming at first, they are able to overcome the challenge.”

“It makes me feel great knowing that they’re [IPs] using my techniques and my training to help protect their country, further enable their country, and become more stable.”

• Date Taken: 03.02.2011
• Date Posted: 03.11.2011 02:43
• Story ID: 66829
• Location: RAMADI, IQ