40 Hour Crime Scene Investigator 1

Please note that the course location has moved to the Sycamore Police Department 

Registration Deadline: February 2, 2026

This course has been approved by ILETSB for the following mandates:
Civil Rights – 1
Constitutional Use of LE Authority – 3
Legal Updates – 2
Officer wellness/mental health – 1
Procedural Justice – 2.5
Law concerning stops, searches, and the use of force – 1/Scenario based .50
Officer safety techniques, including cover, concealment, and time – 2/scenario based 1
Lead Homicide – 40

PURPOSE OF COURSE:    This five-day, 40-hour program has been designed by Blue Line Training and Development Inc., along with expert practitioners in the field of evidence identification and collection. The purpose of this course is to educate Officers, Homicide Investigators, Detectives, Crime Scene Investigators (CSI), members of Major Crime Task Forces and Evidence Technicians in the art and science of crime scene investigation as it relates to collection, identification, and preservation of evidence to be submitted to a forensic science laboratory for analysis.

COURSE OVERVIEW: This program is designed for Officers, Homicide Investigators, Detectives, Crime Scene Investigators, Members of Major Crime Task Forces and Evidence Technicians. The course will introduce them to various evidence collection, identification, and preservation techniques. The impact of these techniques upon specific criminal investigative disciplines will also be discussed. Course topics include the following:

•    Crime scene management and the 7-step crime scene process
•    Crime scene photography
•    Crime scene sketching, diagramming, and animation
•    Forensic Laboratory Sections/Disciples
•    Evidence recognition, handling, packaging, and submission
•    Firearm/ballistic evidence, IBIS and NIBIN technology
•    Trace and toolmark evidence
•    Footwear/tire track castings
•    Latent fingerprints and AFIS technology
•    Biological evidence/DNA and CODIS technology.
•    Search warrants and consent to search
•    Advances in evidence technology
-    • --   Report-writing·
•    Scenario Based Training and Tabletop Exercises.
•    5 Practical Scene Assessments - Vehicle Scene, Burglary Scene, Shooting/Ballistics Scene, Photography Practical and Crime Scene with a victim body.

COURSE GOALS: This program will provide students with the following skills:

•    Demonstrate the basic use of their department's 35 mm and digital cameras.
•    Recover latent fingerprints, footwear impressions, and tire track impressions from crime scenes.
•    Process a recovered stolen vehicle and document the evidence recovered through photographs.
•    Demonstrate through a variety of practical exercises how to write reports, package a variety of types of evidence, and explain what the lab capabilities are in relation to the types of evidence collected.
•    Demonstrate the use of Mikrosil on tool marks and impression evidence.
•    Identify the forensic specialty that will analyze the evidence collected at a scene.
•    Proficiently photograph a burglary scene using four different ranges that depict the location of specific evidence at the scene.
•    Determine the need for and limitations of search warrants and consents to search.
•    Perform presumptive field tests are used to determine the presence of blood.
•    Complete the 7 steps of processing a crime scene, from beginning to end on a shooting scene.
•    Complete the 7 steps of processing a crime scene, from beginning to end on a crime scene with a victim body and multiple disciples of evidence.
•    Complete swabbing of firearms and multiple stains for Biology and DNA evidence.

COURSE PREREQUISITES: This course will be offered to sworn personnel of law enforcement, sheriff's and public safety agencies. There are two sets of prerequisites for this course, the first affecting the sponsoring agency and the second affecting student participants:

1. Agency: Only Chiefs, Sheriffs, Public Safety Directors, MTU Directors or their designated representatives, may enroll student officers. Officers will NOT be allowed to enroll themselves.

2. Student Participants: Only personnel who are currently employed by a unit of local government in a sworn capacity will be permitted to attend this program. Full-time personnel from member railroad, state or federal agencies not under the jurisdiction of the ILETSB may make application to attend this program.

METHODS OF EVALUATION:    Students will be required to demonstrate knowledge of all course materials. Additionally, the instructors will evaluate students' comprehension and retention of course topics based on their participation in practical exercises/scenarios and discussions conducted during the course. Students will participate in tabletop evidence scenarios and the proper packaging of 6 different types of evidence to submit to the Forensic Science Laboratory. Evaluation forms provided by NITAB will be completed by each student will provide feedback to the MTU on the quality of the course content and the instructors' effectiveness in delivering this content.

METHODS OF INSTRUCTION: This course is conducted using the following methods of instruction:

•    In-class review of student handout materials
•    In-class lecture/PowerPoint
•    In-class practical exercises and discussion
•    In-class tabletop exercises and assessments
•    In-class individual and group exercises

COURSE   REFERENCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Required reading:    All MTU handout materials.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS/GRADING POLICY: Students must be familiar with their departments' 35mm and digital cameras and should bring the following items to class with them:

•    35 mm or digital camera with flash
•    Digital Camera memory card that will hold at least 1000 images.
•    Tripod with all necessary attachments to fit the department camera.
•    An off-shoe cord/cable and detachable flash for analytical photography
•    Latent print development kits which include a minimum of black fingerprint powder and brush, magnetic powder and applicator, tape, white backing cards or hinge lifters

Students must complete individual and group practical assessments with successful completion and use of digital photography, processing and packaging of physical evidence.

RECOMMENDED INSTRUCTIONAL AIDS: The instructor utilizes a multi-media projector, laptop computer, screen, overhead projector, flip chart, white or blackboard, dry erase markers or chalk, and an eraser when conducting this program. A further list of supplies used during the practical portions of the program is included with this   syllabus.

ATTENDANCE POLICY: This is a state-certified course. Consequently, no more than 10% of class time, or 4 hours, may be missed. It is strongly suggested that students missing any time contact the instructor in advance and make suitable arrangements to pick up and/or review missed materials or information presented.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: All MTUs support a policy on academic integrity. Students are responsible for their own work in guiding the processing of crime scenes, evidence integrity and completing their own work to represent to the instructors, to fulfill the objectives of this course.
 

THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC MEETING