Forensic investigation class teaches skill of fingerprinting

By Brianna Schreurs

Many enjoy watching crime shows like NCIS or Hawaii Five-0, and are fascinated by how science can be applied to the crime and be solved.

Thursday, Girls State delegates who are a part of their county forensic teams got a taste of how to do just that.

These select few attended a class on fingerprinting while state political conventions took place.

At the beginning of the week, Girls State delegates had the option to take the law enforcement class, presented by the South Dakota Highway Patrol, to learn more about the field.

After, delegates challenged themselves by taking the law enforcement examination. This test measured the delegates’ qualification for law enforcement positions in their county. The test asked delegates questions about the history of law enforcement. The three girls who did the best on the test in each county became the county’s forensics team.

“I decided to take the law enforcement exam because I didn’t want to take the bar exam,” Courtney Lusk, Seattle, said. “Law enforcement sounded easier. And I didn’t think I would make it into the top three and then I did!”

Each county’s forensics teams have been attending classes throughout the week that are being taught by Crystal Brady, Lieutenant of Investigation of the Vermillion Police Department. The classes have highlighted the jobs of investigators and patrol officers and how they respond to the scene. Yesterday, delegates focused on fingerprinting.

“Today we worked on collecting evidence by collecting different fingerprints from pop cans,” Brady said. “We also learned how to collect fingerprints off of things that might not be flat surfaced, like taking finger prints off of a golf ball. Also we did a shoe cast impression, where we used dental stone to collect an impression of the shoe print that was left.”

Brady taught a few different types of techniques to the girls. One method used superglue and heat as a method to make a cast of a fingerprint.

“It’s pretty swaggie,” Lusk said. “I’m probably going to use superglue (to find prints) around my house when I get home.”

Delegates are enjoying the class and were happy they

chose to take it.

“This is what I wanted to do when I came here,” said Dani McCauley, New York. “I watch Criminal Minds… sounds really lame, right? But it just fascinates me. I just think it’s really cool to put something back together.”

Girls also had a chance to ask questions about a law

enforcement career and about how they could prepare themselves.

“For law enforcement, you can really have a degree in anything,” said Brady.

The county forensic teams attended the SD Highway Patrol drug dog demonstration later Thursday afternoon, and will attend one last class at 10 a.m.

(Photo: Delegates in the forensic investigation class learn how to fingerprint Thursday. Brianna Schreurs / Sacajawea Scroll)