Local Law Enforcement Officers Investigate Mock Crime Scenes

Morganton, NC –Western Piedmont Community College’s (WPCC) Law Enforcement Training Center recently hosted Basic Homicide Investigation Training on the College campus. Offered by Southeastern Investigative Group, the five-day course included two days of classroom instruction followed by three days of hands-on training. Six different mock crime scenes allowed law enforcement officers from Lenoir Police Department (PD), Statesville PD, Hickory PD, Hudson PD, Newton PD, Morganton Department of Public Safety and Charlotte-Mecklenburg PD (CMPD) as well as Burke County Sheriff’s Department to hone investigative skills needed to successfully investigate each of the homicide scenes at the training. The training was coordinated by Steve Warren, WPCC’s director of Law Enforcement Training.

Terry Brandon, co-owner of Southeastern Investigative Group, emphasized the goal of the training. “We want to help law enforcement officers perform homicide crime scene investigations using appropriate terminology as well as provide uniform, proficient and accurate assessments to support strong prosecutions in court,” Brandon explained.

Miquel Santiago, co-owner of the training company, offered, “We feel that we can give our attendees a broad exposure to lots of different crime scenes and the best practices for evaluating them. While we are here to teach law enforcement officers, we find that we learn from the students as well.”

Shown are several law enforcement officers investigating a mock crime scene at the recent training session hosted by the Law Enforcement Training Center at WPCC.

Brandon and Santiago are both experienced law enforcement officers. Santiago serves as midnight sergeant at CMPD in the Independence Division. To learn more about Southeastern Investigative Group, visit www.seinvestigativegroup.com.

Western Piedmont Community College is situated in the picturesque rolling foothills of Morganton, North Carolina, and has served the citizens of Burke County since 1964.  Each year, more than 10,700 students pursue personal enrichment, new skills for a job or career, high school diplomas, college degrees, and transfer pathways. Registration for Spring Semester 2015 is Jan. 7 through Jan. 9.  Apply online or visit the Western Piedmont campus to apply in person.