Watch out criminals, CSI Mosul hits the streets

Photo By Bradley Clark | Eric Jiminez (left), major terrorism unit team leader and head instructor of the evidence spectrum training program, checks the finger prints on a weapon found by 1st Lt. Amar (middle) and Sgt. Muhammed (right) during a mock crime scene training exercise June 7 in Mosul, Iraq. Finding finger prints was one of the many things the class learned over the course of the program.  

MOSUL, IRAQ

06.22.2007

Story by Pfc. Bradley Clark 

4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs

By Pfc. Bradley J. Clark
4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs

FORWARD OPERATING BASE MAREZ, Iraq -- A group of Iraqi crime scene investigators graduated from the first class of the evidence spectrum-training program June 21, in Mosul, Iraq.

For the elite few chosen to participate in the initial class, the experience was like nothing they had been a part of before.

"The program was great," said Capt. Oaad of the major crimes unit. "It had everything we needed to know about evidence collection."

The purpose of the course is to bring the Iraqis together and set a standard for collecting, documenting and preserving the forensic evidence collected at a crime scene.

"We did this so they could learn the skills to go out and properly collect and preserve evidence," said Eric Jiminez, major terrorism unit team leader and head instructor of the course. "This way they can present a successful case in court."

Though the first class of the program was deemed a success, the participants were still faced with difficulties along the way.

"The hardest part for me was the language barrier," said 1st Lt. Amar, MTU investigator.

"Even with the language barrier, our instructors took the extra time to make sure we learned what we needed."

Jiminez agreed with Amar and added, "Another thing that was difficult was gathering all the resources that will allow them to learn properly."

The group learned many things that are common practice at crime scene investigations in the United States, but remain new concepts for investigators in Iraq.

"The part I enjoyed the most was learning how to properly photograph a crime scene," said Sgt. Muhammed, MTU investigator.

Though all the members had their individual favorite courses in the curriculum, they all agreed on what was the hardest to learn.

"The hardest part for me was learning how to pull finger prints using the powder," said 1st Lt. Aosamah, MTU investigator.

The course covered a wide range of topics, teaching new things to some and furthering concepts to others.

"They learned a lot," said Jiminez. "Some of them enhanced what they knew already and others were learning things for the first time that they didn't know."

Overall, the class perceived the training well and are collectively eager to help their fellow comrades learn the skills they now have.

"We are very glad to have the opportunity to practice these skills," said Muhammed.

"What we learned is valuable and is needed not only in the city and province, but throughout the whole country," added Amar.

"We plan on taking the things that we learned and teaching them to fellow officers whenever we get a chance," said Oaad.

Each participant's eagerness to teach their coworkers these new skills will help the evidence spectrum-training program reach its ultimate goal, said Jiminez.

"This course was a small step, but it is in the right direction. The goal is to get all of Ninevah province, and ultimately the whole country of Iraq, on the same page and doing this together," he added.

Like many other families in the world, who have loved ones in harms way, the Iraqi investigators' families are apprehensive, but know the service their husbands and fathers provide is needed for this country to succeed.

"Our families are worried and scared for our safety," said Aosamah. "But at the same time they are happy for us and proud of the job we are doing because they know it will benefit all of us."

It wasn't only the students that enjoyed the class and learned something; the instructors also learned valuable teaching skills and loved being involved in the program, according to Jiminez.

"It was a great learning experience for me. The class showed me a lot and we built relationships that will last a lifetime," added Jiminez.

The graduates of the evidence spectrum-training program are ready to take their new found skills to the streets and help make Iraq a safer place for the people that live in it.

• Date Taken: 06.22.2007
• Date Posted: 07.02.2007 14:52
• Story ID: 11079
• Location: MOSUL, IQ