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Tuesday, January 25, 2022
Serving Elkhart County and parts of Noble, LaGrange & Marshall Counties Know Your Neighbor. . . . . 2➤ Speak Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Good Neighbors . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Business Honor Roll . . . . . 7-9
Goshen (574) 534-2591
Vol. 49 No. 42
134 S. Main, Goshen, Indiana 46526
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With an abundance of true crime programs on television and streaming services, it is no wonder the Crime Scene Investigation class at the Elkhart County Community Center has a waiting list for students to attend. “The biggest challenge is employability and attendance,” said Beth Davis, who teaches the CSI class. The center works with 15 area high schools in the surrounding area. The students who wish to enter the program have to go through an application period, which includes an essay and evaluation by the school staff. Occasionally they have a student bow out, but most who apply are in for the long haul. Davis, who took over the class two years ago, is a retired 32 year veteran detective with the Cook County, Mich., Sheriff’s Office, working in narcotics investigations and with the felony crimes unit. She spent several years with the FBI Major Crimes Task Force. Her experience has helped her develop her teaching style and to cover the many facets of the class. “I loved my career. It was a good life. Law enforcement can be fun. Now, it’s all about getting the kids involved.” The program starts with basic crime scene management, which includes securing the scene, documenting the personnel who traverse in and out of the scene, photographing and documenting, identifying and collecting evidence, conducting interviews and interrogations, preparing a case for trial and then courtroom testimony. Each student is judged on different levels or proficiency, with 30 to 40% of their grade coming from employability. Davis said they spend time in class watching true crime shows because it helps the students understand the complexities of processing a scene. She said a crime scene can take upward to a week to fully process Continued on page 5
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