CSI for the day
15/06/2009
On Thursday 7th May police chaplains in the Diocese, with chaplains form other forces in the region, became Crime Scene Investigators for a day.
They put their investigative skills to the test, in an exercise in a blood analysis room at the forensic training centre at Harperley Hall, near Crook, and did every well!
This exercise was part of a day conference for police chaplains whose theme was ‘Beyond Crime Scene Investigation.’ It was held at Harperley Hall, a forensic training centre, that is part of the National Policing Improvement Agency. The Centre has been developed to deliver forensic training in state of the art facilities. It was opened by HRH The Princess Royal in September last year.
The visit of the chaplains included a tour of the Centre and spending time in specialist laboratories and a practical ‘scenario building’ housing a realistic high street environment, with mock shops, offices and a bar, where true-to-life forensic exercises can be run.
During the visit the chaplains discussed with Crime Scene Investigators their experience and the personal implications of their work. And it highlighted for the chaplains pastoral implications for their ministry to the police service.
Canon John Scorer, chaplain to Harperley Hall and Durham Police, remarked afterwards, “I enjoyed being a CSI for a day. But I will stay with my day job and watching CSI programmes on television, where it is obviously much easier, glamorous and less demanding than in real life.”
The Revd Paul Murray, an area chaplain to Northumbria Police said, “It was a wonderful day, giving us marvellous insight into the specialist kills of support services staff.”
And the Revd John Lintern, chaplain to the police at Chester-le-Street, commented, “It was good to be given an insight into scientific advances and how they are applied in detecting crime. But also, having the opportunity to witness first hand the professionalism and dedication of staff at the Training Centre.”
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