Greetings student crime fighters! I want to update you on our CSI: GU Summer Program. We will be kicking off this first of its kind program today to explore careers in forensic science and criminal justice.
Friends of Crime Lab Inc. -- in partnership with MCV Broadband and the Gannett Foundation (the Pacific Daily News) and the support of the Guam Police Department, Guam Community College, University of Guam, U.S. Attorney's Office, attorney general, members of the Guam Bar Association and many volunteers -- have planned this pilot program for months.
Students will enjoy a special tour of the crime lab, where they will learn how real forensic scientists and investigators solve tough cases. They will learn from experienced experts about how they work through difficult problems.
During lunch, students will have an opportunity to listen to experts and community leaders about their education and careers. They will hear about each presenter's personal journey as they navigated their career paths. This might include work ethic, academic studies, how they overcame personal and family challenges, and about life choices. Some will talk about mentors who helped guide them. I guarantee that their personal stories will be very informative and motivational.
Criminalists Monica Ada Salas and Zenobia Lynn will share their educational and career stories. Jason Biggs of the Marine Lab and Jay Sunga (microbiologist and DNA expert) will share their journeys into the sciences. GPD Chief Fred Bordallo will share his thoughts with the students. Resident Agent In-Charge George Mastin will share information about his career with the Bureau of Alcohol and Tobacco. Alicia Limtiaco and Lenny Rapadas will share their educational and career stories about how they became U.S. Attorney and Attorney General of Guam. Mary Okada will talk about her life challenges, academic pursuit, and how she ascended to her job as GCC President. She might talk about what she is doing to help build the Phase II DNA and other new technological improvements for the Crime Lab.
With the assistance of GPD's Sgt. John Rabon and range safety officers, we will demonstrate how firearms cases are solved. Lt. Joe Carbullido will lecture about basic criminal investigation skills. While these techniques look easy on TV, the work can be slow-going and tedious.
CSI Tommy Salas will instruct on crime scene sketching and CSI Gilbert Mondia will lecture on fingerprints. Board member Shannon Taitano-Lujan will cover the criminal justice system. Chief Medical Examiner Aurelio Espinola will lecture on death investigation. Dr. Bob Gatewood will demonstrate methods of obtaining dental impressions. Board Member Mark Calvo will lecture on computer forensics. Professional photographer Matt Weiss will talk about crime scene photography. UOG Professor Aubrey Moore and Joseph Lopez Sr. will lecture on forensic entomology and provide an evidence collection and maggot examination exercise.
At the end of the program, students will recognize that forensic science, when coupled with traditional criminal investigation, is a great formula for solving crimes.
Participants will have to put their new skills to work with the processing of a mock crime scene. They will have to use some CSI tools, assess the scene, lift latent fingerprints, take crime-scene photographs, make a sketch, collect the biological and other evidence, prepare evidence logs and report their findings. After this exercise is completed, they will discuss their work with real experts and attorneys to prepare for the trial. Our CSI participants will testify about their investigation, evidence and results in an evidentiary hearing before a real judge.
While our presenters will nourish our students' minds each day, we must provide basic equipment and expend supplies. We will also feed and nourish them.
We must thank our sponsors, without whom we would not be able to produce this program. They are the Gannett Foundation, MCV Broadband, A&B Foundation (Matson Navigation), Dr. Thomas Shieh, Ladera Co., California Mart, Takagi Insurance, Nissan Motor Corp of Guam, G4S Security, McDonald's of Guam, M-80 Office Systems, Jamaican Grill, Chuck-E-Cheese, Pepsi, KFC, Shirley's Coffee Shop, LoneStar Steak House, Market Wholesale, Micronesian Brokers Inc. and Ishizaki & Associates.
At the conclusion of our fun-filled program, we hope that our participants will be provided a roadmap to help achieve their dreams, appreciate the need for education, and commit to being good citizens. I trust that the CSI: GU Summer Program will help our students discover whether or not they have a calling in the criminal justice system. "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
Frank Ishizaki is a retired FBI Special Agent, Chief of Police, Homeland Security Advisor; Senator, Director of Corrections, Cop; and CSI. He can be contacted at friendscrimelab@live.com.
