Concordia's crime scene house officially opened its doors Monday, Nov. 30. Students in Concordia's Introduction to Forensic Sciences lab methodically marked and measured evidence of a mock crime at 545 Grand Avenue in Seward.
The crime scene reenactment was designed to give them the chance to practice techniques learned in the classroom and lab.
"There are a lot of things that we do in the forensic science courses that just don't translate well to a classroom setting," said Dr. Timothy Huntington, assistant professor of biology. Huntington, who is one of 15 board-certified forensic entomologists and is a forensic entomology consultant for several law enforcement agencies, was instrumental in creating the crime house.
The Concordia courses using the house as a resource are all part of the new forensic science emphasis within the biology program.
"Right now there are many universities in the U.S. that offer programs or majors in forensic science," said Huntington, "but not very many have crime scene houses to use." Huntington also hopes to use the house for upcoming training workshops he regularly conducts for law enforcement personnel.
As significant as the house will be for forensic science, it was not an expensive project. The property, already owned by Concordia, was furnished with donated and salvaged items. "I think it has been great to exercise good stewardship over the gifts that God has provided to generate this new and exciting resource for our students without unduly burdening the institution," said Huntington. In keeping with that approach, Huntington hopes to recruit members of the campus community to act as volunteer 'criminals' in future scenarios. "The only way to leave realistic evidence is to actually go through the motions, so I'll be asking for 'wannabe crooks' in the future."