Kelly Barcus, an officer for the Roseville, Calif., Police Department, recently attended an NCBRT training program on collecting evidence in a major incident like biological warfare or other potentially hazardous crime scene. Barcus, who is part of Roseville’s Crime Scene Investigation team, said, “We go in and we know [hazardous materials] exist, but who is making them? How do we collect that evidence?”
The training gives local first responders the skills to deal with sophisticated and dangerous incidents. The NCBRT, located at Louisiana State University, says most training costs are covered through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Barcus learned about GPS devices for diagramming a crime scene that could be filled with volatile or hazardous materials. The tools help first responders determine if it’s safe to enter a potentially contaminated area. She said the NCBRT training preps local police to combat terrorism and other major threats.
“If it was a major incident like 9/11, we could assist now that we’ve had major training,” Barcus said.
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