The Left Coast Crime 2010 Forensic Science Day. They also very generously agreed to donate all proceeds from the day to the Crime Lab Project Foundation, to be given to the CSFI. Rose Ochi tells us that these funds will be used to help graduate students purchase materials to carry out their research.
So not only were we offering something unique to attendees, they were supporting a great cause!
The day took lots of planning and preparation, and we're all indebted to the CFSI's Rose Ochi for her early support of the event, to Harley Sagara for his many efforts, and to Howard Ho for his additional help.
This was a full-day event at the Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center at California State University, Los Angeles. The HSFSC is a new facility that houses forensic science services for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and the Los Angeles Police Department. It is the largest "full service" crime lab in the country. It also includes training and research facilities as well as classrooms.
Attendance was limited to 75 and the event sold out weeks ago.
Here's a quick look at our day.
8:30-8:45 Welcome
We were honored to be welcomed by Cheryl L. Ney, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Graduate Studies at CSULA.
Rose Ochi, the Executive Director, California Forensic Science Institute and I, in my role as head of The Crime Lab Project, made additional opening statements. Harley Sagara served as our ringmaster throughout the day.
A series of excellent presentations followed:
8:45-9:45 The Crime Scene
Don Johnson, CSULA School of Criminal Justice and Criminalistics
9:45-10:45 Questioned Documents
Mel Cavanaugh, Questioned Documents Examiner, Sgt (Ret.) LASD Scientific Service Bureau
11:00-12:00 Forensic Science and the Courts
Myrna Raeder, Professor of Law, Southwestern University School of Law
After lunch, we split into smaller groups for a tour of the HDFSC. The tour was followed by three more excellent presentations:
2:00-3:00 Firearms
Allison Manfreda, Criminalist II, LAPD Scientific Investigations Division-
Firearm Analysis Unit
3:15-4:15 Trace Evidence
Lynne Herold, Senior Criminalist LASD Scientific Service Bureau/Trace Section
4:15-5:15 Biology-DNA
Katherine Roberts, CSULA School of Criminal Justice and Criminalistics
I did an informal follow up session for writers on using what we had learned. Each attendee also received a handout with lots of additional information.
The feedback from our attendees has been incredibly positive and their reviews of the day have been stellar. I'm sure we'll do another event at the HDFSC for CFSI, and I've been talking to other convention organizers about doing a similar program at a future Left Coast Crime. When I know more about that, I'll let you know.
I was especially glad that my husband, Tim Burke, was able to join us for this day. He hears me talk about this stuff all the time, and we've donated to CFSI, but this was his first chance to actually look around inside the building!
Tomorrow: LCC 2010 - Part III
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