Real Life CSI

I have never watched an episode of CSI before, but now I may have to. Yesterday, my son participated in the dedication of a new 30-million-dollar crime laboratory. It was built to be one of the premier forensic centers in the country and will assess the most complicated cases in this area of the nation. Dalton's scout leader has a good friend who works there and he secured this extremely unique opportunity. What a huge and humbling honor to have the privilege of being a part of this because Mr. S. was willing to invite us along. Our scouts and their siblings, plus one other family (who I didn't know) are the only children who will ever be privy to those parts of the building which today are closed off to "personnel only."

Most of the 70 employees of this state-of-the-art facility acted as tour guides for groups of about 4 to 10 people, including several of our state's highest leaders. This was thrilling on so many levels because my son is already showing strong interest in politics and how they affect our society. For him to get to mingle with judges and state senators and the lieutenant governor and discover that they are normal people who complain about having to wear suits on a hot day and talk proudly of their kids making the soccer team - that was really neat. Our tour guide was absolutely lovely! We couldn't have asked for a sweeter lady to show us around. She was probably in her mid-forties, short, with salt and pepper hair and an infectious smile. She allowed us to stay as little or as long as we wanted in each area and answered - I'm not kidding - about 50 different questions between us (my friend and I, three of our kids and our scout leader.) I have never been so interested in Science and this was the perfect person to bring that out in me. She LOVES science and she had this way of simple explanation and of making it so relevant to real life. I wish I'd had her as a teacher in high school and college!

We learned all about things like ballistics and toxicology and physiology and a whole bunch of other "ology's." They told us how they had solved specific crimes that are notorious to our area. The kids got to see the gun range where they determine if bullets found at crime scenes match to a certain gun and how they shoot it through a water trough to prevent it from touching anything but the gun barrel itself. They showed us the car bay where they check vehicles for evidence. They showed the huge hauls off actual drug busts and the secured space where they dismantle volatile meth lab chemicals to make them safe to investigate. We learned about a multi-million dollar steel pier system from the first to the third floor that prevents the most minute seismic activity from shaking their microscopes. These microscopes are so sensitive they can magnify residue unseen by the naked eye more than 600,000 times! We saw how finger prints were lifted off of victims of Hurricane Katrina for identification though they had floated in water for weeks. :( They showed us the database computers containing the DNA samples of all felony convicts nation wide and the area where evidence is transferred to the facility by an officer. There was a sterile area for masked and gloved lawyers to review their client's cases in the presence of a scientific preservation expert. Oh! And you know those textbook photos where they show an actual strand of DNA and how it has a code that distinguishes you from every other person on the planet? We saw that in real life! AMAZING! Astounding really, how uniquely designed and intricately structured we all are! Plus there were about 5 dozen other things equally or even more interesting that I just can't remember them all!

I can't tell you how much I appreciated our guide's discretion in explaining the more tender areas of crime scene investigation. She knew EXACTLY how give enough information to satisfy our questions in terminology that was not harmful to the kids. If there was no way to do that, such in the s*exu*a*l crimes unit, she didn't even try. I really really appreciated her for that. I asked and she told us that her degree in Science to be a drug analyzer (she figures out what a drug is that is found) took only four years. That boggled my mind given her EXTENSIVE knowledge of all things Science. She must have studied HARD! Other people in the building had up to three DIFFERENT 8 year degrees, PLUS computer programming training to boot! (They have to employ their own computer service technicians for obvious reasons.) And they all are licensed officers, able to pack heat and make arrests.

After the tour the kids were given a commemorative coin as proof of their attendance and we were all treated to a catered buffet. How fun to realize as we made our way through the line that one of our long-time restaurant-owner friends had catered the meal. We have gone to his place for the past 20 years. He knows us by name. And honestly, this was the best spread he has ever made! It was delicious. While my friend and I sat and ate we joked about how they were probably going to lift our prints off the water bottles after we left. Especially because another guide had said something so funny when our guide deferred to his explanation in the area of his expertise. He works on matching DNA samples to the data base and we had asked him if they ever use DNA samples for comparison that were NOT collected in the commission of a crime. He explained a particular law that requires all CONVICTED felons to submit their saliva swab upon booking into any federal prison. Then he said "of course we would like that to expand so many more people are included in the database." We cracked up! Of course what he meant was that they would like to take samples from misdemeanor criminals and anyone who is even arrested, whether or not they are eventually convicted. (Because, he explained, so MANY crimes are committed while the charged is out on bail still going through the LENGTHY judicial process to get a conviction.) Of course, we explained that it sounded like he'd like more people out there to commit crimes. He thought his mis-speak was as funny as we did. We figured he would have the sense of humor to laugh with us, since he was responsible for sticking the dashboard hula girl on top of the arm of the machine that mixes blood samples. But honestly, the people of this facility were highly professional and easy to interact with. Our guide made the comment that their jobs are as scientists. She said to her, it's a win either way. If evidence shows that a crime did occur, it will be what's needed to pull that dangerous person from society. If is shows a crime was not committed, she rejoices that the world is still positive for her daughter to grow up in. From our kids to state dignitaries to the friendly high school girl behind me that used "like" three times in every sentence, they treated each one of us with equal kindness and respect and the attitude that this building was for US, having been purchased with our tax money. That did an awful lot in my eyes to convince me that they truly can and will investigate what is brought to them in an unbiased manner, with a concern for justice no matter who is the victim. They were humble justice lovers and I appreciate that.