The field of forensic sciences is growing rapidly in Oklahoma according to the state’s Employment Security Commission. Between 2004 and 2014, the number of jobs in this field increased by 36.78%. This agency predicts that ten positions a year will become available in Oklahoma.
Becoming a Crime Scene Investigator or Forensic Scientist in Broken Arrow
Since the CSIs in Broken Arrow are sworn officers, people seeking to work in forensics in this city must first join the police department. In addition to such requirements as having a limited number of moving traffic violations and not having any felony or misdemeanor domestic violence convictions, the department has a stringent educational requirement.
Prospective officers must have taken at least 64 hours of college courses from an accredited institution of higher learning. An alternative is to have an associate’s degree. Applicants go through the following processes before they are hired:
- Taking the Minnesota Multi-phasic personality test
- Passing an extensive background check
- Passing a medical exam and a drug screen
- Passing a polygraph test
Recruits go through the Basic Police Academy and Field Training Officer programs. After this, officers chosen to work at the crime lab get advanced training in forensic techniques and crime scene investigation. A partial list includes the following:
- Bloodstain pattern analysis
- Crime scene reconstruction
- Fingerprint analysis and comparison
- Photography
- Shooting scene reconstruction and analysis of trajectory
CSIs in this department demonstrate their expertise by belonging to professional organizations and being former or current officer or board members.
Residents of Broken Arrow who seek an education in the forensic sciences have several choices to get a bachelor of sciences from schools within Oklahoma. They can also get an associate of applied science or a master’s degree in the field.
Criminal justice programs frequently have a CSI component as part of their studies. There are several options for associate’s degrees in criminal justice in nearby Tulsa, including an associate of arts degree and an associate of occupational studies. An alternative is to enroll in one of the many online schools that offer degrees in criminal justice.
The Broken Arrow Police Department Technical Investigations Unit
Broken Arrow is one of the locations in Oklahoma that offers jobs as crime scene investigators (CSIs). The Broken Arrow Police Department has a crime laboratory as part of its Technical Investigations Unit. This lab is accredited to perform the following types of analyses:
- Fingerprint
- Development
- Analysis and comparison
- Forensic video analysis
- Restoration of serial numbers
Three sworn officers work for this unit combining CSI techniques with forensic training. They include two officers and a sergeant. These investigators have the following CSI functions:
- Processing the scenes of major crimes
- Documenting, collecting, and interpreting evidence
- Preserving evidence for use in court