Law enforcement detectives have still not closed the book on five unsolved murder cases in the Green Bay area and continue to look for clues using the latest developments in forensic science. In addition to cold cases, forensic experts with the Green Bay Police Department must keep up with ongoing cases, which last year meant tracking:
- 1 homicide
- 87 robberies
- 44 cases of rape
- 514 total cases of violent crime
There are two law enforcement agencies based out of Green Bay, Wisconsin that are extensively involved in conducting forensic investigations, the Green Bay Police Department’s Forensics Unit and the Brown County Sheriff’s Office has an Investigative Division as well as Crash Reconstruction Officers. Located within commuting distance is the Wisconsin Department of Justice Wausau Crime Laboratory that offers an array of analysis methods.
Getting the Right Education for Forensic Science Jobs in Green Bay
Education in fields that are applicable to forensic science can be obtained from several online schools as well as at least four colleges with campus locations in the city limits.
An in-depth examination of how to become a crime scene investigator and forensic scientist in Green Bay reveals the following:
- Evidence Technician: Becoming an evidence technician with the Green Bay Police Department requires candidates to have at least one year of experience working in a facility that involves keeping records and storage. Education, including a bachelor’s degree in any of the following areas, may be considered in lieu of the experience requirement:
- Crime Scene Reconstruction
- Criminal Justice
- Forensic Photography and Video Production
- Crime Scene Analysis
- Footwear and Trace Evidence
- Forensic Laboratory Scientist: These positions at the Department of Justice’s Wausau Crime Laboratory require a bachelor’s degree in any of the following areas, specific to an individual’s area of expertise:
- Biochemistry
- Genetics
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Molecular Biology
Forensic Science at Work in Green Bay
Most of the crime scene investigation jobs in Green Bay are found with the local law enforcement authorities, and additionally the Wausau Crime Lab also has a crime scene response team. The police department’s Forensics Unit is comprised of CSI professionals who specialize in any number of areas such as:
- Bloodstain pattern analysis
- Lifting fingerprints
- Collecting physical and trace evidence
- Interviewing witnesses
- Forensic photography
- Crime scene reconstruction
The police and sheriff’s office have some limited laboratory capabilities such as fingerprinting and breath alcohol analysis, but most of the real forensic lab work takes place at the Wausau Crime Lab, which specializes in:
- Controlled substance chemical analysis
- Forensic imaging
- Fingerprint identification
When these agencies combine their forces detectives are able to put the pieces together to solve cases like the four-month-old homicide investigation into the suspicious death of a Green Bay man who was discovered deceased in his ransacked apartment, apparently the victim of a break-in and robbery. CSI specialists were able to gather enough evidence which was then analyzed over the past months, eventually pointing towards the suspect who was recently arrested.