Students get close-up view of medical examiner work via MCC ‘camp’

Students visit Macomb County Medical Examiner’s Office in CSI program.

Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel, who worked about 25 years in law enforcement, speaks last week at the county Medical Examiner’s Office as part of a “CSI at the PSI” camp staged by Macomb Community College. MACOMB COUNTY PHOTO

By THE MACOMB DAILY

About 15 high school students got the chance to meet with staff at the Macomb County Medical Examiner’s Office recently as part of a class on crime-scene investigation.

The students visited the Mount Clemens office last Thursday, the last day of a four-day camp called “CSI at the PSI,” one of Macomb Community College’s nine summer career academies offering hands-on career exploration, county officials said in a news release. CSI is an acronym for Crime Scene Investigation and PSI is an acronym for the Public Service Institute, aka the Macomb police academy.

The class introduced participants to the science and techniques used in the investigation of crime scenes to help promote increased interest in forensics and law enforcement, officials said. The first three days of the camp focused on a variety of hands-on investigative scenarios, such foot impressions, blood splatters and hair sampling. The fourth day looked at more comprehensive crime-scene scenarios at the county ME Office headed by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Mary Pietrangelo, a forensic pathologist.

A Macomb County Medical Examiner’s Office employee does a demonstration at an table last week during “CIS at the PSI,” a camp conducted by Macomb Community College. MACOMB COUNTY PHOTO

County Executive Mark Hackel, who spent some 25 years in law enforcement, spoke to the class.

“This camp is a fantastic way for youth to be exposed to real world learning that can help guide their continued exploration of potential career paths,” Hackel said in the release. “We’re pleased to be able to host the day’s activities and support these students and Macomb Community College.”

“Our staff is enthusiastically supports this program and the opportunity to share the kind of work we do and how we go about doing it,” Pietrangelo said. “It’s a unique learning opportunity about forensic science that helps clarify reality from what the students see in various media.”

This was MCC’s inaugural CSI camp as a summer academy. The curriculum was designed by MCC Professor Samantha Bowlin, who led the students through the camp.

“I couldn’t be more pleased to have had the opportunity to engage the students in hands-on exploration of crime scene investigation,” Bowlin said. “This was a great opportunity to introduce this subject matter at an early age and, hopefully, spark a desire to learn more about potential career options, if not more about CSI careers. It simply wouldn’t have been possible without the willingness and collaboration with the Macomb County Medical Examiner’s Office.”