GLYNCO, Ga. -- The Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia, is currently hosting an Advanced Forensic Techniques in Crime Scene Investigation I (AFTCSI-I) course, with students starting on March 3, 2025, and graduating on March 14, 2025. This course is designed to equip law enforcement officers and crime scene professionals with the core and advanced skills needed for major crime scene and death investigations.

The AFTCSI-I course covers a wide range of critical topics essential for effective crime scene management. These include a foundation in crime scene documentation, with crime scene photography and crime scene diagramming being reinforced throughout the program. Recognition, documentation and preservation of trace and biological evidence, latent prints, and impression evidence is engrained throughout the program as well.

“A key learning objective for AFTCSI students is the effective management of a crime scene investigation. The inability to manage multiple forensic processing techniques will often result in significant failures and loss of physical evidence at the crime scene. Every action inside of that crime scene has a consequence,” said Investigative Operations Division, Branch Chief, Ted McDonald.

This specialized training is open to law enforcement officers or agents with arrest authority, crime scene technicians, and direct law enforcement support personnel whose primary responsibilities involve crime scene processing and evidence management. The training is essential for those involved in the collection, processing, and preservation of physical evidence for various law enforcement agencies, including federal, state, local, tribal, and military departments.

“The training methodology of the AFTCSI-I program focuses on not only the comprehensive technical skills of crime scene investigation, but also the effective legal presentation of physical evidence beyond the crime scene perimeter tape. It is not what you know, but what you can prove.  Crime scene investigators speak for the physical evidence,” said Investigative Operations Division, Senior Instructor, Lesley Dixon.

First piloted in 2007, the AFTCSI-I course was developed in response to growing demand from partner organizations, particularly Military Criminal Investigative Organizations, for advanced crime scene investigation training.  Due to the popularity of this program, as well as the flexibility of the Investigative Operations Division, this course has evolved through the development of specialized programs for agencies such as the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Federal Protective Service (FPS).

FLETC has continued to expand and adapt this training to meet the specific needs of its partners. The course now serves as both a basic (CGIS/FPS) and advanced training program (HSI and CBP), allowing agencies to address the diverse challenges presented by crime scenes and forensic evidence across different jurisdictions. As a result, the AFTCSI-I course remains a vital tool in preparing law enforcement professionals to handle complex crime scene investigations effectively.

Federal organization personnel should contact their agency training officer to register for training, contact FLETC Admissions with any additional questions, or call (912) 267-3447. State, local, and tribal officers requesting training should register online. If organizational support is required or you have additional needs, please contact FLETC Admissions. International (non-US) personnel should email FLETC-intlrqst@fletc.dhs.gov.

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Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers
Office of Public Affairs
Contact: 912-267-2447