RAMADI, Iraq -- Iraqi Police officers received a crash course on crime scene investigation as part of the 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division's ongoing mission to enable the Government of Iraq and provide the Iraqi citizens with a safer, more secure, and sovereign country.
Spc. Jonathan Lainez and Spc. Derek Jackson, both infantrymen and trained members of one of the Vanguard Brigade's Special Weapons Exploitation Teams, taught eight police officers evidence collection during a three-day class, beginning Feb. 28, at the Ramadi Training Center, Iraq.
"For the last few days, we've been teaching them sensitive site exploitation; how to react on scene and how to gather evidence," said Spc. Lainez, on the final day of the class.
"The Iraqi Police learned how to take photographs from different perspectives. That way they are able to find different angles on how to photograph a scene. They're now able to sketch diagrams of a scene, and they're able to dust for fingerprints on any kind of surface that we give them."
Lainez is part of a four-man team, who operate in and around Ramadi. The Vanguard Brigade has two additional Special Weapons Exploitation Teams who advise and assist the Iraqi Police and the Iraqi army in Fallujah and Al Asad.
The CSI Soldiers, most of them trained infantrymen, took a seven-week weapons intelligence course at Fort Huachuca, Ariz., prior to the deployment.
"It was a very in depth course," said Lainez, explaining that the weapons intelligence course taught everything from lifting fingerprints to specialized equipment to use at a crime scene.
"That training certified us to train the (Iraqi Security Forces)."
The 4/3 AAB Special Weapons Exploitation Teams have taught more than 30 classes over the past eight months in an effort to help develop the Iraqi Security Forces.
"We throw as much information as possible to them," Lainez said. "Even though it might be overwhelming at first, they are able to overcome the challenge. It makes me feel great knowing that they're using my techniques and my training to help protect their country, further enable their country, and become more stable."
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