CSI Comes to Franconia

The recent popularity of television police procedurals has created a wealth of interest in forensic science. Week after week in episode after episode science seemingly does what detectives can't. The downside of the newfound attention to the finer points of police work is that complicated evidence-gathering techniques are often simplified.

Getting an accurate fingerprint or footprint is challenging work. Pfcs Will Szuminski and John Buckles know this as well as anyone. As two of the 12 Supplemental Crime Scene Technicians in Fairfax County, a program that's been in place since 2004, they've been trained on some of the most sophisticated techniques available. Szuminski is one of four full-time technicians in the county, a status he's held since July. Buckles is a full-time patrol officer, but can call on his training at a scene at a moment's notice.

Both officers are based out of the Franconia District Police Station in Alexandria, which serves part of Annandale, and demonstrated some of their skills for Patch.

In the accompanying video, Szuminski demonstrates how some basic chemistry principles can make all the difference in identifying a criminal.

Shoe prints, made famous in the O.J. Simpson case, don't necessarily narrow down the pool of potential suspects, but collecting one requires a deft touch. Buckles' work, shown in the still photos as well as the video, illustrates that evidence-gathering is one part art, another part science.