The Banks County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Unit held a training exercise on June 27. This session focused on materials using Ultraviolet (UV) and Infrared Radiation (IR) light in a low-light setting.
Banks County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Austin Bond said, “The purpose of these training sessions is to have our officers develop a well-rounded skillset for collecting, analyzing, and preserving the integrity of crime scene evidence.”
Guest instructor, forensic expert Bruce Willis, gave officers hands-on training in using IR and UV light to visualize gunshot residue in low lighting. Students included Banks County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Technicians and interns from Piedmont University and the University of North Georgia.
The training session was attended by Banks County Sheriff’s Office interns and Forensic Technicians. Forensic Technicians apply these skills to secure, document, and examine evidence to aid the investigative process.
Bond said that in certain situations, IR and UV light can offer a clearer distinction of patterns than the view provided by other light sources. In this training exercise, Forensic Technicians utilized IR and UV light to identify gunshot residue on materials.
Piedmont University and the University of North Georgia students attended the training session to learn more about forensic science’s application in the duties of the Banks County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Technicians.
