Online Forensic Photography Course available tuition-free through September

COLLEGE STATION — The Texas Forensic Science Academy has launched its latest online forensics course, Foundations of Forensic Photography, which covers the basic concepts of photography and crime scene documentation. Even better news, it is available tuition-free until Sept. 30, 2016, thanks to funding from the Texas Office of the Governor – Criminal Justice Division (CJD).

Capturing evidence and documenting the crime scene through skilled photography techniques are crucial to a proper criminal investigation and help determine verdicts of guilt or innocence, said Christine Ramirez, Training Manager for the Texas Forensic Science Academy, which is part of the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX).

Although the course targets law enforcement officers and non-commissioned personnel in small, rural and mid-size law enforcement agencies in Texas, the subject of photography cuts across many disciplines and occupational fields, Ramirez says. The course is useful for documenting an event, item or person. There are no prerequisites, so it can also be taken by those pursuing photography as a personal interest or hobby, she added.

Offering the training online makes it more accessible to smaller agencies and eliminates travel costs associated with more traditional training, Ramirez said. Qualified personnel are also eligible for 16 hours of credit from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE).

“This new course is part of our continuing efforts to reach practitioners and participants who would not be able to receive the training if not for the e-learning opportunity,” Ramirez said. “We appreciate the continued support of the Criminal Justice Division in our mission to positively impact law enforcement and forensic practitioners. Kudos go to our curriculum development team, which has done an outstanding job of developing and delivering complex content in an engaging format for online learning.”

This is the fifth online course offered by the Academy, and four of those courses were developed through CJD funding. Other online courses offered by the Texas Forensics Science Academy are:

Beginning Sept. 1, Ramirez said that Foundations of Forensic Photography will become a prerequisite for Forensic Photography I and is recommended for several other TFSA courses: Crime Scene Investigation, Latent Print Processing, and Forensic Technician.

Learn more about Forensics Training and Certificate Programs.