PHOTO: Pictured from left to right: Rocco Miscia, Director of Essex County College Police Academy; Rosann Bar, Chair of the Department of Sociology/Criminal Justice; Shalina Artacho, student at Mount St. Dominic Academy and member of the winning team; Steve Gallagher, Captain, North Caldwell Police Department. Miscia and Gallagher were the head judges for the contest.
Pictured from left to right: Rocco Miscia, Director of Essex County College Police Academy; Rosann Bar, Chair of the Department of Sociology/Criminal Justice; Shalina Artacho, student at Mount St. Dominic Academy and member of the winning team; Steve Gallagher, Captain, North Caldwell Police Department. Miscia and Gallagher were the head judges for the contest.

College Sociology and Criminal Justice Department High School Crime Scene Invesitigation Competition a Huge Success

New Jersey high school students came out on Saturday morning April 21 for The First Annual Caldwell College Crime Scene Investigation Competition.

Local law enforcement from North Caldwell, West Caldwell, North Brunswick, Guttenberg , Orange, as well as State Troopers, and a representative from the Essex County Police Academy judged the competition.

The FBI gave a presentation on crime scene techniques.

The College used the services of top notch crime scene investigation teams of students to evaluate eight “so-called” crimes occurring throughout the campus.

The Mount St. Dominic Academy team from Caldwell, NJ placed first.

Other high schools that participated were: Wayne Valley, Science Park in Newark, Roselle Park, South Plainfield, Mary Help of Christians in North Haledon, DePaul Catholic in Wayne and Verona.

DePaul Catholic placed second. Wayne Valley and Verona tied for third place.

Students evaluated the crime scene utilizing all facets of forensic science, did a lab test with hair and simulated blood, cordoned off the area, secured the area, collected evidence and interviewed witnesses.

The competition was sponsored by The College’s Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice.