The Hillsdale County
Sheriff's Office Crime Scene Unit is charged with the
responsibility of aiding in the investigation of crimes, both
major and minor, committed within our jurisdiction. Under
the supervision of Investigations Division Lieutenant Roger
Boardman, the unit is comprised of four deputies trained in
specific skills ranging from basic fingerprinting and the
investigation of Internet crimes to working the scene of a major
homicide.
The Crime Scene Unit is comprised of the following
people:
- Lieutenant Roger
Boardman: Investigation
Division/Team Supervisor, Evidence
Technician
- Deputy John Gates: Team Leader
- Deputy Todd Moore: Evidence
Technician
- Deputy Nate Lambright: Evidence
Technician
- Deputy Steve Rathbun: Evidence
Technician
The biggest challenge to the unit is fighting what has
commonly become known as the
"CSI Effect." This has
come about due to the rapid
increase in crime scene-related
dramas on television. As a
result of Hollywood's portrayal
of CSI/CSU teams, people have an
unrealistic expectation of what
we are capable of doing.
All too often we enter a scene
and fight these expectations
right from the start.
Unfortunately, citizens have
come to expect that crimes can
and will be solved in an hour's
time, when in fact it may take
months -- if ever -- to come to
resolution.
The second challenge to the unit is making sure we stay
current on training and
technology. Time and
budgetary constraints result in
outsourcing to the Michigan
State Police Crime Lab in
Lansing for some processing that
could be completed in our
in-house lab.
The crime scene unit is under the command of Lieutenant Roger
Boardman.
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