Investigative Programs

Both overt and covert human sources of information are the most important tool available to law enforcement. Developing a network of overt and covert contacts is critical for law enforcement to remain on the offense. Simultaneously, they are also unpredictable and dangerous. Working with covert sources, confidential informants, investigators must know when it is necessary to use them, how to control them, how to hold them accountable, how to predict their behavior, and how to assess their changing motivation.

This is an introductory course designed to provide the criminal investigator a working knowledge of the risks and rewards surrounding investigative methods involving the use of human assets.  The investigator will understand how to spot and assess potential informants, recruit, cultivate, develop, and manage the relationship while safeguarding informant anonymity, maintaining officer safety, minimize liability to the agency and investigator, and ensure case success.

This class is restricted to those members sworn in law enforcement and/or directly involved with intelligence functions which utilize human assets. Students will be vetted prior to entry in the class.

This course will focus on providing law enforcement officers with the training needed for investigators to conduct interviewing and interrogation techniques. We will discuss methods to conduct nonverbal and behavioral analysis as well as verbal indicators that denote truth or deception. This is an entry level course designed for officers with little to no experience. Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to: Implement best practices for conducting an interview, understand how to establish rapport, distinguish the types of interviews, understand body language. Students will learn how to prepare for an interview, how to elicit the maximum amount of information from an interviewee, the differences in interviewing juvenile versus adult suspects, the differences interviewing in a controlled environment versus a street interrogation, and establishing Miranda timeframes. The course will include Mock Interviews and encourage class participation.

This course is designed to enhance a law enforcement officer’s understanding of Child Trafficking. The training assists participants in identifying victims of human trafficking as well as receiving tips on how to best respond and support identified trafficking victims. Participants will learn definitions, federal and state legislation related to human trafficking, prevalence of DMST in CT, pathways to victimization, warning signs, impact to the victims, and who are the buyers and exploiters of this crime.

To enroll in this course you must have completed Intro to Human Trafficking. This course assists law enforcement officers in identifying boys and LGBQ/GNCT youth victims of human trafficking, understanding the unique warning signs and the impact on this population. This training also reviews definitions, federal and state legislation related to human trafficking, prevalence of child sex trafficking in CT and who are the buyers and exploiters of this crime.

To enroll in this course you must have completed Intro to Human Trafficking. This course is designed to enhance an officer’s understanding of labor trafficking. Although the various human trafficking trainings touch on labor trafficking, this curriculum provides an in-depth overview to fully understand the extent of labor trafficking across the world, the US, and in Connecticut. This training includes a review of federal & state legislation, pathways to victimization, indicators of the crime, impact to the victims, and who are the traffickers and recruiters of this crime. Furthermore, participants are provided information on best practices for conducting investigations into Labor Trafficking and ways to proactively detect it within their jurisdiction.

This concentrated 3-day course will provide students with a new level of Crime Scene Procedure/Investigation understanding as it will cover the aspects from Basic to Advanced from an “in the field perspective”. The course will move from Basic to Intermediate and end with demonstrations in Advanced crime scene processing techniques. The course will benefit patrol officers, detectives, and crime scene processors with the proper procedures from the initial arrival on scene, to determining which evidence to process on scene and which evidence to collect for processing at headquarters or laboratory.

There will be two student hands-on sessions covering first, Scene Photography that will familiarize the student with the use of their own camera, best settings for daytime or nighttime photography of crime scenes and fatal motor vehicle crashes along with the proper equipment. Students are encouraged to bring a department camera and equipment to the class. Second, Latent Print Development with magnetic powder on a variety of objects and how to photograph first and lift secondary using tape and hinge lifters.

The instructor will use numerous recent case examples in the 890+ slide PowerPoint presentation showing a variety of crime scenes and fatal motor vehicle crashes and evidence processing.

Recognizing a variety of departmental budgets, the instructor will provide and demonstrate in class the construction of any size fuming chamber, and $65 alternative to Blue Wavelength search lights (380nm – 500nm) more commonly 455 – 470nm.

The instructor will demonstrate in class the Advanced evidence processing techniques of Cyanoacrylate Fuming (superglue); Basic Yellow Dye 40; Ninhydrin; Sticky Side Adhesive Developer; Small Particle Reagent; Casting of Shoeprints; Collection of Suspect Tire exemplars; Silicone Latent prints. 21 POSTC credits will be issued for this class.

This hands-on photography course will expose students to the nuances of crime scene and evidence photography to properly and effectively photo-document a crime scene and the evidence contained therein. The course includes lectures and practical exercises including legal standards and the SWIGIT and OSAC best practices. This fast-paced course begins with the fundamentals associated with controlling a photographic exposure using a Digital SLR camera system. The course continues with basic camera controls (f/Stops/ISO/shutter speed), then more advanced controls, and finally, the student will apply these skills to a variety of scenarios and evidence. It includes a series of practical exercises where students will be divided into pairs and given an assignment with their cameras to familiarize themselves with techniques discussed previously during a lecture, followed by a presentation of images for class review and critique.
Course Topics Include: Exposure, Depth of Field, Low Light Photography, Flash, Painting With Light, Crime Scene Photography, Use of Filters, Alternate Light Source Photography, Evidence Photography, Macro Photography, Vehicle 360, and Body Panoramic Documentation.

This course will instruct investigators on how to evaluate and organize any unsolved cases that have gone “Cold” to include homicides, sexual assaults, missing persons and unidentified human remains. The importance of a well-organized “working” case binder as well as the need to locate and evaluate any physical evidence remaining in the case will also be discussed. The latest forensic testing capabilities for DNA, Touch DNA, Mitochondrial DNA, Latent Prints and Forensic Genealogy will also be covered. Several law enforcement and public website databases that can help to increase the exposure of the case along with the importance of the use of Social Media and the News Media . The mindset of a “Cold Case Investigator” and his/her need to be a “Lobbyist” for the victim with the Prosecutor’s Office and the Forensic Laboratory will also be discussed. All attendees are encouraged to bring one of their cases to the training so they can evaluate and begin to organize the case if needed. Templates for Excel spreadsheets to organize cases and website case summaries will also be provided to help jump-start the investigative process. Discussion will include several “Cold Cases” closed by the instructor with an arrest or identification of the remains using a variety of forensic techniques.

Why do some people talk to us and others don’t? This unique training program will provide an answer to this important investigative question. By exploring the personality sub-types, attendees will see commonalities among offenders and crime scenes. Typically, crime scene investigators, first responders to veteran detectives would benefit from attending. Attendees will walk away with the knowledge of how behavior analysis can solve crime. The techniques taught will help confirm that the investigator has the right person of interest responsible for the crime. It is STRONGLY recommended that each agency be prepared to discuss at least one of their own cases.  Open to sworn personnel only.

This one day seminar is geared for the first responding officer, supervisor or detective who finds himself in the position of first contact with an individual who has been the victim of an attempted or completed sexual assault. The initial first contact with the victim, witness or suspect is critical to a successful prosecution. Understanding best practices for these types of investigations, at the first level of contact, will help the responding officer, supervisor or detective identify key aspects of the case, stabilize the scene and initiate the investigation.  It will also help them to understand how to be successful with this information in the courtroom.
The seminar will include classroom lecture, audio/video presentation, case study and group work, if time permits.  Students will receive six CT POST credits for this seminar.

Special Emphasis on Complicated & “Out of the Ordinary” Cases:

This narcotics training course will prepare new detectives and experienced patrol officers with the tools they need to conduct successful narcotics investigations and operations. Officers will learn the fundamental duties and responsibilities of a narcotics investigator and how to start a successful program from day one. An emphasis will be placed on documentation of all steps of the investigative process. Officers will be shown proper case documentation and the importance of creating and maintaining case files. They will receive in-depth training on common street drugs, paraphernalia, and cutting agents identification.

Covert surveillance tactics are a critical piece of narcotics investigations. Officers will participate in practical scenarios using both foot and vehicular surveillance during this course.

Human sources of information are also critical to successful investigations. Subject matter experts will discuss why developing a network of overt and covert contacts is critical for law enforcement to remain on the offense. They will also discuss the unpredictability and potential dangers presented when working with confidential informants. Investigators must know when it is necessary to use them, how to control them, how to hold them accountable, how to predict their behavior, and how to assess their changing motivation.

Guest speakers will include a seasoned attorney who will discuss Search and Seizure laws relevant to our state as well as ethical considerations of those working as narcotics investigators. Officers will also learn how to work and coordinate with federal, state, and other local enforcement counterparts through task forces, mutual investigations, information sharing, resource sharing, de-confliction, and training. A subject matter expert will discuss current cellphone related strategies and techniques for any type of investigation.

This Gang Identification training course will arm new detectives and experienced patrol officers with the tools they need to conduct successful gang-related investigations and operations. It will provide an overview of current Connecticut motorcycle gangs & street gangs and their identifiers, rituals, terminology, structure and model. Officers will learn the fundamental duties and responsibilities of investigators assigned to gang, organized crime, urban violence, and related task forces. An emphasis will be placed on identification, documentation, and cataloguing of gangs that pose a threat to Connecticut, specifically; and are present globally.

Officers will be shown proper case documentation and the importance of creating and maintaining valid, vetted case files and databases, in line with national standards. They will receive in-depth training on the history and etymology of: common street gangs (national, neighborhood and hybrid); outlaw motorcycle gangs; international organized crime groups; ties to extremist groups (including sovereign citizen groups, extremists and terrorism); and drug cartels.
Covert surveillance tactics, drug identification, national drug threat assessment, undercover operations, and use of confidential human sources of information are also discussed. Subject matter experts will discuss the potential dangers when working with gangs and gang-related investigations, including the phenomenon of “law enforcement gangs”. Officers will also learn how to work and coordinate with federal, state, and other local enforcement counterparts through task forces, mutual investigations, information sharing, resource sharing, de-confliction, and training to utilize state and federal statutes (CORA and RICO) to disrupt and/or dismantle gangs. Strategies for education and prevention will also be discussed.

The course includes lectures and practical exercises including the subjects of Report Writing, legal standards, definitions and implications; specialized reports and reporting language; and any new reporting requirements under HB 6004: An Act Concerning Police Accountability.