Forensic Entomology Workshop for Police Investigators

Course Dates/Times: August 6th, 2026
8:00am – 4:00pm

Course Fee: $99.00

Course Instructor(s): Dr. Samantha Sawyer

Dr. Samantha Sawyer is an Assistant Professor of Forensic Science and is a board-certified member of the American Board of Forensic Entomology (ABFE). She has conducted casework for over 9 years, has testified in criminal and civil cases, and has provided training at the local, state, federal, and international levels. Samantha has presented at numerous professional meetings, seminars, and workshops, and has developed several courses in Forensic Entomology.

Course Content (Topics): The curriculum provides police officers/investigators with a basic understanding of how to use forensic entomology (use of insects) in answering questions in a certain criminal investigation, such as death scenes. The workshop will cover the following areas through various techniques and procedures. At the end of the workshop, students will be able to:
· Evaluate insect evidence to evaluate usefulness in a criminal investigation.
· Identify insects at a death scene.
· Provide information in establishing important timelines (i.e. time of death, etc.) to help reconstruct the crime scene.
· Effectively and efficiently document the scene.
· Properly collect and preserve insects as needed.

Who should attend? This training is ideal for detectives, patrol officers, crime scene investigators, and evidence specialists.