FORENSICS and public safety specialist Leica Geosystems is to sponsor a Crime Scene House for students at Cranfield University.
The agreement with Cranfield Forensic Institute will fund the house, designed to replicate crime scenes and to be a controlled setting for practising and enhancing investigation, evidence collection and forensic analysis skills.
“We see the forensics community not just as customers but as a dedicated expert group working to the highest standards in the most challenging circumstances,” said Marcus Rowe, Leica Geosystems’ business director public safety and forensics for the UK and Benelux region.
“Our customers seek the minutia of evidential facts that will tell the truth, support the actual course of justice within our Criminal Justice System and Courts, and bring some form of understanding and closure to victims and their families.”
Leica’s UK headquarters is at Blakelands in Milton Keynes. Cranfield University has a strong heritage in postgraduate education, industry collaboration and research in forensics. It opened a £7.2 million centre of excellence in 2021 with the latest forensic equipment, a mortuary, expert academic staff and innovative courses in the fields of crime scene investigation, digital forensics investigation and forensic materials analysis.
The new Crime Scene House is due to open in the autumn.
Dr Hannah Moore, director of Cranfield’s MSc Forensic Programme, said: “As a university we are advancing the field of forensics and developing the next generations of forensic scientists. Leica’s generous sponsorship of the Crime Scene House brings a fantastic new facility for our students, research staff and partners.
“Providing realistic scenario-based training is vital for those who aspire to advance their careers in CSI and forensic fields and this new facility complements our suite of world-class teaching resources, giving students a superb grounding in many aspects of this field.”
Leica Geosystems supports the forensics community through various initiatives, including a free, multiday brand-agnostic UK/Benelux Annual Forensic Conference with global guest speakers, the long-standing primary sponsorship of the Institute of Traffic Accident Investigators and their successful and influential annual ITAI Crash and Research Day. It is part of the Hexagon Group, a global leader in sensors, software and autonomous solutions.
