Discovering the Fascinating World of Forensics for Students
Forensic specialists from the Odesa District Police Department No. 1 organized an engaging educational event for students at a local school, where children learned about how police solve crimes and even participated in their own «investigation».
The experts explained that a forensic scientist's job begins with a careful examination of the crime scene. Their attentiveness and ability to notice details are crucial for uncovering crime evidence. The police demonstrated how to use special kits stored in forensic bags.
«Inside these bags are dozens of tools, each designed for a specific purpose. For example, fingerprint kits help identify who has touched certain items. Powders and brushes make these fingerprints visible, allowing them to be transferred onto special film. Ultraviolet lamps help find traces that are invisible to the naked eye, such as drops of biological fluids or residue. Magnifying glasses and tweezers are necessary for meticulously collecting small pieces of evidence, like hair or fabric fibers. And special bags ensure proper storage of evidence for laboratory examination,» shared the senior forensic specialist of the Criminalistics Support Sector of the Odesa District Police Department No. 1, Police Major Zhanna Novakovska.
After the theoretical session, the students moved on to practical work. They donned protective suits, gloves, and shoe covers to avoid leaving their own traces and attempted to «collect evidence» themselves. The children examined objects through magnifying glasses, took fingerprints from each other, worked with powders, and even created their own mock crime scene by inventing a «version of the crime».
The police, in turn, assisted and explained every step—how to photograph findings correctly, how to document information in reports, and why it is important to preserve the integrity of evidence.
This interactive event not only introduced the teens to the work of forensic specialists but also demonstrated how much this profession requires precision, analytical thinking, and responsibility.
At the end of the meeting, law enforcement invited high school students to consider joining the police force in the future, particularly in the forensic unit. After all, these specialists help establish the truth, catch criminals, and restore justice—no investigation is complete without forensic experts.
