Gastonia Police give students a look at CSI as TV crew films

Armed with nothing but their minds, a group of Gaston County middle schoolers eyed a "crime scene" Monday in hopes of determining what happened.

An SUV was walled off by police tape, its driver side door open. The young students were told to analyze what had happened and report back anything that looked strange.

The crime scene, of course, wasn't real. The SUV belonged to a Gastonia Police officer and the exercise was designed to help the students understand what law enforcement goes through to solve crimes.

The group will spend three days at Gastonia's First Assembly of God dusting for fingerprints, learning about changing technology, watching a police K9 and preparing evidence for "court" as part of the Gastonia Police Foundation's annual CSI Camp for children.

"This is an opportunity for us to partner with our Gastonia Police Foundatin and the church to start that relationship with the youth and start the foundation of what crime scene investigation and what the details are about," said Assistant Chief Travis Brittain.

This is the 10th consecutive year the Police Foundation has held the event for middle school children. But for the first time, its audience will extend outside city limits.

A television crew with the cable show "Pierce's Scaly Adventures" was there to document the scene.

The show follows Pierce Curren and his parents, Richard and Tanya Curren, as they tour different parts of the country. The group learned about Gastonia's CSI Camp at a sniper conference earlier this year.

"This was a perfect fit for our show," Tanya Curren said. "This was perfect to show how they process evidence and the world of criminal results. We love shining a positive light on law enforcement and showing the people they are, the true heroes of our community."

Braden Crabtree, a rising sixth-grader at Piedmont Community Charter School, said he was eager to learn about how technology changes the way police investigate.

Detective Jason Harris showed the kids an $85,000 camera that allows investigators to more efficiently analyze a crime scene.

Zane Dodd, another rising sixth-grader, wanted to get some hands-on experience.

"I'm interested most in the dusting and lifting of the fingerprints," Dodd said. "And just how everybody's fingerprint is different."

The camp concludes Wednesday.

You can reach Adam Lawson at 704-869-1842 or on Twitter @GazetteLawson.