The Roanoke County Police Department is pleased to announce that Detective Keshia Saul has completed the Virginia Forensic Science Academy. Detective Saul finished the nine-week program and was awarded a graduation certificate on April 13.

Detective Saul began her career with Roanoke County as a patrol officer in April 2003. In October 2008, she was promoted to the rank of detective.

The Academy’s objective is to provide high-level training to qualified crime scene search officers. Law enforcement personnel learn to properly recognize, document, collect, and preserve – for laboratory examination – items of physical evidence found at crime scenes. The Academy participant becomes familiar with the capabilities and limitations of the modern forensic laboratory in examining the spectrum of materials, which can be collected as evidence in criminal cases.

The nine-week course of study also provides officers with the necessary background information and practical application techniques that, coupled with the student’s previous experience, permit maximum utilization of the forensic sciences to their department and the Criminal Justice System of the Commonwealth.

Submitted by Teresa Hall, Roanoke County