CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — National Forensic Science Week is celebrated from September 14 through the 20th. The Texas Department of Public Safety opened up its crime laboratory here in Corpus Christi to the public for tours.
Members of the community, and students can view where the hard-working men and women of the Crime Laboratory Division work tirelessly to test evidence which can be used in the court of law. Drug analysis and DNA testing are mainly done at the Texas DPS Crime Laboratory here in Corpus Christi.
"So we're having our annual open house to celebrate National Forensic Science Week. We open up all of our lab spaces to the public so they can come through and see what it is that we do, talk to the analysts, and ask any questions they might have about the testing that we do, and what those jobs entail," said Brian Naku, Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory in Corpus Christi.
Lab technicians set up a mock crime scene and a DNA evidence testing lab for sexual assault kits, where the public can have a hands-on experience.
"We definitely like to do this partially so we can educate anybody who might be interested. Let them know what exactly the job is, dispel any misconceived notions that they might have about things they see on TV. So they can learn about what the actual job is and what it is they'll be doing, and so that they can know if that's what they want to do, go to college, and get their degree, so that they can get into this field," said Naku.
Naku says what we're looking for are people who have a passion for helping others and want to use the science they're learning in biology or chemistry to test evidence in a way that serves the community.
