• Police officers examine evidence at one of six identical homicide scenarios at the Lansing

LANSING - Michigan State Police are holding their annual homicide training school this week, which helps officers from around the state learn the skills necessary to investigate a homicide situation.

The program is a partnership between the Michigan State Police and the Michigan State University School of Criminal Justice, who have been working together to provide this program for over 20 years. Michigan State Police Detective First Lieutenant Chuck Christensen says that officers attend classes and scenarios over the course of the week.

"(The program is) covering everything from scene arrival to forensic entomology, forensic anthropology, forensic pathology, and major case investigations," Christensen stated.

During scenario investigation, officers work in teams of five. The scenarios are extensive, including everything from dealing with media and prosecution employees to scene investigation to interrogating witnesses.

The homicide school runs from Monday to Friday this week, with more than 30 police officers from all over Michigan in attendance.