HONOLULU (KHON2) — Those working in the Honolulu Police Department’s crime lab believe the job is challenging but rewarding, and they’re offering college students an opportunity to get a sample of what it’s like.
Every crime starts with a police investigation and hopefully ends with a conviction. But to get there, you need evidence. That’s where HPD’s Scientific Investigation Section, or SIS, comes in.
“We work very tightly with our police officers, but at the end of the da,y I think our role is pretty vital here in the lab,” said Amber Caranchini, HPD criminalist.
“Our crime laboratory will analyze evidence for DNA, the identity of seized drugs, it might be to analyze tire tread evidence, or DNA samples,” said Cathy Matsuoka, Honolulu Police Department SIS director. “So we really do a lot of forensic disciplines.”
The lab is looking for potential candidates, offering a summer internship to give college students and recent graduates a two-week, hands-on learning experience.
“A lot of students who are majoring in science intend to go into healthcare, but we did want them to see another aspect of what they could potentially do with their degree,” said Matsuoka.
Like Amber Caranchini. Last year, she was a UH Manoa microbiology grad who was one of SIS’s eight interns. Today, she’s a criminalist in the forensic biology unit working on DNA testing.
“Kinda wanting to help my community,” said Caranchini. “And an aspect of the position that I’m in is we get to testify in court, which means, we kinda get to see either justice or exoneration come to fruition.”
“It’s a good opportunity to help my community and give back and also nurture my love of science in a way that’s helpful for other people,” said Sara McGhee, HPD intern.
Sara McGhee is a UH Manoa student and the City’s Pookela intern.
“I’ve always had an interest in chemistry specifically, but I knew that medical school wasn’t for me, so I wanted to see what other areas I could do,” said McGhee.
That’s exactly who HPD is looking for – students with a science background.
The deadline to apply for the internship is May 1 and the program is scheduled to start Aug. 1.
If you have an interest in forensics – or not – you’re welcome to apply because you never know.
“This has been kinda awesome to do this career,” said Caranchini. “I didn’t know I was gonna end up here and to end up here has been pretty awesome.”
https://www.joinhonolulupd.org/about-the-sis-summer-intership.html