Sheriff’s Detective Joseph Duncan graduated from the 10-week UT National Forensics Academy where he improved his skills in death investigations and crime scene investigations.

Some of the classes include crime scene management, photography of crime scenes, crime scene mapping, blood-stain pattern analysis, reconstruction of shootings, fingerprint processing, forensic anthropology, forensic odontology (using teeth to help identify human remains), forensic entomology (studying insects on decomposed bodies to help determine the time since death and geographical location of death), fire and arson investigations, cell phone forensics and post blast investigations.

The odontology class covered ways of preserving teeth of burn victims to ensure proper identification and how to use bite mark impressions.

Students learned about explosives by searching the area and recreating the explosion to determine the cause.

Duncan said he learned information that will help him in day-to-day investigations.

“I am humbled and honored I was chosen and for the Sheriff’s Office who had faith in me,” Duncan said.