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When the Coventry High baseball team won its first Class S state tournament title since 1984 on June 8, 2019, no one could have predicted that its reign would last until 2021.

But the COVID-19 pandemic forced the CIAC to cancel the 2020 spring sports season before it began, extending the Patriots reign another year.

Mondays home opener against East Granby will be the Patriots first game since winning the state title, a span of 674 days.

Its pretty crazy how long its been, Coventry coach Ryan Giberson said. The older kids are excited to be back and the younger kids are excited too. The turnout we had, we had 32 kids. For us, thats a lot. I think its exciting. Were taking it one day at a time.

The NCCC has returned to its one-division format after being split into two regions based on geography in the fall and winter.

The CCC will use its traditional East, West, North and South divisions after using different regions in the fall and winter. The conference will also allow its member schools to play non-league games.

Traditional state tournaments will be played, something that hasnt happened in any sport since March of 2020. The baseball tournament starts on June 1, with championship games slated for June 11-12.

The regular season begins Saturday. Heres a look at the Journal Inquirers area teams.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Josh Orzolek; Colin Nichols; Juniors: Cal Bulley; Patrick Frommer; Justin Decker; Peter Czepiel; Matt Godek; Thomas Zalewski.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Senior: Kaleb Carlson; Sophomores: Ben Post; Jack Werhle; Freshmen: Tiarnan Doyle; Bryan Diehl; Riley Gavin; Ben Roth; Sam Segar; William Heller.

OUTLOOK: Consistent pitching and solid defense will be the keys for a Bolton team returning a solid core of upperclassmen led by Orzolek, Nichols, Bulley, Frommer, Decker, Czepiel, Godek, and Zalewski. Jodoin is excited about the potential of pitchers Doyle and Diehl, who he describes as having live arms.

RETURNEES: Senior: Josh Malcom, c/p; Junior: Matt LaFountaine, inf.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Junior: AJ Rooks, p; Freshmen: Ethan Hunt, p; Evan Menzel, inf.

OUTLOOK: Malcom and LaFountaine are the only starters remaining from Coventrys 2019 Class S state title team. The Patriots are young and inexperienced, particularly on the mound, where they dont have a single pitcher who has thrown an inning in a varsity game. Giberson hopes to build his rotation around Malcom, Rooks, and Hunt.

RETURNEES: Senior: Mike Russotto, c; Junior: Jake Martin, p/if.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Juniors: Ryan Lee, p, Jordan Agey, p/if;, Curt Zyra, p/if; Eric Wyse, p/if, Nic Saponare, of, Sophomores: Shane Ritchie, p/if; Matt Blachuta, p/of.

OUTLOOK: East Windsor will rely on Russotto, Martin and Lee to lead the inexperienced Panthers to a fourth straight state tournament appearance in 2021 after graduating 22 seniors over the last two years. Martin, the only pitcher with varsity experience on the roster, will anchor the rotation alongside Ritchie, Blachuta, Lee, Zyra and Agey.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Jason Leslie, of; Tommy Garrow of.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Seniors: Tyler Sakos, p/of; Jordan Terry, c; Matt Mateya, inf; Ethan Sgarlata, p/inf; Noah Madore, p; Brandon Zanher, inf; Junior: Mike Bontempo, inf; Sophomore: Ryan Delaney.

OUTLOOK: The Knights are ushering in a new era, as Pointek takes over for longtime coach Keith Tautkus, who retired at the end of the 2019 season after 22 seasons at the helm. Leslie, the teams only returning pitcher with varsity experience, will be relied upon to anchor the Knights rotation. Pointek expects defense and leadership to be two of the teams strengths this season.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Anthony Mierez, p/of; Joe Kaminski, inf; Juniors: Steven Kozak, of.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Seniors: Matt Walsh, p/of; Zach Clapp, inf; Sam Wheeler, c; Jack Steed, dh; Alex Dionne, p/inf/of; Juniors: DeShaun Perry, p/inf; Matt Ryan, inf; John Ryan, of; Sophomore: Joe Stawski, p/inf.

OUTLOOK: Mierez, who helped lead Rockville to an 18-6 record and an appearance in the Class M tournament semifinals as a sophomore in 2019, will anchor the Rams pitching staff alongside Perry and Stawski. Caron expects Mierez, who hit close to .300 while going 6-3 with a 2.63 ERA and 46 strikeouts as a sophomore, to be one of the top pitchers in the NCCC.

KEY PLAYERS: Seniors: Shawn Gentilcore, p; Ethan Haluch util; Juniors: Alex Grenier, c; John Zapolski, inf; Cody Palazzesi, p/inf; Kaede Wood, p/of.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Juniors: Aidan Connors, inf; Sophomores: Thomas Lesco, inf; Colby McCormick, of.

OUTLOOK: Somers returns six starters from its 2019 team and has a solid core of veterans highlighted by Gentilcore, Haluch, Grenier, Zapolski, Palazzesi, and Wood. If the Spartans continue to improve defensively, McCarthy expects his team to compete with the upper echelon in the NCCC.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Nic Houle, p/of; Trent Kology, c/of; Junior: Isaac Minaya, p/inf/of.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Juniors: Ryan Duffy, c/of; Attley Stevens, c/inf/p; Andrew McGann, of/p; Sophomores: Collin Gudeman, inf/p; Sam Formus, p/of.

OUTLOOK: Optimism is abound around the Bulldogs program. Martin says the 2021 Bulldogs have more pitching depth than at any point in his tenure (since 2006) and called Houle one of top overall players in league, and likely one of top pitchers. Martin says the team has enough pitching to contend for a league title if the offense can produce at a high level.

RETURNEES: Vincenzo Marmo, inf; Max Beaudoin, inf.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Mason Ferrari, of; Nicholas Gomes, of/p; Chase Tyburski, p; Sam Beaudoin, p.

OUTLOOK: Suffield boasts a deep pitching staff with six players who can pound the zone and go deep into games, Flynn says. The rotation will be anchored by Beaudoin, Gomes and Tyburski. The Wildcats expect to compete for a conference title and play deep into the post season.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Ryan Barthel; Colin Hinckley; MJ Perry; Juniors: Chris Duquette; Michael Jubrey.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Sophomores: Dalton Wright; Allen Hinckley.

OUTLOOK: Precourt calls Barthel and Colin Hinckley the anchors on defense. Hinckley is a strong defensive catcher and Barthel can play multiple positions. The Raiders expect to be a NCCC contender despite having a young, inexperienced squad.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Frankie Mozzicato, p; Ryan Shaw, p; Ryan St. Jean, of/inf; Trevor Juan, of; Abel Collado, of; Hank Penders, c; Michael Wearne, p; Sammy Neves, inf; Alex Irizarry, inf; Ryan Turco p/inf.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Sophomres: TJ Winn, p; Harry Roy, p; Freshman: Dylan Roy, inf.

OUTLOOK: The Eagles return a talented core highlighted by Mozzicato, a UConn commit, Ryan Shaw, a UMass Boston commit, Ryan St. Jean, a Western New England commit, Trevor Juan, a Roger Williams commit, and Abel Collado, a UConn-Avery Point commit. Fiori calls Mozzicato has arguably one of the best arms around and Irizarry arguably one of the best all around infielders and hitters, according to Fiori. East Catholic, which is ranked third in the GameTimeCT/New Haven Register preseason state poll, expects to be in contention for both the CCC and state titles this season.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Jack Falvo, p/inf; Jacob Tipton, c/p/inf; Antonio Ortiz, of; Darrion Williams p/of; Jacob Carrion, p/inf; Juniors: Xavier Quiles, p/inf, Max Banelis, inf.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Freshmen: Kacin Robinson; Cody Seggara; Sam Montovani.

OUTLOOK: East Hartford is going through a rebuild after graduating 13 seniors in the last two years. Quiles, who started at second base as a freshman in 2019, will anchor the Hornets defense. The team has four dependable starters in Falvo, Williams, Carrion, and Tipton.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Alec Bairos, of/inf; Jason Bourcier, p; Mike Nicholetti. util; Juniors Mark Osorio, c; Dylan Jackson, inf.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Juniors: Mason Cycenas-Heimer, p; Ben Cherry, of/p; Nate Heimer, of; Jonah Neilson, of; Brandon Wrona, inf; Tyler Barry, inf/p; Gio Morales, of/p; Cam Forstell, p; Ben Roy, p. Sophomores: Jared Lindstrom, c/inf; Dennis Flores, inf/p; Jack Stokes, inf.

OUTLOOK: The Red Hawks graduated nine seniors but return a talented core of upperclassman highlighted by Bairos, Bourcier, Nicholetti, Osorio, and Jackson. Marineau is excited to see how his players handle a season unlike any other.

RETURNEES: No returning Varsity players

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Will Bonazelli; Brian Allard; Jack Dempsky; Jordan Dill; Robert Godi.

OUTLOOK: South Windsor is entering a rebuilding year after graduating all nine starters from its 2019 team. The Bobcats will need Bonazelli, Allard, Dempsky, Dill and Godi to produce at a high level to keep them competitive in the CCC East.

RETURNEES: No returning Varsity players

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Seniors: Caleb Martinek, inf/p; Justin Chaplin, of/p; Jake Chaplin, p; Max Chipman, inf/c/of; Zander Boyd, p; Brady Rancourt, of/p; Matt Voneisengrein, of; Juniors: Chris Seille, inf; Bryce Dipero, of; Brendan Rowe, of; Tighe Thebedeau. of; Jayden Maynard, p/inf; Tom Kluntz, c/p; Dom Kohler, inf/of; Anthony Noke, p/inf; Sophomore: Cannon Marshall inf/p.

OUTLOOK: Enfield has five capable starting pitchers and four solid arms out of the bullpen. The question mark is the Eagles offense, which will need to manufacture runs for the team to have success.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Matt Milone, p/Inf; Brendan Foley, inf/p; Dan Orzech If/p/of; Ryan Schultz, p/of; Junior: Mike Poncini, p/inf.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Senior: Kevin Braunwart, c/of; Juniors: Chase Melzen, of; Bradley DAmico, inf; Garrett Nichol, of; Pat Miller, inf; Sophomores: Max Nylen, c; Ethan Polochanin, p/inf; Tom Puetzer, p/inf; Chase Massey, p/inf; Aiden Zern, p/inf; Freshman: Sean Connolly, of.

OUTLOOK: The Raptors return five starters from their 2019 team Milone, Foley, Schultz, Orzech, and Poncini. Steiner expects pitching to be an area of strength with Milone, Poncini and Schultz anchoring the rotation. Nylen, Polochanin, Puetzer, Massey, Zern, and Connolly will be relied upon to step into the starting lineup and contribute.

RETURNEES: Senior: Ethan Bonadies, of/p; Junior: Jared Wilhelm, of/p.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Junior: Joey Keane, inf/p; Sophomores: Nate Bowes, c.

OUTLOOK: Dietch takes over a team that went 4-16 in 2019 and returns only one starter. The Eagles will rely on a talented core of upperclassman, led by Bonadies and Wilhelm, for production.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Isaac Rosario, of/inf/p; Julian Rivera, inf; Clark Churchill, p/inf; Jeremy Blackwood, p/inf; Alec Lachniet, p; Juniors: Jonathan Lattimer, c; Mason Glickman, inf/p; Breon Parker, of.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Senior: Christian Hicks, of; Juniors: Ryan Cramer, inf; Brandon Cosgrove, inf; Nason Busca, of; Aiden Serrano, of; Sophomores: Nate Acabchuck, p/inf; Frank Kula, inf; Luis Hiraldo, of/p; Austin Oberle, of/p.

OUTLOOK: The Warriors have quality pitching depth with Blackwood, Churchill, Glickman and Lachniet, along with a few younger arms. Parker and Rivera will be relied upon to set the table at the top of the lineup ahead of power hitters Rosario, Lattimer, Glickman and Blackwood.

RETURNEES: Owen Stephens, p/inf/of; Ben Curcio, c; Sam Benedict, inf.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Grant Powers; Spencer Azarra; Sean Borden; Patrick Flaherty; Colin Thomas; Alex Boucher; Jake Benedict; Nick Verdone; Drew Jean; Mike Herviuex; Dan Cantafi; Dan Beagle; Luke Fahey; Elliott Hamilton.

OUTLOOK: Glastonbury has a solid defense with a balanced line up, but the pitching staff is an area of concern. The Guardians will need arms to step up as the staff battles injuries and inexperience.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Jared Holbrook, p/inf; Isaiah Brothers, p/inf; Shawn Rock, of; Ben Gendreau, of; Junior: Adam Bowman, inf.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Sophomores: Dylan Connaughton, p/c; Jack McLellan c; Ben Schaefer, inf; Jacob Perez, inf; Elias Martinez, inf; Freshmen: Rafael Acevedo, of/inf; Branden Robles, of/p.

OUTLOOK: Cheney Techs rotation is anchored by a pair of talented upperclassman in Holbrook and Brothers while the lineup is paced by Rock, Gendreau, and Bowman. The Beavers will need Connaughton, McLellan, Schaefer, Perez, Martinez, Acevedo, and Robles to step up in order to win a second straight CTC Conference championship.

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Coventry eager to get its baseball season going - Journal Inquirer

Two guests:

Richard -Gilman-Opalsky with his TEDxUofISpringfield talkWhat's Love Got to Do with Communism?

Joy Anna performs her original song Made It This Far

TEDxUofISpringfield talk from Richard Gilman-Opalsky on love and communism, an original song from Joy Anna, and Robert Smith's latest commentary on patience.

Richard Gilman-Opalsky is Professor of political theory and philosophy in the Department of Political Science at the University of Illinois at Springfield. He is the author of six books, including The Communism of Love, Specters of Revolt, Precarious Communism and Spectacular Capitalism. He has lectured widely throughout the world and his work has been translated and published in Greek, Spanish, French, and German editions. In 2018-2019, Dr. Gilman-Opalsky was named University Scholar, the highest award for scholarship granted at all three campuses of University of Illinois. Dr. Gilman-Opalskys work explores the powers of everyday people, particularly those typically regarded as powerless. He challenges the idea that politics is solely the business of the professional political class, and highlights how impoverished and marginalized people participate in changing the world in the most important ways.

Joy Annareceived the UIS Music Merit Award for her recording of her original song Made It This Far, released as part of the University of Illinois Songs of Hope Project. Made It This Far was recorded at the UIS Performing Arts Center and produced by UIS Electronic Media.

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Love & Communism - Made it This Far | Community Voices - NPR Illinois

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New Delhi: In an encounter Saturday, 22 uniformed officers, including CoBRA commanders of the specially trained battalion, lost their lives in Chhattisgarhs naxal affected areas. In episode 717 of Cut the Clutter, ThePrints Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta traced the history of the rise of violent communism extremists in the region.

On their geographical location, he said, Chhattisgarh is a large state which is thinly populated. In fact, this is where Dandakaranya is located the region where Lord Ram goes for his vanvas in Ramayan.

The reason why it is an ideal location for such activities is because of the terrain and the socio-economic conditions in the region. This sparsely populated area has a large tribal population which has been ungoverned for years.

Indias violent or extreme revolutionary communist movement was born in what is now Telangana in 1948, he added.

Gupta said that at the time, In a very communist style, leaders of these groups declared that they were setting up communes in 3,000 villages. They started recruiting educated youth from cities to become a part of their movement. They also said that they were wedded to the Mao-kind of revolution Mao or Bolshevik Revolution which is continuing a war involving the entire population until you can change the entire system in India.

Also read:Unusual calm, sensed something is wrong: Eerie moments before Chhattisgarh Maoist attack

Gupta speculated that Saturdays attack was most likely a trap that had been laid by the Maoists for the armed forces. A naxal leader by the name of Hidma, (who) the Indian forces have been looking for since long, was believed to be in this region between Sukma and Bijapur. When a troop of 1,000 policemen and special forces entered these villages, they found these villages empty. This is an indication that it could have been a trap.

Gupta also described the style of attack that naxals follow. Naxals ambush the enemy and once the latter are injured, they surround them and steal their equipment, like guns, bulletproof vests and boots. Calling this mission a setback for the security forces, he added, If so many of our armed forces are killed and their equipment is stolen, how can the operation be a success? In addition to this, reports suggest that this operation was led by the same officer who led the 19 April 2010 operation in [which] 76 soldiers died. This was the second highest number of casualties in the history of the Indian Armed forces. So unless you can fix accountability for what has gone wrong, these things will keep on happening.

Gupta then talked of the number of casualties of recent encounters between the armed forces and the naxals: in March 2017, 12 CRPF men were killed, in April 2017, 26 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) members were killed in a place called Chintamani in South Bastar, on 21 March 2020, 17 security personnel were killed. These 17 included five CRPF and 12 district reserve group personnel, the local policemen. This year in March, five District Reserve Guard (DRG) soldiers were killed in Narayanpur district.

Talking about the BJPs promise to solve this problem, Gupta said that over the past few years the government had not been able to deliver on this. In 2014, PM Narendra Modi, in his (poll) campaigns, had promised to bring a solution to this problem. In 2015, Home Minister Amit Shah, too, had claimed that the problem of naxalism in the region would be solved in two to three years. This has not happened yet.

Also read:Madvi Hidma, the ruthless Chhattisgarh Maoist 2,000 security personnel went hunting for

Gupta said the naxal movement had weakened since the UPA governments time. He then explained the origins of the naxal movement. In 1967, in northern Bengal, in a village that has now come to be known as Naxalbari, trouble was brewing between the tribals and the local landlords. When one of the tribals was killed (at) the hands of these landlords, the tribals retaliated against them and won. This is where the whole movement of retaliation began.

Recounting the contribution of the Community Party of India, Gupta explained, The CPI was formed in 1920 and was well received by the communist countries across the world. The group split after the war of 1962 with China because they were torn between Indian patriotism and their ideological loyalties to Mao. Charu Majumdar, who split from the CPI,became the leader of the extremist movement which gained the namenaxalism after the uprising in Naxalbari, West Bengal.

Majumdar, with other leaders, came up with the idea of the annihilation line, which means to kill those who you have disagreements with or who are a threat to the people, which means landlords, businessmen, civil servants and policemen. Due to this, a lot of the killings occurred in urban areas of Bengal and eventually spread to other states.

As this problem escalated, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi decided to crush this movement. Explaining the operation of 1971, Gupta said, A covert operation by the name Operation Steeplechase was worked out under the leadership of then Lt General Manekshaw. The operation was said to be so discreet that there were no written instructions for it.

This operation is said to have broken the back of the naxal movement at the time.

Over the years, the increased vigil by the Indian government led the naxalites to take refuge in regions where it would be difficult to access, such as the Dandakaranya forest of Chhattisgarh.

Also read:Over 250 Maoists, trapped forces Why Chhattisgarh encounter led to high casualties

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How naxalism and the extremist communist movement grew and infested Chhattisgarh - ThePrint

MEDIA WATCH--In the wake of major league baseball abandoning Georgia to protest their new voter-suppression laws, a GOP that incessantly rants about "cancel culture" has continued its death spiral with increasingly crackpot attacks on things they used to love they now want to cancel - baseball, corporations, free speech, OMG the Easter Bunny - with sinister portents pickleball, apple pie, water polo or barbecues could be next. (Photo above: Fidel at (communist) bat.)

MLB's conscientious decision to re-locate their All-Star Game and draft, made after always-dangerous "thoughtful conversations" with players and management, has shifted the focus of right-wing hysteria against all things "woke" from football - always suspect given all those black guys, never mind that SOB Kaepernick - to, shockingly, "America's game," even though it's still pretty white so you'd think it would be okay.

Evidently intent on cancelling themselves by exposing their utter political and moral bankruptcy, the GOP has responded to the move with feverish and, even for them, staggeringly stupid attacks on "the liberal mob," "leftist loons," and, drawing a very wobbly line to a new deal with China to stream games, "the genocidal Communist Party of China," wait, what?!

"THREE STRIKES YOU'RE OUT MLB" shrieks a GOP tweet that frenziedly goes on to list their crimes: "A deal with a company in China backed by the COMMUNIST PARTY," "They've played games in Cuba with a COMMUNIST REGIME in power," and - not The Onion - "They require PHOTO ID to pick up tickets from will call." Talk about genocidal.

There's more. The Cuba-hating former guy urged his 17 remaining fans to boycott baseball. Jesus-loving, ever-offensive Mike Huckabee wrote, "Breaking wind from CNN! Coke will announce name change to 'Woke-A-Cola.'" Ms. QAnon Three Names celebrated GOP unity against "corporate communism."

Brian Kemp, architect of Georgia's travesty, said MLB's "knee-jerk decision (means) woke political activists are coming for every aspect of your life" and, in a stunning pot/kettle twist, "If the left doesn't agree with you, facts and the truth do not matter," citing Biden/Abrams lies about "a bill that expands access to the ballot box."

His own lies have proved unconvincing: A majority of "avid" baseball fanssay they support the move; so do about 200 companies, including Delta, Home Depot, AT&T and Woke-A-Cola, prompting a fat-cat-led GOP long sustained by corporations to suddenly turn on them and a you've-gotta-be-kidding hypocritical Mitch McConnel, whose PAC just took in $475 million of corporate cash, to proclaim companies should "stay out of politics." R-I-G-H-T.

Online, many wondered why in Trumpism's final death thrash it's only cancel culture if the left does it, why a party long backing a Russian asset now thinks it can play the tired communist card against a private organization exercising its right to free speech, why the GOP is "painting themselves into a corner where nobody wants to visit, let alone live." "I see we've moved from Caravan Monday to Communism Tuesday," noted one.

Also, "Even the MLB lets people drink water." Still, because faux outrage is all they have left, it keeps spewing. The latest target: An Easter photo of the Bidens and the Easter Bunny, all masked. "THEY PUT A MASK ON THE BUNNY," they howled of "mind control" by the "#DemocratCommunistParty."

"Such sick people." True, that.

(CityWatch guest columnist Abby Zimet writes for CommonDreams.org where this piece was first posted.)

-cw

Originally posted here:
On Baseball as A Communist Plot: 794 Idiotic GOP Strikes and They're Out - City Watch

TORRINGTON Officers from around Wyoming, Nebraska and Colorado attended a 40-hour training session hosted by the Torrington Police Department Monday, March 29, through Friday, April 2.

Forensic Pieces, a Florida-based forensic training company, provided entry-level investigations training to a class of officers from different agencies throughout the tri-state area.

Dr. Michael Doc Berkland and April Crichton provided instruction for greater than 20 students throughout the week. Doc is a former medical examiner, while Crichton works for the city of Anaheim, Calif. as a forensic specialist.

Crichton has been with the city of Anaheim for the past 13 years, where she has worked as a self-proclaimed jack of all trades. She has been involved with evidence collection, fingerprints analysis, blood spatter analysis and crime scene work.

In addition, she has experience working with a wide range of major cases, such as officer-involved shootings, homicides, death investigations, domestic violence investigations, breaking and entering investigations, burglaries and much more.

Ive seen one of everything, Crichton said of her experience as a forensic specialist.

Crichton acquired a bachelors degree and was then certified as a crime scene investigator in California when she was hired by the city of Anaheim.

This is a basic crime scene class. It is here to give everybody the crash course, who may not know how to handle a crime scene, Crichton said. A lot of the people here in are in an investigation role, now, and they are fairly new in it. So, they want to make sure they can preserve the scene, and they can preserve and collect the evidence properly, document the scene, everything, so that it is reproducible and verifiable.

During the class, officers were provided sample crime scenes and directed to diagram the scenes. The goal was to obtain as much information as they could while preserving the scene.

After the officers did this, they would have other officers come to their mock crime scene to attempt to reconstruct the crime scene, based on the original officers notes and documentation of the scene.

A lot of it is measurement and math, Crichton said.

Officers were later provided with samples of simulated blood spatter which they were required to measure to determine the angle of trajectory for the blood.

During the blood spatter analysis portion of the class, officers were also instructed on the proper way to test red-colored spots or stains to determine whether the spots or stains were blood or something like nail polish or dried barbecue sauce.

Its very important for officers to be able to distinguish whether something is evidence or not, Berkland said. As part of this class, we teach officers to check for the viability of certain pieces of evidence, such as blood. We then test the officers to ensure they are able to determine whether or not there is blood present on a swab; some swabs have blood on them, some have dried barbecue sauce.

After determining whether the red-colored spots or stains are blood, officers are then required to document the spots and stains so they can begin to understand what occurred at the location.

When somebody, sadly, gets bludgeoned, theres standing, theres castoff, there are all sorts of things, Crichton said. When that blood hits that wall, we want them to know what direction its going, why it is going this way, what to expect. Crime scene work is a lot of measurement, a lot of math.

The officers were provided mock crime scenes, complete with simulated blood spatter, on Wednesday and Thursday.

We have the officers set up the scene and create a scenario, Berkland said. Other officers will then be required to diagram the scene and use what they have learned to determine what happened in the scenario created by the first group.

Berkland said this is one of his favorite parts of the training as the officers try their best to challenge one another.

The officers setting up the scenes will swipe the blood here, and swipe the blood there, to try and mislead the officers who are investigating the scene, Berkland said. Its a really good time.

After the conclusion of the training, many of these officers will use what they learned and immediately apply their education to ongoing and new investigations. Additionally, there are other courses available for the officers to progress further and learn more about crime scene investigation.

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Area officers attend CSI training - The Torrington Telegram