When a Sumner County man found a human skull, he called police. The police called the University of Tennessee.
For Crime Scene Investigator Danny Deyhle and Lt. Lamar Ballard of the Gallatin Police Department (GPD), the skull discovery meant a bone scattered scene that would require special resources and management.
Ballard instinctively called the UT National Forensic Academy (NFA) for advice on identifying and processing the scene. Ballard and Deyhle are graduates of the NFA's 10-week course for crime scene investigators on identifying, collecting and preserving evidence.
UT NFA Specialist Nathan Lefebvre referred Ballard to Dr. Lee Jantz at the UT Knoxville Department of Anthropology, and soon anthropology staff and students were on the way to the scene to help search for more remains and potential evidence.
Gallatin police have another NFA graduate on staff. Evidence Technician Melissa Proctor completed the academy last year.
Ballard praised the UT NFA as one of the most innovative training opportunities available to law enforcement officers. Realizing the uniqueness of the training, Ballard urged Deyhle and Proctor to attend the Academy.
The UT NFA is a program of the UT Law Enforcement Innovation Center within the statewide UT Institute for Public Service.
