Signal 13 Interview with BPD Forensics Team Members and Moms of Scholarship Recipients

If you are a fan of #NCIS or #CSI, our next interview series is for you. These two Signal 13 Foundation in Baltimore scholarship moms are an integral part of crime fighting in the Baltimore Police Department. Chief Rana DellaRocco and Teri Labbe are in forensics with the crime lab scientists. Many crimes would not be solved without their involvement in collecting and analyzing evidence from crime scenes. They bring to the job almost 50 years of experience between them.

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In this video, Signal 13 CEO Nancy Hinds is joined by Chief Rana DellaRocco and Teri Labbe, a scientist and community relations representative, who run the forensics program at the Baltimore Police Department discuss their roles and responsibilities, including crime scene response, evidence management, and community outreach. The community outreach program aims to educate the public about forensics and encourage interest in science careers. They engage with various groups, including college students, high school students, elementary school students, state attorneys, public defenders, and grand juries. They also provide child safety kits to help with missing persons investigations. The program uses age-appropriate activities, such as building candy DNA models and extracting DNA from fruits, to engage and educate children.

In this video, Nancy Hinds CEO of Signal 13 interviews Chief Rana DellaRocco, the chief of the forensics department, and Teri Labbe, a scientist and community relations representative discuss the process of forensic investigation, starting with the response to a crime scene by crime lab scientists. The scientists collect evidence, take photographs, and use drones and 3D modeling to document the scene. The evidence is then submitted to the evidence management division, where it is stored and managed until it is needed for analysis or court. The lab conducts various types of analysis, such as fingerprint development, weapon testing, DNA profiling, and drug identification. Once the analysis is complete, the reports are issued and the evidence may be disposed of or returned to the owner. The forensics department has a strong emphasis on quality assurance and is internationally accredited.

In this video, Signal 13 CEO Nancy Hinds speaks with Chief Rana DellaRocco and Teri Labbe, a scientist and community relations representative, who run the forensics department at the Baltimore Police Department discuss the importance of their work and the role they play behind the scenes. Terry, explains how she got into forensics after initially studying marine science and working with marine mammals. She fell in love with the field and has been working in forensics for 23 years. Rana shares a similar story of stumbling into forensics and finding it fascinating. They both express their passion for their jobs and the constant challenges and changes they face in the field.

 

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Like other nonprofits, Signal 13’s funding depends on generous donations from individuals, companies and foundations. We can’t do what we do for Baltimore City Police in times of need without your support. Requests for assistance are increasing and we rarely turn a grant or scholarship applicant down.

Signal 13 is celebrating 40 years of helping Baltimore City Police, and the Board’s goal is to do even more to make their lives a little easier during stressful times. We do this because we believe in supporting the brave men and women in the Baltimore Police Department who put their lives on the line everyday to protect us and the city we love.


About Signal 13

Formed in 1983 by Police Commissioner Frank J. Battaglia with help from prominent philanthropists and business owners, the Signal 13 Foundation is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) committed to supporting the men and women of the Baltimore City Police Department with financial hardship grants and scholarships for their families. For more information, go to signal13foundation.org

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