Crime scene simulations connect students with local, federal law enforcement

Liberty University Helms School of Government hosted its annual “Pig on the Mountain” crime scene simulation exercise on Friday, providing students with the chance to gain real-world forensic experience while building relationships with local, state, and federal law enforcement.

The all-day event included morning lecture sessions on arson and explosives investigations as well as body excavation and forensic entomology, before students practically applied this knowledge in afternoon crime simulations conducted with pig cadavers.

Participating agencies included the Amherst County, Bedford County, and Campbell County Sheriff’s Offices as well as Lynchburg Police Department, Chesterfield Police Department, Virginia State Police, Virginia State Police Bomb Squad, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The morning’s events included demonstrations on a terrorist bomb threat imitating the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings and a vehicle arson resulting in a homicide.

“It’s about as real world as you can actually be, and that’s a really good thing,” said government professor Larry Presley, who spent 21 years with the FBI. “There’s nobody else doing this event anywhere in the United States. (These simulations) are extraordinarily realistic and to have all these resources and all of these people to volunteer their time to come here and fill our students with their knowledge and expertise is extraordinary.”

In the afternoon, students broke off into groups and analyzed one of eight different crime scene simulations. These included pig cadavers in different stages of composition as well as the scenes of both the arson and explosive demonstrations. Students were coached through how to approach a crime scene and search for evidence.

Joseph Coy (’16), a Liberty alumnus and current Chesterfield police officer, participated in the first Pig on the Mountain as a senior before graduating and taking his current job. He has facilitated the event for two years.

“It is a humbling and full-circle experience to see the program grow,” he said.

Over 50 Liberty students participated, including many studying criminal justice, forensic science, and Unmanned Aircraft Operations (flying drones).

Senior Lea Encarnation served as a student leader and coordinator for this year’s event. After participating last year, she said she wanted to play a larger role.

“It’s amazing how all of (the students) can now have this hands-on experience on a crime scene,” she said. “With that in mind, it does set us apart from other universities because Liberty has provided that beautiful hands-on experience while also training us to be Champions for Christ. That is a really good combination.”

She also noted that as a Christian, her goal and that of the other students should be to pursue truth and justice and that they are doing just that through homicide investigations.

Senior Megan Slaubaugh, who is who is studying criminal justice – advance investigative studies and psychology and pursuing a job in the corrections and juvenile detention field, said the simulation encouraged students to exercise their faith in the field.

“In situations like this where there is a homicide investigation, we know that through all of this we are doing this because we love God and love people. Through this, we have faith, hope, and joy,” she said.