Issue date: 11/17/06 Section: News

Media Credit: Andre Kim

It's not quite the Bat-mobile, but on Nov. 7 Las Positas acquired its very own "crime van." The 1990 Dodge has seen its share of action with the Albany Police Department, and will appreciate post-retirement life as an instructional and marketing tool for our Administration of Justice program.

On Nov. 7, Albany Chief of Police Mike Mcquiston handed the keys to Mark Tarte, the Director of the Public Safety program. The handoff marked a highlight in the expansion of our school.

"The growth of our program is tied into the growth of the college," explained Tarte. "My job is to help the department grow, and it really depends on student interest."

That is where the van will come in handy. By adding mobility to the forensics course syllabi students will engage in more realistic crime scene investigations.

In addition to functioning as a mobile forensics unit the van will get a makeover, sporting the Las Positas College and Administration of Justice logos. It will not only help teach students to fight crime, it will also serve to attract high school students interested in police work to consider attending Las Positas.

"It's a good program," said Mcquiston, who taught the Criminal Justice course at LPC in the fall of 2001. "I really enjoyed working out here." Mcquiston still serves on the advisory board to the Administration of Justice Program. As an advisor he provides insight as to the type of education employers are seeking in their applicants.

"There are an extraordinary number of people looking for employees," said Tarte, "especially in police work." While a majority of the students enrolled in the program are interested in careers in law enforcement, some take Administration of Justice courses to prepare for careers in probation and parole, juvenile justice or law practice.

Students interested in forensics now have a new tool at their disposal - the crime van. Though it will be stocked with equipment similar to that in use by actual police officers, the van will no longer be used to solve real crimes.

"Students do not have the authority or actual technique," said Tarte.

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