SES hones forensic search skills

SES volunteers are best known for answering calls for help during storms and natural disasters, but they also help police find ‘items of interest’ at crime scenes.

Training for these tasks is essential and volunteers at Redcliffe SES Group recently refreshed their skills in forensic searching.

Confronted with a mock scenario of an altercation between drug dealers and a subsequent exchange of gunfire between them, the volunteers had the task of locating evidence vital to the police investigation.

During the training exercise, the SES members shuffled shoulder-to-shoulder, with powerful torches in hand, searching grasslands, gardens and a sandpit for items.

Before the search there was a whiteboard briefing by the Michelle Bowker the team's Group Leader.

What they found was surprising, ranging from false teeth, to a mobile phone jammed up a drainpipe to syringes and spent ammunition cartridge casings and even a plastic pistol.

Each of the items had been planted by a senior SES officer before the exercise.

Volunteers then embarked on a second practical exercise occurred, searching for items within their base.

The State Emergency Service (SES) is always looking for volunteers. If you’re interested in finding out more, visit the website