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BEYOND ‘CSI’ CMB alumnus leads organization on forensic science’s cutting edge by Mark Donahue
the right people or identify people who should not be allowed into the United States,” Lothridge said. “That kind of intelligence can be translated back to the border patrol. It has been a very successful project.” Since 1995, NFSTC has grown to include 40 full-time employees and is committed to staying on the cutting edge of the field. “Our job is innovation,” Lothridge said. “When we help the professionals deliver the highest-quality forensic services afor their communities, we know everyone benefits...”
Forensic science has become em- bedded in the popular conscious- ness over the past decade thanks to TV shows such as “CSI” and “Bones” (and they’re certainly not the only ones). But behind the big move to the small screen was a revo-
Kevin Lothridge ‘92
lution in forensics that began in the 1990s — a revolution one NLU alumnus has been a part of from the moment it touched off. Kevin Lothridge, a 1992 graduate of NLU with a Master of Science in Management, is CEO of the National Forensic Science Technology Center (NFSTC), a nonprofit based in Largo, FL, that helps fill gaps in forensic services for the law enforcement, crime labs and defense sectors. NFSTC was founded in 1995 by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors, who predicted a higher demand for forensic services in the wake of the O.J. Simpson trial and a need for industry support. Some of the first work NFSTC did was provide quality assurance assessments to laboratories as they worked to increase their capabilities and efficiencies. NFSTC also assisted in bigger-picture projects, like working with the Canadian government to enhance their forensic services — “really going out and providing services that the labs either didn’t have the expertise for or didn’t have the time to do themselves,” Lothridge said. The need for expanded forensic science services and support accelerated after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, which saw the federal government ramp up homeland security. That, combined with the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, created increasingly difficult challenges for forensic science — from identifying victims to monitoring immigration — and created new opportunities for NFSTC. “We’re working with the Department of Defense to put forensic technology into the hands of people in theaters of operation worldwide to make sure they identify
— Kevin Lothridge ’92
Current NFSTC projects include: • The Field Investigation Drug Officer (FIDO) program, which puts more tools in the hands of law enforcement to do point-of-collection testing of controlled substances and streamline drug cases, recently expanded in Utah. • The launch of an online course, “Introduction to Crime Scene Investigation,” a 16-hour self-paced program available for law enforcement or anyone wanting to learn more about proper CSI practices and techniques. In addition, NFSTC launched a for-profit partnership, the Forensic Innovation Center, in 2010. This new entity meets the longer-term forensic needs of law enforcement groups by bringing in partners to respond to contracts from all levels of government. It’s all part of a larger mission that echoes one of NLU’s founding principles: helping communities. For Lothridge, it gives his work greater meaning. “When we help the professionals deliver the highest- quality forensic services for their communities, we know everyone benefits, and that doesn’t happen in business very often today,” he said. “Everybody at NFSTC is committed to the mission of making sure that science and technology are used to make the world a better and safer place. That is what’s unique about NFSTC.”
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