Bermuda’s crime scene investigators are being sent overseas for intensive training to increase the chances of catching criminals through forensic evidence.The Bermuda Police Service is increasing the expertise of its specialist officers who are among the first on the scene of serious crimes such as murders and shootings.Crime scene investigators are being sent on a training course to learn how to collect and preserve vital evidence, such as finger and footprints, bullet casings, DNA, hair particles and blood splatters.This type of evidence collected from the scene, victim and suspect is often crucial to prosecution cases, especially if there is a limited number of witnesses or CCTV footage.It is costing about $11,000 for each officer to attend the “ very rigorous” nine-week forensic identification course at the Ontario Police College in Canada.One officer is currently enrolled on the course, with another due to start in January and further officers expected to attend the same course later next year.Stepping up CSI training is expected to reduce but not eliminate the need to call upon the assistance of overseas experts when serious crimes occur.National Security Minister Wayne Perinchief said the police officers were receiving extra training because of the “unprecedented level of crime in such a short period of time”.There have been 16 gun murders in Bermuda since May 2009 and police consider 12 of those cases unsolved.Mr Perinchief said: “This is an extraordinary situation for Bermuda as we’ve never had such a demand for forensics.“There is currently a tremendous strain on scenes of crime officers, they are very busy people. It’s a highly specialist area and there’s a heck of a lot of stuff they need to know.“They have to process crime scenes for forensic evidence and will be learning exactly how to collect and preserve evidence.“We are talking about minute particles of hairs, fibres and gunshot residue that can’t be seen by the human eye.”Mr Perinchief said these types of police officers, whose work has become well known through the CSI TV show, were “the backbone of detective work”. They attend the scenes of all types of crimes from burglaries and road traffic accidents to sudden deaths and murders.Mr Perinchief said: “We hope Bermuda will benefit from this training. By increasing our chances of having that initial evidence, we certainly hope it will lead to more convictions.“We don’t want trials to be thrown out because forensics have been contaminated with. There are now international standards about collecting and preserving evidence.”The additional training for CSI’s comes as the police appear to be stepping up its efforts to probe the Island’s unsolved murders.Yesterday the BPS announced that a new review team had been formed to help crack cold cases. The team of six includes two recently retired BPS detectives and four retired detectives from the UK.Bermuda has long relied on the expertise of forensic scientists from police forces and private companies in the UK, America and Canada.Mr Perinchief said Bermuda would continue to bring in overseas experts on an “as and when needed basis” but stressed that it was crucial to “train our own officers”.Evidence found at crime scenes will also still have to be shipped overseas for forensic analysis as there are no laboratory facilities in Bermuda.Mr Perinchief said there would therefore still be a “time lag” but he said he remained hopeful that evidence would be better preserved for future use.He highlighted a case where an 18-year-old blood sample had lead to a conviction because the evidence had been properly collected and preserved.Mr Perinchief added: “We will probably always need to bring in overseas specialists on an ad hoc basis because of the nature of the work.“It should also be remembered that there aren’t many of these types of officers and they can suffer stress burnout very easily.“All the blood and gore repeatedly over time and dealing with decomposed bodies, it’s really not a glamorous job and there’s a high stress factor”.Assistant Police Commissioner Paul Wright said the nine-week training course in forensic identification was held twice a year at the Ontario Police College.He said: “The use of forensic science is increasingly important to support criminal investigations.“The forensic examination of crime scenes is a specialist function performed by police and support staff members of the Bermuda Police Service.“Those officers are designated as Crime Scene Investigators (CSI’s) and the Bermuda Police Service ensures that those officers are skilled with techniques and training that meets accredited standards”.Mr Wright added: “The cost of the training inclusive of airfare, accommodations and meals is approximately $11,000 dollars per trainee.”