After more than 35 years in law enforcement, William Thomas has noticed a disturbing trend. Many of his applicants can’t pass their background checks.
Thomas works as a forensic latent print examiner for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Recently, a young woman applied for a position in his department. She seemed like a perfect fit — a master’s degree in forensic science, ambitious.
But, after her background check, she didn’t make the cut.
“So many people go to college with this baggage they created,” Thomas said. “Sometimes, you’ve got to make decisions about that you’re going to do. You have to ignore peer pressure.”
Because of the trend, Thomas wanted to make a difference. Partnering with the Improvement League of Plant City, Thomas devised a Junior CSI Program that would expose youth to forensic science and keep them off the streets.
After Thomas presented the idea to the Plant City Police Department, Police Chief Steven Singletary urged the city commission to allow the department to fund the project.
On Aug. 22, Singletary presented Thomas with a $1,000 check to go toward purchasing 10 forensic kits. The kits come with a variety of equipment, including fingerprint-lifting tapes, fingerprint hinge lifters and fingerprint magnifiers.
The funding comes from the Law Enforcement Trust Fund, which uses money obtained from drug seizures, felonies and other crimes. The department has to spend 15% of the total amount over $15,000 on community projects or help programs.
In the past, former police chief Bill McDaniel chose the Boys and Girls Club of America.
Singletary said he deals with candidates failing background checks often.
“I didn’t think there was any better idea than this,” Singletary said to Thomas when presenting the check. “Hopefully, youngsters grow up to be just like you and have a successful career.”
Thomas also was inspired by a youth football and cheer league he runs, the Plant City Eagles. Many of the children involved in the league come from struggling families.
“I wanted to get those kids involved,” Thomas said.
Thomas is so passionate about the project that he is even using some of his own money to buy reference material and other equipment. He will be teaching the class, as well.
The Improvement League is donating the use of the Bing Rooming House for the group to meet on Mondays, beginning Sept. 26. The program will run until the end of the school year.
Courses will be designed to follow training from the Forensic Latent Print Training Program of the International Association for Identification. The training will include lectures, testing and practical exercises. In addition to meetings, the group also will go on field trips to labs and police stations.
The program is offered at no cost to participants.
For this year, 10 students, from ninth through 11th grade, will be selected for the class. Thomas hopes to grow that number in the future. Singletary hopes to keep donating to the program.
Anyone interested in applying for the class can visit improvementleague.com.
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.
ABOUT WILLIAM THOMAS
Like many of the youths he is about to teach, William Thomas didn’t know he was interested in forensic science at first. It was a co-worker who told Thomas about the specialty.
Thomas had nine years of law enforcement experience before he entered in 1978, the Department of Defense Forensic Latent Print Training Program.
“That’s why I want to introduce these kids to it,” Thomas said.
Thomas also holds a bachelor’s degree in criminology and a minor in psychology.
