Law Enforcement Track

Module 1: Death Investigation System in Alabama

Module 2: The Autopsy and Human Identification

Overview of Medicolegal Death Investigation is an on-demand two-module self-paced course designed to familiarize those taking this course with the nature, reasons, and procedures of the death investigation system in Alabama along with its strengths and limitations. The course is presented by Edward A. Reedy, PhD, MD, State Medical Director with the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences.

Course Level Learning Objectives:

• Distinguish between roles and responsibilities of a Medical Examiner and Coroner
• Distinguish between cause and manner of death
• Execute an accurate and complete death certificate
• Understand the steps of the autopsy process including differentiation between forensic and hospital autopsy, as well as full, partial, and external autopsy
• Describe and contrast methods of human identification

Target Audience: Overview of Medicolegal Death Investigation learning opportunities are appropriate for medical professionals and law enforcement personnel. Continuing education credits will be offered.

CEU for Law Enforcement

This course was approved for 2.5 hours of continuing education credit by the Alabama Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission.

Registration and Course Dates

Registration Opens: April 1, 2024

Registration available through December 1, 2024

Module 1: Identification of when to collect Oral Fluid Samples for Roadside Screening or Confirmation Testing

Module 2: State Statues for Roadside Screening and Confirmation Testing Using Oral Fluid

Module 3: Roadside Screening of Oral Fluid Using Dräger DrugTest 5000

Module 4: Roadside Screening of Oral Fluid Using Abbott SoToxa™ Mobile Test System

Module 5: Collection of Oral Fluid Evidentiary Sample Using Quantisal™ Oral Fluid Collection Device 

Module 6: Submission of Oral Fluid Evidentiary Sample Collected using Quantisal™ Oral Fluid Collection Device

Roadside Oral Fluid Testing is an on-demand six-module self-paced course.

Law enforcement officers face the challenge of keeping motorists safe when irresponsible drivers get behind the wheel under the influence of drugs that cannot be detected using a breathalyzer. New roadside screening instruments have been developed to detect these drugs in oral fluid samples and can be performed by certified officers similar to using a breathalyzer to detect alcohol in breath. This course describes two roadside instruments for testing oral fluid and also describes a method for collecting an additional oral fluid sample to be sent to the lab for confirmation testing. Officers completing this course will be prepared to take a certification exam, which will qualify them to administer these tests and collections. Officers will view lectures and video demonstrations of using the instruments and collection devices. The course is presented by Curt E. Harper, Ph.D., F-ABFT, Chief Toxicologist with the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences.

Course Level Learning Objectives:

• Describe the differences between using oral fluid for roadside screening and using oral fluid for evidentiary testing.  
• List the screening devices used for roadside screen collection of oral fluids and collection devices used for evidentiary collection of oral fluid. 
• Describe your state statues that allow for the use of oral fluid for roadside screening or evidentiary testing.  
• Describe the process for collecting and testing a sample for the purpose of roadside screening using an Abbott SoToxa or Draeger DT5000 
• Describe the process for collecting oral fluid using Quantisal™ Oral Fluid Collection Device. 
• Describe the process for submitting an evidentiary sample to the lab.   

Target Audience: Roadside Oral Fluid Testing learning opportunities are appropriate for law enforcement personnel. Continuing education credits will be offered.

CEU for Law Enforcement

This course was approved for 2.50 hours of continuing education credit by the Alabama Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission.

Registration and Course Dates

Registration Opens: June 4, 2024

Registration available through December 1, 2024

Course available through December 15, 2024

CEU Certificates Emailed by December 20, 2024

Registration Instructions (opens a PDF)