The heat was turned up on some students at Whitewater High when an arson detective made an appearance.
The students are in public safety teacher Scott Schmitt’s law and forensic classes, which are part of the Forensic Science Pathway offered at the school. Throughout the year, students learn about the law, and various areas of law enforcement and investigation, preparing them for future careers in public safety and litagation.
Detective Henry Patterson of DeKalb County Fire and Rescue, along with his canine partner, Ace, visited Schmitt’s classes to demonstrate how Ace can find accelerants by smell. Detective Patterson hid three canisters of accelerant around the classroom, and then brought in Ace to do his job. Once Ace located the smell, the dog sat at the location of the cannister.
“Then he got a treat,” says Schmitt. “It was quite a cool process to watch, and a great day of real world learning.”
Whitewater High is the only school in the county that has a Forensic Science Pathway.
