Academia and law enforcement will be working side-by-side on forensic investigations in Mississippi as part of a new collaborative agreement
Mississippi State University and the Mississippi Department of Public Safety have formally agreed to collaborate on particular assessments, including recovery of human remains, exhumations, surface scatter and burial recoveries, and the identification of human skeletal remains.
MSU President Mark E. Keenum joined Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell for a memorandum of agreement signing in Jackson on Thursday. Keenum remarked that the university’s areas of expertise uniquely position Mississippi State to support the Department of Public Safety’s forensic science needs.
“As the state’s leading research university and land-grant institution, Mississippi State is called to serve the entire state,” Keenum said. “MSU will be helping the state of Mississippi meet a critical need for forensic science, expertise, resources, and personnel. This partnership is an example of how we can deploy the expertise and capacity we have at MSU to make a difference for our fellow Mississippians who have been affected by crime.”
The two entities will collaborate to develop and implement protocols for the recovery and analysis of human remains in various forensic contexts, communicate about forensic investigations, and conduct periodic assessments and reviews of forensic methodologies and best practices to ensure effectiveness and compliance with legal and scientific standards.
“This partnership between the Mississippi Department of Public Safety’s Forensics Laboratory and Mississippi State University represents a meaningful step forward for both the students of MSU’s anthropology program and for all of Mississippi,” Tindell said. “By joining forces, we’re not only expanding educational opportunities and advancing forensic science, but also continuing to enhance public safety across our state.”
MSU will help address a shortage of forensic science case workers through the partnership with the agency tasked with ensuring the safety of citizens. The Mississippi State Chemical Laboratory, located in Starkville and also home to the Forensic Lab and Skeletal Histology Center, will play a crucial role, as well.
