The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office hosts a Citizens Academy that gives county residents an inside look at the world of forensic science.
The Citizens Academy runs every spring and fall. The 2025 fall session begins Thursday, Sept. 18, meeting every Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. for 10 weeks. Applications for the academy are due Aug. 8. It is free of charge.
Residents can expect lectures, case reviews, and hands-on demonstrations by doctors, scientists and investigators. Topics include toxicology, death investigation, and trace evidence.
What do you learn in the academy?
The purpose of the academy, according to Christopher Harris, external affairs manager for the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office, is to “educate the public about the work we do.”
“We will spend a week discussing death investigations and reviewing the steps involved when responding to a scene,” he said…