Students learn to solve crimes at Pasco County Sheriff's Office

NEW PORT RICHEY (FOX 13) - From the classroom to the streets, some students are getting a hands-on opportunity to learn about solving crimes at the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.  

"I wouldn't change a minute of it," forensic student volunteer Holly Taylor said.

Taylor, 23, said she is getting the chance of a lifetime. The University of South Florida student is volunteering with the Pasco County Sheriff's Office Forensic Team.

"It's something that I want to do as a career, so it gives me a lot of hands-on, real-life experience," Taylor said.

It's experience that she would not get without volunteering on the team. Forensic investigators train the criminal justice college students for 40 hours. They learn how to gather information, and take photographs and fingerprints from crime scenes.

"(It) gives a good opportunity for the college students who need to gain the experience," said Nacey Sukinski, with the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.

This repositioning in turn helps the Sheriff's Office forensic team solve more crimes.

"(It) gives us the opportunity to have more personnel on the street, to be able to help assist the citizens and respond to the property type crimes," Sukinski said. "So that forensic investigators can response to more serious type crimes."

"You really feel like you are helping the community," Taylor said. "You feel like you are making a difference by solving crimes and getting evidence."

It's help that the students are happy to provide.

"It's been awesome. I love it. It's really different, it's really exciting. It's a whole new world, but it is phenomenal," Taylor said.