State crime lab’s Hilliard honored

Dennis Hilliard, director of the Rhode Island State Crime Laboratory at the University of Rhode Island, will be inducted into the Rhode Island Criminal Justice Hall of Fame for his service to the law enforcement and criminal justice agencies in the state. He will be the first forensic scientist to be elected to the hall of fame and the first inductee from URI and the state crime lab.

What influenced your decision to go into the field of forensics?

I attended the University of Rhode Island graduate program in pharmacology and toxicology, with plans to go on to medical school. My major professor, David DeFanti, was the director of the State Crime Laboratory and I had worked in that lab for two years. When I attained my M.S. degree he offered me a job in the laboratory.

What do you enjoy most about your line of work?

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That there are no routine cases. That each case has its own challenges. That the technology in forensics has continued to evolve. That we play a leadership role in the R.I. criminal justice system providing forensic services to law enforcement and educating crime-scene investigators. It is a challenging career.

What types of cases are most interesting to you?

Every case has its own unique challenges. Those cases that involve the use of multiple disciplines are very interesting. They can range from breaking and entering where there will be multiple samples to work on in trace, latent prints, tool marks and possibly DNA or suspected arson cases, and of course homicide cases.

What are some common misconceptions about forensic science that people might pick up from popular crime shows or mystery novels?

We do not solve crimes, let alone do it in under an hour. It is not as glamorous as portrayed on television. We do not have an unlimited budget for equipment and personnel and there is no one person who can perform all of the tests available (e.g., Abby on NCIS). •

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