When Forensic Science Shift Supervisor Lisa Murphy was a little girl, her grandmother asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up. When she said she hoped to be a police officer, her grandmother discouraged her. “Oh, honey, you don’t want to do that. Law enforcement is not for women – that’s a man’s job.” She told Murphy that she’d be happier being a mother or choosing a less dangerous career.

Young Murphy took this as a challenge. “I’m a strong-willed, independent woman, and I was determined to prove her wrong.” While Murphy didn’t end up as a law enforcement officer, she did join the law enforcement world as a Forensic Science Specialist… after a few life and career detours along the way.

Murphy says she grew up as a “typical military brat,” living on bases in West Germany and Oklahoma before moving to Florida during her senior year in high school. Determined to become a law enforcement officer, she earned two degrees in criminal justice. But then she met her husband and started a family. She decided to pursue a different path, still connected with the law, and became first a legal secretary and later a paralegal. Fifteen years later while furthering her education she came across a Crime Scene Technology program… and never looked back. “I was hooked!” she said.

She’s been at the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) since 2004, starting as a Forensic Imaging Technician. She’s been on the Major Case Response Team and was also a Forensic Training Specialist. Today she is the evening shift Forensic Science Supervisor, directly responsible for the eight members assigned to her shift plus her Assistant Shift Supervisor and any other overlapping members.

Forensics can be just as dangerous as law enforcement in its own way. “Our position requires us to work in some very unsanitary and unsafe conditions. This normally includes biological fluids/blood, hazardous chemicals/gases, insect infestations, feces/urine, hoarder homes etc.”

Murphy points out that while law enforcement is majority male, forensics is a female-dominated profession. She has a few theories about this. “I believe women tend to be better multi-taskers, have a greater level of patience, are more detail oriented, and tend to be more nurturing and caring.”

Murphy hypothesizes that women might have one other natural advantage, too. “I also think women tend to have a better stomach for bad smells and gross things.” She thanks her two sons for giving her this superpower. “Deputies get to poke their head inside a house, see the decomposing body, and then walk out and go back to the smell and security of their vehicles. We spend hours, if not days, working a crime scene in those conditions.”

She has some advice for any young girl seeking to follow in her footsteps, though. “I would make sure that she understood that you can’t base your desire to work in forensics on a TV series.” Fictional forensics isn’t always like reality. She suggests doing ride-alongs, and a tour of a forensics division to see the kinds of conditions a person might face in the job. She also says that teens interested in forensics should join the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Explorer Post 900.

It’s an incredibly rewarding job, but it has many challenges. “Forensics is a very physical job that also requires long work hours.” The schedule affects family and personal lives. “We can’t predict when a homicide will occur or how much time will be required to process a scene.” As a previous forensics manager once told her, “You know when you have to report for duty, but you can’t predict when you will be able to go home.”

Murphy sees people on what may be the worst day of their lives. She might be there for the death of a loved one, or because someone’s prized possessions were stolen. “We also see the worst things that any human can do to another.” Murphy’s main goal is to do the best job she can to get justice for the victims.

She’s often asked if the grisly images she sees every day keep her awake at night. She says that’s not what goes through her mind as she’s falling asleep. “Instead, what keeps me awake is asking myself, what did I miss, could I have processed something differently or better, did I collect all the evidence I should have collected, and lastly, have I done the best job possible to bring justice for that victim or their family?” This perfectionism and passion for helping victims is what makes Murphy so exemplary at her job.

One of her greatest rewards is being notified that her work was integral to solving a crime – that a fingerprint she lifted or a DNA swabbing she collected from a crime scene identified a suspect that otherwise might have escaped justice. “Sometimes the detectives get recognition for solving the crime and forensics’ role is overlooked.”

But it’s not about the credit. “I love what I do each day,” Murphy says. “I take great pride in my work, and I look forward to coming to work and doing the best job possible for the citizens of our community.”

There are only a few more weeks to apply for a 2022 community grant. If you know of a local non-profit organization that funds youth empowerment programs, youth-initiated projects, or programs that support children and their families, encourage them to apply for the 2022 Community Grant. Qualifying organizations can receive up to $1,000. The application deadline is March 31st, 2022. To download an application, click here. 

In honor of Spring Break, let’s take a vacation from K-9 school… and take a look at K-9 graduate school. After the dogs get certified as official Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office K-9s, they may get an additional certification in either explosives detection or narcotics detection. Explosives detection K-9s may be used to secure large events such as the recent Valspar Championship. Narcotics detection K-9s may be called to search vehicles or buildings for illegal drugs.

It took you a long time to build your nest egg. Are you in a hurry to give it away to the next stranger who calls you up? Of course not. Yet every year, many people fall prey to swindlers who promise big money, fast payouts, or huge percentages on investments. Fast talking and heavy pressure make you think that if you don’t act NOW, the deal of a lifetime will slip through your fingers.

Even people who think they’re too wise to fall for a scam can get sucked into the excitement of a great opportunity. Easy money? Exclusive opportunities? No risk? Guaranteed returns? People of any age and every level of education have fallen for these kinds of scams.

Scammers will hop on the latest trends. Cryptocurrency and NFTs sound new and exciting – and some people are indeed making money from them. But more people are losing money. Whether they want you to invest in a hot new stock or something as old-fashioned as a gold mine, scammers want to play on your dreams of striking it rich.

Often, these scammers request fraudulent wire transfers. You can work with your financial team to keep your green safe from wire transfer fraud:

A little planning will help keep you safe.

How often does a stranger walk up to you, hand you $20, and walk away? Usually, you have to go looking for money. Strangers don’t call you out of the blue with great investments. If someone approaches you with a deal, check their credentials. Don’t be impressed by a professional-looking website – those can be created very quickly. Ask questions, and get call-back numbers.

Then, even if it all sounds good on the phone… tell them, “I’ll think about it.” A real investment professional expects you to take time to research and check references. A scammer wants you to act on impulse. Practice saying no.