PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — The site of Pasco County’s so-called “body farm” is getting some major upgrades.
- Field will be home to new training, research facility
- $4 million in state funding allocated for project
- Construction expected to be complete by late 2019
The forensic field, which houses real bodies used for investigator training and research, will soon be part of a much larger facility called “FIRST.” The name is an acronym for Florida’s Forensic Institute for Research, Security and Tactics.
Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco unveiled the new complex at a ceremonial groundbreaking on Wednesday. He says it will be one of the premier training grounds in the world.
“It’s unique. It’s innovative. It’s something that’s needed,” Nocco said. “We will do training with canines, tactics, drones, crisis management, leadership, cyber security, design thinking. That’s just a few.”
Already the location is a center for training forensics students. More than 20 bodies have been donated to the field for research.
“This allows our practitioners to train in real world conditions,” said Capt. Justin Ross. “With real donated bodies, they can actually get their real life impact. That’s just going to improve our investigations going forward.”
The planned new facilities will add to that capability. Further, the tropical setting will make the facility attractive to law enforcement from around the world looking to train in that kind of environment.
“The training center will put Pasco County on the map across the world,” said county commissioner Mike Wells. “Never thought I’d be able to say that.”
The business plan is still in development, but the eventual goal is to make Pasco a destination place for forensics training and research.
The complex received more than $4 million in state funding in this year’s budget. Construction is set to be done in late 2019.