SAN DIEGO — The National Institutes of Health reports Hispanic and Latino forensic scientists are underrepresented in the their field.
During Hispanic Heritage month, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office is recruiting interns to join its crime lab.
“I was always interested in science as a whole. Since I was a little girl, my mom still shares the stories to this day that I used to fake operate on my little brother,” said Marcela Velasco.
She was three years into medical school when she switched gears. Now she’s a criminalist at the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office Crime Lab toxicology unit.
“It is a very welcoming community. There’s always something new to learn. So, you’re always being challenged and stimulated by new technology, new knowledge, and that is definitely a very big motivating factor to be in this career,” said Velasco.
She grew up in Colombia and didn’t see many female forensic scientists that looked like her. She knew the importance of representation to build trust in the community, especially in toxicology evidence in a DUI or sexual assault case.
“One of the areas I enjoy the most is educating our jurors, which eventually are really the individuals who have to make the tough decision during a court proceeding,” said Velasco.
She also works with her co-worker David Martinez to educate youth interested in forensic science.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office latent print examiner says he was born in Tijuana and moved to San Diego when he was five. He often reflects on how he got interested in forensic science and wants to pave the way for future Hispanic criminal analysts.
“Just like an examiner showed up in my college and presented in forensic science, I’m now doing the same thing, going to some local universities in Tijuana and also presenting on forensics,” said Martinez.
He said he got his foot in the door by interning in the Tijuana crime lab and hopes to empower the next generation of young Hispanic interns at the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office crime lab.
“Whether if they do forensic work in their own native country, or if they decide to come to the United States like I did, and do the forensic work here, I think it would just make a better community for neighboring cities or sister countries,” said Martinez.
To learn more about the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office paid Crime Lab internships click here.
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