WATERBURY — Law enforcement personnel gathered recently at Connecticut State Community College - Naugatuck Valley for a two‑day Evidence Academy hosted by the Division of Criminal Justice, aimed at strengthening collaboration between police and prosecutors and improving the handling of evidence in criminal cases.
The training held April 9–10, 2026, brought together prosecutors from the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney and experts from the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection’s Division of Scientific Services to discuss evidence collection in the field and evidentiary standards required in court.
“We’ve seen for years that law enforcement officers are well‑trained in identifying, collecting, and preserving evidence at a scene, but there is often a disconnect regarding what is actually admissible at trial,” said Chief State’s Attorney Patrick J. Griffin, who opened both days with sessions on the Rules of Evidence. “Our cases are increasingly complex. Digital evidence, forensic science, and third‑party video have expanded exponentially. We have to make sure police and prosecutors are aligned from Day One.”
Chief State’s Attorney Griffin told attendees that the sheer volume of digital material now associated with a typical major criminal case has changed the nature of prosecution. A homicide file that once fit into a five‑inch binder may now include body‑camera footage from multiple officers, surveillance videos, cell‑phone extractions, forensic reports, and dozens of witness supplements.
“That expansion keeps prosecutors up at night,” Chief State’s Attorney Griffin said, noting that state law requires prosecutors to disclose every piece of potential evidence to the defense. “We are presumed to know everything in the police file. That’s impossible unless we are working together and communicating constantly.”
Chief State’s Attorney Griffin noted that Connecticut’s Appellate Court has become increasingly active in reviewing criminal procedure, ethics, and evidentiary issues, heightening the need for accuracy and consistency at every stage of a case.
“The message is clear,” Chief State’s Attorney Griffin said. “We win or lose cases before charges are even filed. Collaboration is everything.”
Academy sessions also included presentations from Lucinda Lopes Phelan, Deputy Director of the Identification Division of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection’s Division of Scientific Services, on latent prints and firearms case files, and Cheryl Carreiro, Deputy Director of Forensic Biology and DNA Technical Leader, on DNA analysis. Their instruction emphasized the critical role of detailed laboratory notes, explaining that even decades after a conviction, those materials can become central in appeals or habeas corpus claims.
Another session at the Academy focusing on cell‑phone extractions and digital evidence, led by Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Seth R. Garbarsky of the Cold Case Unit and Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Ronald G. Weller of the Appellate Bureau, walked police officials through location data, tower dumps, geofencing, and the legal requirements governing the use of digital information in investigations.
Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Lisa M. D’Angelo told participants that the Evidence Academies presented by the Division of Criminal Justice are part of a broader initiative to standardize training across Connecticut’s criminal justice system and that they will continue to be offered in future years, with updates to reflect new technology, case law, and forensic methods
“We narrow the program each year to what we believe is the most essential information for detectives and prosecutors,” Deputy Chief State’s Attorney D’Angelo said. “Our goal is simple - to ensure that the evidence collected at a scene is the evidence that can support a lawful, successful prosecution.”