Peter Massey

Peter Massey embodies the true essence of what the University of New Haven strives for in an educator by combining a forensic science educational background with significant work and life experience in the practical application of his profession as a patrolman and detective. Peter bring this training, skills and experience to his students allowing him the ability to enhance his lessons with first-hand knowledge and real-world application. Peter Massey began his career in 1983 as a police officer with the Hamden, Connecticut Department of Police Services. Initially assigned to the Patrol Division, he rose to the rank of Detective within the Detective and Identification Divisions where he earned four Letters of Recognition, eight Certificates of Commendation and two Unit Citations. His work included the investigation of various crime scenes from thefts and robberies, assaults, suspicious deaths and homicides, as well as other major crime scenes. After completing over twenty years of service, Peter retired to become the Training Coordinator for the National Crime Scene Training and Technology Center at the Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science. During his tenure as Training Coordinator, he was responsible for offering hundreds of advanced training courses to the law enforcement community. These courses included; Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced Crime Scene; Shooting Reconstruction; Blood Patterns Analysis; and Recovery of Human Remains. A member of several professional organizations, he has been a consultant for and appeared on the "On the Case with Paula Zahn" television show. He has traveled to the Bahamas, Mexico, and extensively throughout the United States to various Police Departments to train their patrolmen, detectives and investigators in the proper techniques used as first responders and crime scene investigators. Other specialty topics include shooting reconstruction, blood spatter pattern analysis, trace evidence, and finger printing. At UNH, Peter has taught several investigation courses in the Criminal Justice Department and is currently a Lecturer for the Forensic Science Department, teaching Crime Scene Investigation, Advanced Crime Scene Investigation, and Introduction to Forensic Science. Peter received his MSc degree from the University of New Haven in Forensic Science -Criminalistics and will be earning his Ph.D. in Criminal Justice late 2015. His dissertation will focus on the effect of crime shows and forensic evidence. Peter has been qualified in court and is actively engaged in both criminal and civil cases throughout the United States as an expert witness in the area of crime scene reconstruction, crime scene investigation, and fingerprint comparison. Peter is currently the project manager on a NIJ grant entitled "The Impact of Forensic Evidence on Arrest and Prosecution." He is a co-author of The Crime Scene, and co-authored on a chapter on handling of forensic botany evidence in Forensic Ecology Handbook: From Crime Scene to Court. His research has been presented at the American Academy of Forensic Science annual conferences. Peter's interests include examining the value of standardization of crime scene investigation training and methods and new technological advancements in crime scene investigation.