Meet Your Instructors
ASHLEY CHURCH
Ashley Church has always had a passion for forensic science and chased her dream job as a crime scene investigator throughout high school and college, where she studied forensic science and entomology. Upon completing her education, Ashley began her career in 2013 as a Crime Scene Investigator for the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Orlando, Florida. In addition to her duties as a Crime Scene Investigator, she was a field training officer responsible for training new crime scene investigators.
In 2017, she became a Forensic Technician for the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office in Kissimmee, Florida. In 2018, she was promoted to Forensic Supervisor and was responsible for supervising members of the Forensic Unit and Pre-Screening DNA Laboratory as well as training staff in these forensic disciplines to full competency. Ashley is currently a proud work-from-home mama and a big fan of the small town in South Carolina that the Church family calls home.
ERIN WEST
Erin West began her career in Forensics in 2006 as a Crime Scene Investigator for the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office in Florida. In 2010, she became a Battlefield Forensics Instructor for the United States Army Intelligence Center of Excellence, where she was responsible for training military personnel how to use a variety of forensic disciplines to investigate crimes overseas.
In 2012, she became a Supervisor, then a Deputy Program Manager for a Department of Justice Forensic Laboratory housed at American Systems, where she was responsible for training and supervising staff working in different forensic disciplines and at different levels of management.
After leaving American Systems, she spent several years with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office in Florida working as a full time Latent Print Examiner. She was later promoted to Latent Print Supervisor as well as Forensic Supervisor, and is currently the Crime Scene Manager overseeing the Forensic Unit, Latent Print Unit and Evidence Unit.
ROBERTO CACERES
Roberto has been a Deputy Sheriff for the Broward Sheriff's Office for 19 years. He started his law enforcement career in the Broward County Police Academy in November 2002 and then as a Road Patrol Deputy in May 2003.
In May 2008, he was transferred to the Broward Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit as a forensic investigator. After being involved in over 1,200 death and shooting related cases, and approximately 180 homicides, Roberto has gained the knowledge and experience to lead and instruct forensic investigators on how to properly document a scene and/or victim. He has been a Field Training Detective since 2014 and since then has been involved in the full year long training of five Detectives and one Technician. In 2018, he was assigned as the Lead Field Training Detective in the unit to oversee the training and development of new detectives.
In August 2015, Roberto was selected by the U.S. Department of Defense to travel to Kingston, Jamaica to teach an introductory Shooting Reconstruction course to INDECOM; the Jamaican state agency responsible for use of force investigations of their multiple law enforcement agencies. In January 2017, Roberto took a leadership role in the Broward Sheriff's Office Crime Scene Unit’s portion of the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Airport mass shooting investigation. He led 12 Forensic Detectives with various on-scene investigative tasks in collaboration with various agencies such as the FBI and ATF. In February 2018, he was also tasked as one of the lead forensic investigators during the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting. His leadership role in conjunction with the on scene supervisors allowed Roberto to coordinate, task, and take command of various forensic investigators from within his unit and various agencies.
In October 2018, he was awarded “Detective of the Year” from the Broward County Crime Commission for his exemplary service in the field of forensics.
In 2019, Roberto co-created a presentation called, “Mass Casualty: A Crime Scene Perspective”. He has presented this lecture to various law enforcement agencies throughout the state of Florida in addition to the 2019 FDIAI Conference in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Roberto earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Florida Atlantic University in January 2006.
JEN HELMS
Jen Helms is an IAI Certified Crime Scene Analyst and has been in the field of forensic science for almost a decade. Her desire for forensic science stemmed from a line of family in the same field. After graduating with her B.S. from West Virginia University’s Forensic & Investigative Science program, she moved from the mountains of West Virginia to the beaches of Florida.
Jen worked, for about six years, as a Crime Scene Investigator for Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, and during that time, she attended the 37th session of the National Forensic Academy in Knoxville, Tennessee. While at BCSO, Jen also met her husband, a sworn law enforcement officer, and they were married in 2015. In 2018, Jen transitioned to a newly created position of Forensic Supervisor at Kissimmee Police Department. As the first solely designated supervisor of the Forensics Unit at KPD, Jen was met with the realization that there was a need for specialized, affordable training for forensics professionals, especially those within the confines of property and evidence. Managing a property and evidence room of over 90,000 items, recognizing the antiquated means many evidence rooms operate within, and understanding the crucial role evidence technicians play in the judicial system is why Jen took it upon herself to implement and create new property and evidence practices and policies at KPD.
Shortly after the birth of her first daughter in July 2020, Jen realized her role in the forensic science discipline would shift to that of more training and knowledge sharing. Jen now works for a local non-profit and is proud to be a part of the Gap Science team.
KEN POMERANZ
Ken Pomeranz has more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement serving the San Diego Police Dept., the Las Vegas Police Dept., Adams County Sheriff’s Office (Colorado), Lakewood Police Dept. (Colorado) and currently the Phoenix Police Dept. He is a highly decorated officer (retired) who was shot in the line of duty.
Ken earned his Master's Degree in forensic science and is certified both as a Senior Crime Scene Analyst and as a Forensic Photographer through the IAI. He is a past president of the Rocky Mountain Division of the IAI (RMDIAI) and is currently a vice-president for the Arizona Identification Council. He has conducted trainings and presentations at both the international and regional levels. He is a court qualified expert in bloodstain pattern analysis, wound pattern analysis, footwear impression evidence, and crime scene analysis. He's taught forensics and criminal justice courses to police departments and universities throughout the states of Colorado, Nevada, California and Arizona.
Ken has been involved in field training programs as both a Field Training Officer and as an FTO Coordinator since the mid 90’s. He is an active member of the National Association of Field Training Officers and International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association. Ken is currently a Crime Scene Response Supervisor with the Phoenix Police Dept. and teaches at Arizona State University, University of Maryland Global Campus and Rio Salado College.
REBECA D'JIMAS
Rebeca D’Jimas is currently a Forensic Science Supervisor and the Crime Scene Technical Manager at the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office in the Forensic Sciences Division. Throughout her time as a Forensic Science Supervisor, she was the Major Case Response Team Supervisor for six years, and is currently a member of the 3D Reconstruction Team, a member of the Ground Penetrating Radar Team, and the Field Training Officer Supervisor.
Supervisor D’Jimas received her Bachelor’s Degree at the University of South Florida in Communication Science and Disorders, her Crime Scene Technology Certificate and Associate’s Degree at St. Petersburg College, and her Masters of Science in Criminal Justice with a Forensic Science Specialization at Saint Leo University.
Supervisor D’Jimas is a Certified Crime Scene Investigator (CCSI) for the International Association for Identification and holds a FARO Focus 3D Scanner Certification.