Frequently Asked Questions

The WMU Cold Case Program with the Michigan State Police is an immersive program that equips students with the essential skills required for careers in law and law enforcement by allowing them to work with investigative materials in order to review cold cases. Partnering with MSP allows students to be given comprehensive training in forensic science, criminal investigation tactics, and law, while giving MSP the assistance they need to solve cases. 

Students accepted into the program work alongside the Michigan State Police detectives to review cold homicide and missing person cases.  By offering fresh perspectives to the case, suggest forensic analyses, make connections buried inside the case material, examine social media, ancestry, create detailed timelines, family trees and maps, examine advances in scientific methodologies and practices and help to determine the feasibility of DNA testing, students are able to conduct research to support detectives in their investigations. Students work directly with case materials in order to review, add, or clarify key aspects of investigation.

Yes. Students accepted into the program work directly with the Michigan State Police, and have access to specific case materials necessary to contribute to investigations. Students are required to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement upon acceptance to the program. 

The Michigan State Police decides which cold cases are opened. The CCP does not have influence over the cases that are chosen or the cases that we work on in any given semester.

The CCP only works with the Michigan State Police and their cases. However, local law enforcement occasionally works with the Michigan State Police on a case. In those circumstances the CCP may end up working a case with a police department or sheriff's office.

A typical day as a student investigator involves a team collaboration working on various case-related tasks that have been given by the detectives working on each case.  These tasks could involve library research, case organization, making timelines, a people index or researching backgrounds of people of interest. 

Students can get class or internship credit for their work in the Cold Case Program. There are also paid opportunities with the Michigan State Police. MSP offers two different job tracks: student cadets and student assistants. All students hired can work 32 hours per week total.

A typical week for a student cadet will be comprised of at least twelve hours spent in the Cold Case Program and at least four hours spent at the MSP post of their choice. Specific tasks will vary by week.

A typical week for a student assistant will be comprised of at least twelve hours spent in the Cold Case Program and four hours spent job shadowing and touring various MSP labs. These experiences will be tailored to each individual student’s interests and the hours for these opportunities will be dependent on availability for these outside opportunities. Some weeks may not have these opportunities available.

The Cold Case Program time commitment is 140 hours a semester. This averages about 12 hours a week.  

Yes.  You can receive either 3 internship credits or 3 independent study credits (you and your advisor should decide which option will be most useful for your major)

Yes.

Our application is open on February 15 and October 1 of each academic year.  You will know whether or not you’ve been accepted into the program before you register for summer, fall or spring semester classes.

You must be an enrolled WMU student for the semester in which you are applying, hold a GPA of at least 3.0, have earned at least 26 college credit hours by the semester in which you are applying, and you cannot have any other classes or work scheduled on Monday or Wednesday from 10 am to 6 pm in the semester in which you are applying.  You must also submit to a background check from the state police.

Unfortunately, we have no method in place to allow non-WMU students to participate in this program at this time.

No.  The students can only research their assigned case file inside the Cold Case Program space on campus and on an encrypted computer network.  Due to this there is no way to work remotely or virtually on these case files.

Of course!  Please email us: @email

No problem. The CCP accepts students from any major and any college on campus; students with different training provide different perspectives needed to examine case files. We are more concerned with whether or not you meet the program requirements.

Do well in your courses because you’ll need a 3.0 GPA and a faculty member’s recommendation.  Get involved with relevant groups on campus, too! The Criminal Justice Student Association is a great way to learn more about the field and profession.  There are also many other organizations and volunteer opportunities that will help build your resume before you apply:  https://experiencewmu.wmich.edu/events.

The faculty endorsement can come from any faculty member you’ve worked with even if it’s not a WMU faculty member. 

Students should have Mondays and Wednesdays free because these are the days that detectives are available to meet with student teams.

The Cold Case Program is always looking for new perspectives and unique skill sets from all majors.