What qualifications do ballistics experts in law enforcement need?

[lax1113]

Hey guys,
I know that crime shows are largely exagerrated and most of it aren't real, however, the idea that they use ballistics in murders and shootings is obvious. What i want to know is, who are them guys when you hear them say, "The bullet just came back from ballistics, it was fired from such and such angle." Who are them ballistic's guru's? I hope I am making it clear enough, like would one go to college for physics and go into the law enforcement field? is it a field of engineering and then just getting into that for a job? Is it really not at all what it seems to be and there is no designated ballistics team...

Anything would be appreciated guys, thanks.

 

[physics girl phd]

Forensics ballistics is a field. Generally the bullet can be examined for type, firearm used (via groove patterns perhaps), etc. Knowing that info allows one to know the bullet's speed when it departs the gun. Knowing speed and locating the bullet (including possibly intact embedded bullets in characterized materials) would allow one to make such estimates via conservation of momentum/energy and via kinetics (unintact bullets would be more difficult of course). I don't think every city has a "ballistics team" but there are ballistics experts and national databases forinformation such as this. Note: you may want to check out http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/april2000/schehl1.htm#Introduction" (from Forensics Science Communications).