While the Internal Revenue Service is on the minds of many this time of year, 18 Westminster College students will learn the secrets of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division during the daylong, hands-on "Westminster Project" April 16.

The Westminster students will receive intensive training from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the McKelvey Campus Center on interviewing subjects and witnesses, surveillance techniques, analysis of documents and financial records, writing affidavits for search and arrest warrants, as well as being part of an undercover investigation. A firearms simulator machine will be set up in the Westminster television studio to provide participants with realistic deadly force situations.

"The Westminster Project promises to be an amazing experience for our students, especially those studying accounting and criminal justice," according to Westminster Career Services Director Jackie Meade. "In addition to participating in hands-on investigations and simulations, our students will learn about employment opportunities available upon graduation in the field of financial investigations at Federal Law Enforcement agencies."

"This is a partnership with Westminster College and the IRS Criminal Investigation Division to give students an opportunity to use their academic training and apply that to real types of investigations. Teams of students and teams of IRS Special agents will be conducting realistic investigations," said Andrew Hromoko Jr., special agent and public information officer for the Department of Treasury IRS Criminal Investigation unit.

"The mock investigation scenarios range from a money laundering investigation involving a major drug dealer to subjects involved in defrauding the U.S. Government," Hromoko added. "The entire campus is being used for the investigation where students and special agents will be using all sorts of investigative skills."

IRS Criminal Investigation Division special agents are involved in many types of investigations, specifically when it comes to following a paper or money trail, according to Hromoko. "These investigations range from income tax evasion to money laundering. We are also involved in terrorism investigations here in the United States and overseas."

Teams of Westminster students will be matched up with three IRS special agents throughout the day. Scenarios will take place from 8:30 a.m. to noon and from 1 - 4 p.m. A debriefing and graduation ceremony will take place at 4 p.m. in the Campus Center's Witherspoon Room.

"Westminster College has been an excellent partner with this program and we look forward to working with them in the future," Hromoko said.

More Stories