Crossroads Ranch + LPA Events
Where Investigation Meets Experience
At Crossroads Ranch in Monroe, North Carolina, Dr. Laura Pettler has created something entirely new — a working horse farm, investigative training ground, and entertainment venue where forensic science and equine partnership converge.
Across both Crossroads Ranch and Laura Pettler & Associates (LPA), every event is designed to educate, inspire, and immerse guests in the intersection of horses, true crime, and hands-on forensic learning.
Signature Experiences
True Crime & Equines™ Series
From Adult CSI Horse Camp to Kids CSI Horse Camp and True Crime Pet & Paint Nights, these programs bring participants face-to-face with the science and psychology of criminal investigation — in the most unexpected setting: the barn.
LPA Forensic Training & Continuing Education
Through Laura Pettler & Associates, law enforcement officers, coroners, and forensic professionals attend advanced courses taught by Dr. Pettler and her nationally recognized colleagues. Topics range from Staged Crime Scene Reconstruction to The Murder Room Method — all taught in the animal-assisted, farm-based environment of Crossroads Ranch.
Mounted Search, Rescue, and Recovery Training
As the official training center for the Lancaster County Coroner’s Office Mounted Response Unit (LCCO-MRU), Crossroads Ranch hosts monthly mounted and ground-unit training sessions open to certified responders and volunteers.
Live Guest Events & Retreats
Join Dr. Pettler and featured experts for one-of-a-kind live experiences that merge investigation, wellness, and storytelling. From Hunter & Hunted with Paul Holes to Shots of Deception with Kenny Kinsey, these exclusive events combine real-world forensic instruction with the restorative calm of equine connection.
Upcoming Events
View the full schedule of camps, trainings, and guest appearances below. Each event offers an unfiltered, real-world look into the investigative process — whether you’re a professional, a true-crime enthusiast, or just curious to see how horses help humans uncover the truth.
LCCO MRU Online Monthly Training
MRU Online Monthly Training
When: Third Thursday of every month, 6:30pm-8:30 hours
Where: Online via LPAIFI.com (Zoom Platform)
The LCCO MRU meets online each month for two hours of continuing education and operational development. Hosted by Laura Pettler & Associates Forensic Institute (LPAIFI), this live Zoom session provides members with ongoing instruction and mission support to complement the unit’s field-based training.
Each month’s agenda rotates between topics such as:
Mounted Search, Rescue, and Recovery procedures
Search and Rescue items identification, marking, documenting, and preservation
Field safety, communication, and coordination
Lost person behavior
Coroner’s office operations and investigative updates and more…
MRU Online ensures every member stays informed, trained, and connected — building consistent readiness across the unit.
Access: Members log in through LPAIFI.com. Zoom link and materials are distributed prior to each session. Quizzes are available for con-ed credit at the end. Handouts provided with each presentation.
Attendance: Open to all MRU members.
LCCO MRU Monthly MSAR Mounted Training (Copy)
Monthly Mounted Training
When: Last Sunday of every month, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Where: Crossroads Ranch – Monroe, North Carolina
Special Training: Assistant Commander McCollum will be teaching in the classroom 9am-12pm then riders will mount up and train 1pm-4pm in mock search
Each month, the LCCO Mounted Response Unit gathers at Crossroads Ranch for mounted search and rescue training — a combination of horsemanship, teamwork, and tactical fieldwork designed to keep both horse and rider mission-ready.
Riders begin with groundwork to strengthen communication and responsiveness before moving into the Basic Ten riding skills: walk, trot, canter, halt/back up, turn on the forehand (left and right), turn on the haunches (left and right), and side pass (left and right).
After mastering control and precision, teams transition into search pattern formations and drill work, practicing line, grid, and wedge searches used in real-world missions. Training concludes with a mock search exercise, allowing riders to apply their skills in realistic recovery and investigation scenarios.
This ongoing training ensures every mounted responder is prepared for the physical, mental, and procedural demands of search, rescue, and recovery operations.
Open to: All MRU members and approved mounted volunteers. Guests are always welcome to come observe!
Safety Gear: Helmets required
LCCO MRU Online Monthly Training
MRU Online Monthly Training
When: Third Thursday of every month, 6:30pm-8:30 hours
Where: Online via LPAIFI.com (Zoom Platform)
The LCCO MRU meets online each month for two hours of continuing education and operational development. Hosted by Laura Pettler & Associates Forensic Institute (LPAIFI), this live Zoom session provides members with ongoing instruction and mission support to complement the unit’s field-based training.
Each month’s agenda rotates between topics such as:
Mounted Search, Rescue, and Recovery procedures
Search and Rescue items identification, marking, documenting, and preservation
Field safety, communication, and coordination
Lost person behavior
Coroner’s office operations and investigative updates and more…
MRU Online ensures every member stays informed, trained, and connected — building consistent readiness across the unit.
Access: Members log in through LPAIFI.com. Zoom link and materials are distributed prior to each session. Quizzes are available for con-ed credit at the end. Handouts provided with each presentation.
Attendance: Open to all MRU members.
LCCO MRU Monthly MSAR Mounted Training
Monthly Mounted Training
When: Last Sunday of every month, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Where: Crossroads Ranch – Monroe, North Carolina
Special Training: Assistant Commander McCollum will be teaching in the classroom 9am-12pm then riders will mount up and train 1pm-4pm in mock search
Each month, the LCCO Mounted Response Unit gathers at Crossroads Ranch for mounted search and rescue training — a combination of horsemanship, teamwork, and tactical fieldwork designed to keep both horse and rider mission-ready.
Riders begin with groundwork to strengthen communication and responsiveness before moving into the Basic Ten riding skills: walk, trot, canter, halt/back up, turn on the forehand (left and right), turn on the haunches (left and right), and side pass (left and right).
After mastering control and precision, teams transition into search pattern formations and drill work, practicing line, grid, and wedge searches used in real-world missions. Training concludes with a mock search exercise, allowing riders to apply their skills in realistic recovery and investigation scenarios.
This ongoing training ensures every mounted responder is prepared for the physical, mental, and procedural demands of search, rescue, and recovery operations.
Open to: All MRU members and approved mounted volunteers. Guests are always welcome to come observe!
Safety Gear: Helmets required
Hunter and Hunted: An Introduction to Serial Predator Recognition
Hunter and Hunted: An Introduction to Serial Predator Recognition brings together two of the nation’s leading experts in forensic investigation and offender behavior — Paul Holes and Dr. Laura Pettler — for a powerful exploration of how serial predators operate and how to stop them.
This course introduces participants to the behavioral patterns, psychological dynamics, and investigative strategies that distinguish serial predators from other offenders. Attendees will learn to recognize the subtle warning signs of predatory behavior, understand offender motivation, victimology, and analyze the methods predators use to stalk, control, and silence their victims.
Paul Holes, the celebrated and renowned cold case investigator who helped bring down the Golden State Killer, will share firsthand insights into linking serial cases, navigating investigative roadblocks, and unraveling the behavioral footprints of serial offenders. Drawing from decades of experience, Dr. Laura Pettler, a pioneering forensic criminologist and internationally recognized authority on staged homicides, will present on crime characteristics, victim-offender dynamics, and investigative approaches to identifying patterns of serial predation.
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
Recognize early indicators of serial predation
Understand psychological and behavioral profiles of serial offenders
Analyze offender staging and manipulation tactics
Apply investigative strategies to strengthen case linkage and recognition
Designed for law enforcement, forensic professionals, and criminal justice practitioners, Hunter and Hunted provides an essential foundation in serial predator recognition from two of the field’s foremost experts.
Shots of Deception: Reconstructing Staged Suicides by Firearm
Shots of Deception: Reconstructing Staged Suicides by Firearm presented by Dr. Kenny Kinsey and Dr. Laura Pettler equips investigators, death scene professionals, and forensic specialists with the skills to identify and deconstruct staged firearm suicides. While firearm-related deaths are often classified as self-inflicted, staged suicides present unique challenges that can obscure the truth and delay justice.
This course provides a comprehensive framework for analyzing these complex cases, combining shooting reconstruction techniques with forensic victimology and behavioral and psychological considerations of staging. Participants will learn to recognize telltale inconsistencies in wound ballistics, bloodstain patterns, weapon placement, and scene dynamics, while also examining the victim as the center of the investigation, offender motivation, manipulation tactics, and behavioral red flags.
Through real-world case examples and practical application, attendees will leave with the tools to:
Differentiate authentic suicides from staged firearm deaths
Apply forensic shooting reconstruction methods to ambiguous scenes using Dr. Pettler’s Kaleidoscope Shooting & Bloodstain Reconstruction System and other related equipment
Interpret bloodstain and ballistic evidence in the context of staging
Assess offender behavior and staging psychology
Strengthen case documentation, testimony, and courtroom presentation
This training is designed for law enforcement, medical examiners, coroners, forensic scientists, and criminal justice professionals who encounter firearm-related deaths and need advanced strategies for uncovering deception at the scene.
The Silent Witness: Crime Scene Investigation with Sharon Plotkin
The Silent Witness: Crime Scene Investigation with Sharon Plotkin reveals how every crime scene tells a story — if you know how to listen. Evidence doesn’t lie; it speaks through bloodstains, fingerprints, trace materials, and scene dynamics. This course, led by Sharon Plotkin, guides participants through the essential principles and practices of professional crime scene investigation, from first response to courtroom presentation.
Students will gain hands-on knowledge in:
Proper documentation, photography, and scene security
Evidence recognition, collection, and preservation
Bloodstain pattern and trace evidence interpretation
Understanding the role of crime scene findings in building cases
By the end of this training, attendees will have the tools to uncover the “silent testimony” of crime scenes and transform physical evidence into powerful investigative and prosecutorial insights.
Designed for law enforcement, forensic professionals, students, and criminal justice practitioners, this course bridges theory with practice to sharpen investigative skills and elevate forensic awareness.
CSI Horse Camp: Hoofprints & Hints
There’s a mystery stirring in the barn…
CSI Horse Camp at Honeysuckle Farm, Monroe, NC is saddling up for 2026!
July 20-24, 2025 9am-5pm daily
Ages 7-11
Watch this space for dates, details, and how to ride and learn about forensic science with us.
#HoofprintsAndHints #SaddleUpSleuths #EquineCSI #TrueCrimeOnHorseback
CSI Horse Camp: Hoofprints & Hints
There’s a mystery stirring in the barn…
CSI Horse Camp at Honeysuckle Farm, Monroe, NC is saddling up for 2026!
July 24-27, 2025 9am-5pm daily
Ages 12-17
Watch this space for dates, details, and how to ride and learn about forensic science with us.
#HoofprintsAndHints #SaddleUpSleuths #EquineCSI #TrueCrimeOnHorseback
LCCO MRU Monthly MSAR Mounted Training
Monthly Mounted Training
When: Last Sunday of every month, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Where: Crossroads Ranch – Monroe, North Carolina
Each month, the LCCO Mounted Response Unit gathers at Crossroads Ranch for mounted search and rescue training — a combination of horsemanship, teamwork, and tactical fieldwork designed to keep both horse and rider mission-ready.
Riders begin with groundwork to strengthen communication and responsiveness before moving into the Basic Ten riding skills: walk, trot, canter, halt/back up, turn on the forehand (left and right), turn on the haunches (left and right), and side pass (left and right).
After mastering control and precision, teams transition into search pattern formations and drill work, practicing line, grid, and wedge searches used in real-world missions. Training concludes with a mock search exercise, allowing riders to apply their skills in realistic recovery and investigation scenarios.
This ongoing training ensures every mounted responder is prepared for the physical, mental, and procedural demands of search, rescue, and recovery operations.
Open to: All MRU members and approved mounted volunteers. Guests are always welcome to come observe!
Safety Gear: Helmets required
CSI Horse Camp: Trail of Evidence
CSI Horse Camp: Trail of Evidence
The Adult True Crime & Equines Experience
Saddle up. Follow the trail. Find the truth.
At Crossroads Ranch in Monroe, North Carolina, adults trade conference rooms for crime scenes in this one-of-a-kind forensic riding experience. Led by Dr. Laura Pettler, a world-renowned forensic criminologist and lifelong equestrian, Trail of Evidence combines trail riding, teamwork, and hands-on investigation into an unforgettable day at the nation’s only True Crime Horse Farm.
The Experience
Participants begin the morning mounted — riding through pastures, pondside, and wooded trails where observation and awareness are part of the training. After the ride, the group breaks for lunch from Fox’s Pizza Den or their own packed meal, sharing insights and preparing for the afternoon’s investigation.
Then the real work begins. Participants examine mock death scenes, collect and document evidence, analyze victimology, and reconstruct how and why the crime occurred. You’ll learn how investigators read behavior, interpret bloodstain patterns, and learn about how we solve murders.
What You’ll Learn
Crime scene investigation techniques
Evidence recognition and preservation outdoors
Behavioral and forensic scene interpretation
Team-based investigative strategy
Crime scene photography and documentation
No prior forensic or equine experience required — just curiosity, courage, and the desire to uncover the truth.
Location: Crossroads Ranch – Monroe, North Carolina
Duration: One full day (9:00 AM – 3:00 PM)
Includes: Trail ride, instruction, hands-on mock casework, materials, and commemorative certificate
Where every trail leads to the truth.
LCCO MRU Online Monthly Training
MRU Online Monthly Training
When: Third Thursday of every month, 6:30pm-8:30 hours
Where: Online via LPAIFI.com (Zoom Platform)
The LCCO MRU meets online each month for two hours of continuing education and operational development. Hosted by Laura Pettler & Associates Forensic Institute (LPAIFI), this live Zoom session provides members with ongoing instruction and mission support to complement the unit’s field-based training.
Each month’s agenda rotates between topics such as:
Mounted Search, Rescue, and Recovery procedures
Search and Rescue items identification, marking, documenting, and preservation
Field safety, communication, and coordination
Lost person behavior
Coroner’s office operations and investigative updates and more…
MRU Online ensures every member stays informed, trained, and connected — building consistent readiness across the unit.
Access: Members log in through LPAIFI.com. Zoom link and materials are distributed prior to each session. Quizzes are available for con-ed credit at the end. Handouts provided with each presentation.
Attendance: Open to all MRU members.
LCCO MRU Monthly MSAR Mounted Training
Monthly Mounted Training
When: Last Sunday of every month, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Where: Crossroads Ranch – Monroe, North Carolina
Each month, the LCCO Mounted Response Unit gathers at Crossroads Ranch for mounted search and rescue training — a combination of horsemanship, teamwork, and tactical fieldwork designed to keep both horse and rider mission-ready.
Riders begin with groundwork to strengthen communication and responsiveness before moving into the Basic Ten riding skills: walk, trot, canter, halt/back up, turn on the forehand (left and right), turn on the haunches (left and right), and side pass (left and right).
After mastering control and precision, teams transition into search pattern formations and drill work, practicing line, grid, and wedge searches used in real-world missions. Training concludes with a mock search exercise, allowing riders to apply their skills in realistic recovery and investigation scenarios.
This ongoing training ensures every mounted responder is prepared for the physical, mental, and procedural demands of search, rescue, and recovery operations.
Open to: All MRU members and approved mounted volunteers. Guests are always welcome to come observe!
Safety Gear: Helmets required
CSI Horse Camp: Trail of Evidence
CSI Horse Camp: Trail of Evidence
The Adult True Crime & Equines Experience
Saddle up. Follow the trail. Find the truth.
At Crossroads Ranch in Monroe, North Carolina, adults trade conference rooms for crime scenes in this one-of-a-kind forensic riding experience. Led by Dr. Laura Pettler, a world-renowned forensic criminologist and lifelong equestrian, Trail of Evidence combines trail riding, teamwork, and hands-on investigation into an unforgettable day at the nation’s only True Crime Horse Farm.
The Experience
Participants begin the morning mounted — riding through pastures, pondside, and wooded trails where observation and awareness are part of the training. After the ride, the group breaks for lunch from Fox’s Pizza Den or their own packed meal, sharing insights and preparing for the afternoon’s investigation.
Then the real work begins. Participants examine mock death scenes, collect and document evidence, analyze victimology, and reconstruct how and why the crime occurred. You’ll learn how investigators read behavior, interpret bloodstain patterns, and learn about how we solve murders.
What You’ll Learn
Crime scene investigation techniques
Evidence recognition and preservation outdoors
Behavioral and forensic scene interpretation
Team-based investigative strategy
Crime scene photography and documentation
No prior forensic or equine experience required — just curiosity, courage, and the desire to uncover the truth.
Location: Crossroads Ranch – Monroe, North Carolina
Duration: One full day (9:00 AM – 3:00 PM)
Includes: Trail ride, instruction, hands-on mock casework, materials, and commemorative certificate
Where every trail leads to the truth.
LCCO MRU Online Monthly Training
MRU Online Monthly Training
When: Third Thursday of every month, 6:30pm-8:30 hours
Where: Online via LPAIFI.com (Zoom Platform)
The LCCO MRU meets online each month for two hours of continuing education and operational development. Hosted by Laura Pettler & Associates Forensic Institute (LPAIFI), this live Zoom session provides members with ongoing instruction and mission support to complement the unit’s field-based training.
Each month’s agenda rotates between topics such as:
Mounted Search, Rescue, and Recovery procedures
Search and Rescue items identification, marking, documenting, and preservation
Field safety, communication, and coordination
Lost person behavior
Coroner’s office operations and investigative updates and more…
MRU Online ensures every member stays informed, trained, and connected — building consistent readiness across the unit.
Access: Members log in through LPAIFI.com. Zoom link and materials are distributed prior to each session. Quizzes are available for con-ed credit at the end. Handouts provided with each presentation.
Attendance: Open to all MRU members.
LCCO MRU Monthly MSAR Mounted Training
Monthly Mounted Training
When: Last Sunday of every month, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Where: Crossroads Ranch – Monroe, North Carolina
Each month, the LCCO Mounted Response Unit gathers at Crossroads Ranch for mounted search and rescue training — a combination of horsemanship, teamwork, and tactical fieldwork designed to keep both horse and rider mission-ready.
Riders begin with groundwork to strengthen communication and responsiveness before moving into the Basic Ten riding skills: walk, trot, canter, halt/back up, turn on the forehand (left and right), turn on the haunches (left and right), and side pass (left and right).
After mastering control and precision, teams transition into search pattern formations and drill work, practicing line, grid, and wedge searches used in real-world missions. Training concludes with a mock search exercise, allowing riders to apply their skills in realistic recovery and investigation scenarios.
This ongoing training ensures every mounted responder is prepared for the physical, mental, and procedural demands of search, rescue, and recovery operations.
Open to: All MRU members and approved mounted volunteers. Guests are always welcome to come observe!
Safety Gear: Helmets required
CSI Horse Camp: Trail of Evidence
CSI Horse Camp: Trail of Evidence
The Adult True Crime & Equines Experience
Saddle up. Follow the trail. Find the truth.
At Crossroads Ranch in Monroe, North Carolina, adults trade conference rooms for crime scenes in this one-of-a-kind forensic riding experience. Led by Dr. Laura Pettler, a world-renowned forensic criminologist and lifelong equestrian, Trail of Evidence combines trail riding, teamwork, and hands-on investigation into an unforgettable day at the nation’s only True Crime Horse Farm.
The Experience
Participants begin the morning mounted — riding through pastures, pondside, and wooded trails where observation and awareness are part of the training. After the ride, the group breaks for lunch from Fox’s Pizza Den or their own packed meal, sharing insights and preparing for the afternoon’s investigation.
Then the real work begins. Participants examine mock death scenes, collect and document evidence, analyze victimology, and reconstruct how and why the crime occurred. You’ll learn how investigators read behavior, interpret bloodstain patterns, and learn about how we solve murders.
What You’ll Learn
Crime scene investigation techniques
Evidence recognition and preservation outdoors
Behavioral and forensic scene interpretation
Team-based investigative strategy
Crime scene photography and documentation
No prior forensic or equine experience required — just curiosity, courage, and the desire to uncover the truth.
Location: Crossroads Ranch – Monroe, North Carolina
Duration: One full day (9:00 AM – 3:00 PM)
Includes: Trail ride, instruction, hands-on mock casework, materials, and commemorative certificate
Where every trail leads to the truth.
LCCO MRU Online Monthly Training
MRU Online Monthly Training
When: Third Thursday of every month, 6:30pm-8:30 hours
Where: Online via LPAIFI.com (Zoom Platform)
The LCCO MRU meets online each month for two hours of continuing education and operational development. Hosted by Laura Pettler & Associates Forensic Institute (LPAIFI), this live Zoom session provides members with ongoing instruction and mission support to complement the unit’s field-based training.
Each month’s agenda rotates between topics such as:
Mounted Search, Rescue, and Recovery procedures
Search and Rescue items identification, marking, documenting, and preservation
Field safety, communication, and coordination
Lost person behavior
Coroner’s office operations and investigative updates and more…
MRU Online ensures every member stays informed, trained, and connected — building consistent readiness across the unit.
Access: Members log in through LPAIFI.com. Zoom link and materials are distributed prior to each session. Quizzes are available for con-ed credit at the end. Handouts provided with each presentation.
Attendance: Open to all MRU members.
LCCO MRU Monthly MSAR Mounted Training
Monthly Mounted Training
When: Last Sunday of every month, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Where: Crossroads Ranch – Monroe, North Carolina
Each month, the LCCO Mounted Response Unit gathers at Crossroads Ranch for mounted search and rescue training — a combination of horsemanship, teamwork, and tactical fieldwork designed to keep both horse and rider mission-ready.
Riders begin with groundwork to strengthen communication and responsiveness before moving into the Basic Ten riding skills: walk, trot, canter, halt/back up, turn on the forehand (left and right), turn on the haunches (left and right), and side pass (left and right).
After mastering control and precision, teams transition into search pattern formations and drill work, practicing line, grid, and wedge searches used in real-world missions. Training concludes with a mock search exercise, allowing riders to apply their skills in realistic recovery and investigation scenarios.
This ongoing training ensures every mounted responder is prepared for the physical, mental, and procedural demands of search, rescue, and recovery operations.
Open to: All MRU members and approved mounted volunteers. Guests are always welcome to come observe!
Safety Gear: Helmets required
CSI Horse Camp: Trail of Evidence
CSI Horse Camp: Trail of Evidence
The Adult True Crime & Equines Experience
Saddle up. Follow the trail. Find the truth.
At Crossroads Ranch in Monroe, North Carolina, adults trade conference rooms for crime scenes in this one-of-a-kind forensic riding experience. Led by Dr. Laura Pettler, a world-renowned forensic criminologist and lifelong equestrian, Trail of Evidence combines trail riding, teamwork, and hands-on investigation into an unforgettable day at the nation’s only True Crime Horse Farm.
The Experience
Participants begin the morning mounted — riding through pastures, pondside, and wooded trails where observation and awareness are part of the training. After the ride, the group breaks for lunch from Fox’s Pizza Den or their own packed meal, sharing insights and preparing for the afternoon’s investigation.
Then the real work begins. Participants examine mock death scenes, collect and document evidence, analyze victimology, and reconstruct how and why the crime occurred. You’ll learn how investigators read behavior, interpret bloodstain patterns, and learn about how we solve murders.
What You’ll Learn
Crime scene investigation techniques
Evidence recognition and preservation outdoors
Behavioral and forensic scene interpretation
Team-based investigative strategy
Crime scene photography and documentation
No prior forensic or equine experience required — just curiosity, courage, and the desire to uncover the truth.
Location: Crossroads Ranch – Monroe, North Carolina
Duration: One full day (9:00 AM – 3:00 PM)
Includes: Trail ride, instruction, hands-on mock casework, materials, and commemorative certificate
Where every trail leads to the truth.
LCCO MRU Online Monthly Training
MRU Online Monthly Training
When: Third Thursday of every month, 6:30pm-8:30 hours
Where: Online via LPAIFI.com (Zoom Platform)
The LCCO MRU meets online each month for two hours of continuing education and operational development. Hosted by Laura Pettler & Associates Forensic Institute (LPAIFI), this live Zoom session provides members with ongoing instruction and mission support to complement the unit’s field-based training.
Each month’s agenda rotates between topics such as:
Mounted Search, Rescue, and Recovery procedures
Search and Rescue items identification, marking, documenting, and preservation
Field safety, communication, and coordination
Lost person behavior
Coroner’s office operations and investigative updates and more…
MRU Online ensures every member stays informed, trained, and connected — building consistent readiness across the unit.
Access: Members log in through LPAIFI.com. Zoom link and materials are distributed prior to each session. Quizzes are available for con-ed credit at the end. Handouts provided with each presentation.
Attendance: Open to all MRU members.
LCCO MRU Monthly MSAR Mounted Training
Monthly Mounted Training
When: Last Sunday of every month, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Where: Crossroads Ranch – Monroe, North Carolina
Special Guest Instructor: Charlotte Cannon who will teach ground work and essential oils. No mounted training.
Open to: All MRU members and approved mounted volunteers. Guests are always welcome to come observe!
Safety Gear: Helmets required
LCCO MRU Online Monthly Training
MRU Online Monthly Training
When: Third Thursday of every month, 6:30pm-8:30 hours
Where: Online via LPAIFI.com (Zoom Platform)
The LCCO MRU meets online each month for two hours of continuing education and operational development. Hosted by Laura Pettler & Associates Forensic Institute (LPAIFI), this live Zoom session provides members with ongoing instruction and mission support to complement the unit’s field-based training.
Each month’s agenda rotates between topics such as:
Mounted Search, Rescue, and Recovery procedures
Search and Rescue items identification, marking, documenting, and preservation
Field safety, communication, and coordination
Lost person behavior
Coroner’s office operations and investigative updates and more…
MRU Online ensures every member stays informed, trained, and connected — building consistent readiness across the unit.
Access: Members log in through LPAIFI.com. Zoom link and materials are distributed prior to each session. Quizzes are available for con-ed credit at the end. Handouts provided with each presentation.
Attendance: Open to all MRU members.
LCCO MRU Online Monthly Training
MRU Online Monthly Training
When: Third Thursday of every month, 6:30pm-8:30 hours
Where: Online via LPAIFI.com (Zoom Platform)
The LCCO MRU meets online each month for two hours of continuing education and operational development. Hosted by Laura Pettler & Associates Forensic Institute (LPAIFI), this live Zoom session provides members with ongoing instruction and mission support to complement the unit’s field-based training.
Each month’s agenda rotates between topics such as:
Mounted Search, Rescue, and Recovery procedures
Search and Rescue items identification, marking, documenting, and preservation
Field safety, communication, and coordination
Lost person behavior
Coroner’s office operations and investigative updates and more…
MRU Online ensures every member stays informed, trained, and connected — building consistent readiness across the unit.
Access: Members log in through LPAIFI.com. Zoom link and materials are distributed prior to each session. Quizzes are available for con-ed credit at the end. Handouts provided with each presentation.
Attendance: Open to all MRU members.
LCCO MRU Monthly MSAR Mounted Training
Monthly Mounted Training
When: Last Sunday of every month, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Where: Crossroads Ranch – Monroe, North Carolina
Special Guest Instructor: Charlotte Cannon who will teach ground work and essential oils. No mounted training.
Open to: All MRU members and approved mounted volunteers. Guests are always welcome to come observe!
Safety Gear: Helmets required
LCCO MRU Monthly MSAR Mounted Training
Monthly Mounted Training
When: Last Sunday of every month, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Where: Crossroads Ranch – Monroe, North Carolina
Each month, the LCCO Mounted Response Unit gathers at Crossroads Ranch for mounted search and rescue training — a combination of horsemanship, teamwork, and tactical fieldwork designed to keep both horse and rider mission-ready.
Riders begin with groundwork to strengthen communication and responsiveness before moving into the Basic Ten riding skills: walk, trot, canter, halt/back up, turn on the forehand (left and right), turn on the haunches (left and right), and side pass (left and right).
After mastering control and precision, teams transition into search pattern formations and drill work, practicing line, grid, and wedge searches used in real-world missions. Training concludes with a mock search exercise, allowing riders to apply their skills in realistic recovery and investigation scenarios.
This ongoing training ensures every mounted responder is prepared for the physical, mental, and procedural demands of search, rescue, and recovery operations.
Open to: All MRU members and approved mounted volunteers. Guests are always welcome to come observe!
Safety Gear: Helmets required
LCCO MRU Online Monthly Training
MRU Online Monthly Training
When: Third Thursday of every month, 6:30pm-8:30 hours
Where: Online via LPAIFI.com (Zoom Platform)
The LCCO MRU meets online each month for two hours of continuing education and operational development. Hosted by Laura Pettler & Associates Forensic Institute (LPAIFI), this live Zoom session provides members with ongoing instruction and mission support to complement the unit’s field-based training.
Each month’s agenda rotates between topics such as:
Mounted Search, Rescue, and Recovery procedures
Search and Rescue items identification, marking, documenting, and preservation
Field safety, communication, and coordination
Lost person behavior
Coroner’s office operations and investigative updates and more…
MRU Online ensures every member stays informed, trained, and connected — building consistent readiness across the unit.
Access: Members log in through LPAIFI.com. Zoom link and materials are distributed prior to each session. Quizzes are available for con-ed credit at the end. Handouts provided with each presentation.
Attendance: Open to all MRU members.
MRU Meet & Greet Volunteer Information Meeting
The Lancaster County Coroner’s Office Mounted Response Unit is the first coroner’s office-based medicolegal death investigation-related mounted unit in the United States. The unit was founded by Coroner Karla Deese to serve both the People of Lancaster County, South Carolina and any other agencies who request medicolegal death investigation-related mounted search, recovery, and rescue support.
Interested in volunteering? Awesome. Join us March 1, 2025 for a Meet & Greet Info session to learn more!