CSI PHOENIX PART 1: We Introduce Carl Speckels

Published: Posted on September 8, 2016February 5, 2021 by admin

Last Updated: February 5th, 2021

 (Carl Speckels, CLPE, stands in front of the Phoenix Police Crime Lab with his BMW S1000RR)

At TEAM Arizona we run into people from all walks of life.  From Hall of Fame Pro Football players to WNBA All-Stars to prominent attorneys and celebrities, the sport of motorcycling introduces us to people we typically wouldn’t meet.  Occasionally one of these people bring an insight that helps us understand ourselves and motorcycle riding better.  That is the case with Carl Speckels.  Our extensive conversations regarding motorcycling were so powerful and eye-opening that we had to share it with all of you as part of our monthly Riding Tip series.

For the next three months Carl will be opening doors into the world of crime scene investigation in a way that will help us become better riders.  One might think, “How can there be a relationship between forensic science and motorcycling?”  We once thought that too.  We hope that this three-part series will reveal just how closely these two elements are related.  In this first part, we want to give you a little background about Carl, explain how he came to TEAM Arizona, and establish the premise for part two in our series.

GOING UNDERCOVER

Motorcycling was originally a hidden affair for Carl.  Like a lot of other riders, his parents did not approve of him riding a motorcycle.  At the age of fourteen, when his brother left for Air Force duty in Sicily, Carl couldn’t resist taking his older brother’s motorcycle from the garage to rip around the desert with some friends from the neighborhood.  For more than a year Carl was able to ride the desert outside East Mesa.  The seed for the love of motorcycling was planted.  That seed wouldn’t sprout for another three decades.

In the meantime, Carl pursued a professional career in baseball.  While his baseball journey as a pitcher ended in college, his scientific adventure was just beginning.  Carl received a BS in Biology at Athens State University and started working for the US Space and Rocket Center (aka Space Camp) in Huntsville, Alabama.  After spending time in their Education Department writing curriculum for high school attendees, Carl decided to return to his home state of Arizona.

BLUE LIFE BEGINS

In Arizona Carl started working for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.  His duties included working high profile crime scenes, latent print analysis, and evidence processing.  After two years of full-time experience and an agency endorsement, Carl passed an extremely difficult test to become a Certified Latent Print Examiner (CLPE).  Carl moved to the Chandler Police Department where he provided similar services and added marijuana analysis to his repertoire.  Upon moving to the Phoenix Police Department Crime Laboratory, one of the largest crime labs in the nation, Carl specialized in latent print analysis and now oversees Phoenix’s latent print training program.

RETURN TO MOTORCYCLING

Carl decided to return to motorcycling.  We’ve said it time and time again…once riding is in your blood, it just doesn’t go away.  His wife, Kelly, agreed to this pursuit but only if he attended a training course.  As our participants tend to do, Carl purchased the bike (2012 BMW RT1200) before taking the Basic RiderCourse, but it wasn’t long before Carl realized he needed training.  Soon after the course, Carl decided he wanted more from his two wheel experience.

The wonderful world of sport biking opened up to Carl when he purchased a BMW S1000RR.  It is a cutting-edge vehicle that demands a rider’s attention and rewards when utilized properly.  The Total Control Advanced Riding Clinic was just the ticket.  He followed that up with a private training session with premier Total Control instructor Tealdo Teal.  From there, he went to California’s renowned Willow Springs Race Track to take part in a Total Control Track Clinic.

It was on this trip to Willow Springs that your author was introduced to forensic science.  We made the sixteen hour round trip to Willow Springs from Phoenix in a van trailering our motorcycles.  During the sixteen total hours of travel I slowly recognized there was much to glean from Carl’s understanding of forensic science.   Could there be a parallel to motorcycle riding?  I needed more time and more conversations to find out.

PART TWO

In next month’s article we’ll explore how forensic science relates to motorcycling, we’ll perform a forensic analysis of a corner, and we’ll learn how Formula One racers and motorcycle riders have more in common than we might think.

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Bill Seltzer has been a Motorcycle Safety Foundation RiderCoach since 2003 and a Total Control Advanced Riding Instructor since 2011.  He currently serves as the Marketing Director for TEAM Arizona and is a member of the Arizona Strategic Highway Safety Planning committee.  Have questions or comments about the article?  Email him: Bill@MotorcycleTraining.com