The Foley Police Department is hosting its 15th annual forensics seminar this week.

The free event at Liberty Church allows participants to learn new techniques and network.

Foley Police Chief Thurston Bullock told 1819 News that 277 people from as far as Virginia will be in attendance.

"It brings a lot of people to our area, and they're able to get quality training that you generally can't get in other areas, especially for free," Bullock said. "We generally cater to investigators, and people in that field so that they can get some quality training specific to their field."

This year's theme is "Down by the Water," and experts present case studies on aquatic deaths.

"It's something that an investigator may or may not have dealt with before, and there are so many things that go with that," Bullock explained. "For example, was it accidental? Was it homicide and disposal? Or was it natural? And there's a lot of things that go with the investigation that make it more difficult when the body has been submerged in water."

Bullock said the networking is an integral part of the seminar and said he has seen the benefits of experts meeting experts.

"We have a great group of people that come to our conference each year," he said. "The camaraderie between all these officers is great, and we really enjoy spending time with them. We have some people who have been here all 15 years that we've hosted it. It's good to see those returning faces."