COLUMBIA--These days, a white lab coat is becoming about as synonymous with crime-fighting as a blue suit, as popular television shows portray the work of crime-scene scientists.

Newberry College hopes to capitalize on the growing interest in forensic science by becoming the first college in South Carolina to offer a chemistry degree with a concentration in the field. The college is teaming up with the State Law Enforcement Division to offer hands-on training.

"The impact of shows such as 'CSI' and 'Law and Order' have created an intense interest in forensic science," assistant professor of chemistry Carole Letson said in a statement released by the college. The program will "give the students the theoretical know-how as well as the practical application of the science involved."

College officials say the program is the only one of its kind in South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina. Officials say the nearest comparable forensic programs are at Eastern Kentucky University or Central Florida University.

Officials at SLED, whose Columbia headquarters are about 40 miles from the college, say having an academic program that trains science students specifically to do forensics work will cut down on the training time necessary for new employees hired to work in crime labs at SLED and elsewhere.

"We will have a pool of applicants in forensic science that come in with a good scientific background not only in chemistry but how chemistry applies to forensic science," said Capt. Earl Wells, director of the SLED forensics laboratory.

Typically, scientists must complete up to two years of training before being able to work alone, Wells said. But the Newberry program will offer students a chance to get on-the-job training through internships and research projects in SLED labs.

Less time spent training means SLED scientists can spend more time processing thousands of crime-scene samples, which can range from DNA tests to lipstick on a discarded tissue. The lab's 100 staffers handle samples from about 14,000 cases a year, and a single case can have dozens of samples, Wells said.

Training is "a large part of my job," said Wendy Bell, a forensic toxicologist who has worked in the SLED lab for seven years. "Someone coming in with more knowledge would definitely be helpful."

Bell, who has a doctorate in analytical chemistry from the University of South Carolina, said extensive training is necessary because of the high stakes involved with forensic science.

"We're dealing with chemistry that affects people's lives dramatically, so we want to make sure that we know a hundred percent what we're doing," Bell said.

Students doing research or internships would not work directly on cases, but their work could provide practical help to South Carolina law enforcement, Wells said.

For example, student interns or researchers could collect paint samples from cars in body shops and salvage yards and enter them into the SLED database. Those samples help officers track down hit-and-run suspects.

It's necessary research that SLED scientists don't always have time to do, Wells said.