Fingerprint Expert Witness

Expert Witness No.2872

Work Experience

                           
A Forensic Biometric Fingerprint Identification Corporation located in Nebraska.
November, 2008 – Present

A company established to provide accurate fingerprint identification services to the judicial, law enforcement and non-criminal communities. Over 40 years fingerprint experience, services offered: Expert court testimony fingerprint and fingerprint identification systems , criminal history validation based on fingerprint comparison, evaluation of latent fingerprint case work, evaluation of the automated fingerprint identification search system information, evaluation of fingerprint training and proficiency testing, evaluation of policy and procedure of latent/tenprint fingerprint card processing.

Forensic Identification Laboratory Manager for a Nebraska Police Dept. August 2001- October 2008

Duties included the searching of active Latent cases against the state and the FBI automated fingerprint identification systems, court testimony when required. Responsible for arrest card processing for the City of Lincoln and Lancaster County, question document analysis, video capture and enhancement, as well as chemical processing of fingerprint evidence. Accomplishments, instituted installation and operation of the FBI IAFIS software, new fingerprint filing system, migrated from analog to digital photography and developed a computerized case tracking system to replace a manual case system. Developed and administered latent and tenprint fingerprint training courses for the PD and state and local agencies. Assisted the Nebraska State Patrol in developing a RFP and assisting in the vendor selection process for the state automated fingerprint identification search system. Assisted in the development of an RFP for a Digital Evidence Server for the Lincoln Police Department. Member of the Nebraska State AFIS Policy Advisory Board 2001-2008, was selected to chair the Board 2002-2003 selected vice-chair 2005-2006. Elected Vice-President Nebraska State Chapter of the International Association of Identification 2003-2008.

Latent Central Site Manager, NYS Division Criminal Justice Services Operation  April, 1996 - August 2001

Fingerprint Site at the Division of Criminal Justice Services. This includes Duties included the searching of active Latent cases against the state and the FBI automated fingerprint identification systems, court testimony when required. Coordinated with nineteen (19) Regional Latent SAFIS sites, to insure continuity of policy and procedure, training of latent fingerprint examiners in basic and more advanced latent fingerprint verification required lesson plan development, development of D.C.J.S future initiatives to include Store & Forward Coordinated training seminars for both fingerprint and digital clarification training. Testing of new builds and new functionality with the Vendors of both the State and Federal search systems. at the remote Sites. Fingerprint training associated with State Automated Fingerprint System, Remote Fingerprint Editing System, Evidence Technician Training and Digital Imaging courses, to include Technology as well as a communication network with the Regional Sites and the FBI Remote Fingerprint Editing System.

Tenprint Operations Manager/System Design Team Representative, NYS Division Criminal Justice Services.
January, 1990- December, 1994

Responsible for insuring the Bureau of Operation’s fingerprint related needs were incorporated into the design and development of the new statewide automated fingerprint identification search system. Required substantial involvement with the development of the new workflow, policies/procedure, system sizing, system reports, system security, hardware, ergonomic issues, floor plans, procedures, transition plan, labor/management issues, and developing/coordinating new training programs. Testing and monitoring fingerprint accuracy after system installation. Acted as Liaison between Operations Staff, DCJS technical support staff and the SAFIS vendor with regard to development and testing of system enhancements, fixes and modifications.  Worked with the New York State Department of Civil Service in the development of a series of promotional tests for fingerprint identification titles within the agency.

Manager Criminal History Bureau, NYS Division Criminal Justice Services. October, 1989- 1990

Units were responsible for updating, deleting, transmitting and modifying computerized records based on fingerprint validation. Communicated orally and in writing with the courts and user agencies.

Records Control, Quality Control and the Purge/File Rectification Unit Supervisor Division Criminal Justice Services
March, 1984-1989
Responsible for analyzing and correcting fingerprint and system errors.

Supervisor Bureau of Identification/Output Sections NYS Division Criminal Justice Services 
April,1973- February, 1984

Supervised various major arrest card processing units. Duties would include policy/procedure decisions on fingerprints to include identification and pattern determinations on difficult/poor quality fingerprint images.

Latent Fingerprint Examiner, NYS Identification and Intelligence Systems
April 1972- March 1973

Manually searched crime scene latent lifts from a regional area against arrest cards for law enforcement submitted from that area.

Senior Identification/Identification Fingerprint Clerk NYS Identification and Intelligence Systems .
September 1965-April 1972

Searched, eliminated, verified and classified fingerprint arrest cards. Military leave of absence,1968 - 1971 US Air Force, USAF MOS Auto -Tracking Radar and Munitions.

Training Courses Administered

Latent and Tenprint Verification Techniques Nebraska IAI Training Seminar (2004,2005 and 2008).

Basic Digital Imaging Techniques Nebraska IAI Training Seminar (2004 and 2005).

Basic Fingerprint and Latent Fingerprint Training Lincoln Police Department (2004 and 2007).

Latent and Tenprint Verification Techniques NYS Div Criminal. Just. Services (Mid 1980’s thru 2001).

Training Courses Successfully Completed

Advanced Latent Fingerprint Techniques

Law Enforcement Photography

Advanced Ridgeology Comparison Techniques

Fingerprint Course, the Analysis of Problem Latent Fingerprint Impressions

Latent Palm Print Comparison Techniques

Understanding Digital Photography

Introduction Digital Imaging Workshop

Forensic Image Training Program

Digital Image Processing

Remote Fingerprint Encoding Software

Morpho Hawkeye Workstation Training

Crime Scene Evidence Collection Specialist

How to Be an Effective Expert Witness

Printrak Omni-trak Workstation Training

Printrak Omni-trak System Administrator Training

Russell Sage College, Albany, New York, Public Administration Program, 58 credit hours.

Awards

1995 selected to receive the MORPHO General Award for recognition of outstanding Performance and Dedication in the use of AFIS.

1994 Selected to receive the Commissioners Recognition Award. The award is periodically given to employees who have made outstanding or exceptional contributions above or beyond normal responsibilities at the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services.

1994 Received Certificate of Commendation in recognition of commitment and contributions to the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services.
Professional

Professional Organizations

International Association of Identification 1980’s to present

Nebraska Chapter of the International Association of Identification 2001-2008
(Vice-President of the Nebraska Chapter IAI 2003-2008)

Nebraska State Automated Fingerprint Ident.System Advisory Board 2001-2008
( Chair of Advisory Board) (2002- 2003)
( Vice-Chair of Advisory Board) (2005- 2006)

Career Highlights

Accepted as a fingerprint expert in Federal and County Court, this did include Shafersman (Daubert) testimony.

First  latent cold hit  identifications against,the full FBI database from a non-FBI user. NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services. (Nov. 1999)

Selected to be on a N.Y. State Inter-Agency Panel to evaluate advances in technology. NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services.