This class will be held at Sirchie's Headquarters in Youngsville, NC.
Crime scene photography remains one of the most important aspects of any criminal investigation. Whereas notes and sketches document items of interest that the investigator recognizes and records, a properly trained crime scene photographer will record everything of significance at a crime scene that is visualized in the viewfinder. A permanent recording can prove invaluable days, months, and even years after the crime scene has been released by law enforcement. Failure to obtain images while at the crime scene, or in a laboratory setting, that properly portray the item(s) of evidence in the lab, or piece of evidence at the scene, will likely result in the photograph not being accepted by the court, and thus being deemed unsuitable for presentation to the jury.
This 5-day course is designed for all personnel in the judicial process who are charged with taking crime scene photographs and/or presenting the images in judicial and administrative proceedings. The comprehensive course is also a designed for instructors charged with teaching proper photographic techniques to crime scene personnel, or students interested in entering this, or a related field. The course involves classroom lecture on photography theory and concepts followed by hands-on exercises. Nikon® equipment will be provided, so all students are operating identical equipment. Note: Students should bring a new, unused 8GB or larger high-speed USB storage device if they would like to keep the images they expose during training.
The student will leave the course with:
Your Instructor
David G. Pauly, Professor, Forensic Science Program, Methodist University, Fayetteville, NC, retired from The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command as a Special Agent-in-Charge/Commander, Paratrooper, and Forensic Science Officer.
Dave performed duties in numerous U.S. States and foreign countries and frequently worked with local, state, and other federal agencies, as well as various non-U.S. law enforcement entities in Panama, South Korea, Afghanistan, Haiti, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Turkey, Egypt, Canada, Guam, and Nigeria.
Prof. Pauly holds a Master of Forensic Science degree from The George Washington University where he taught summer sessions for several years while also developing the Forensic Science Program at Methodist University from its inception to a thriving program where young students learn a comprehensive curriculum involving crime scene forensic science and criminal investigations.
Dave graduated the FBI National Academy (Session 195), Canadian Police College - Major Crimes Course, Miami-Dade Police Department - Bloodstain Interpretation Course, and National Fire Academy - Arson Investigation Course, and has completed numerous other courses, seminars, symposiums, and classes in criminal investigations, forensic science, and other law enforcement related topics.
Dave is an active Fellow of The American Academy of Forensic Science, and is a current, or past member of the International Association of Identification, North Carolina Chapters of the IAI and FBINAA, International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts, North Carolina Homicide Investigator’s Association, The Vidocq Society, American Investigative Society of Cold Cases (AISOCC), and various other professional law enforcement and/or forensic science associations.
Click on the thumbnail to download our 2022 Education & Training Guide.
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NOTE: Students will be trained on, and utilize several crime scene processing devices during the photography exercises, including: Electrostatic Dust Print Lifter: Students will learn how to locate, image, lift, and image the lift of a dust print using this unique and very effective forensic device. Biofoam and Casting: Students will create a 3-dimensional impression, photograph the impression, and then cast the impression utilizing dental stone or an equivalent casting material. Students will image the cast the following day. AccuTrans and Gelatin Lifters: Students will process and then lift fingerprints on rough/course surfaces utilizing this piece of specialized equipment. Students will learn how to properly image fingerprints before and after being processed, and upon being lifted. Traditional, Magnetic, and Fluorescent Fingerprint Processing Techniques: Students will learn the differences between traditional, magnetic, and fluorescent fingerprint techniques. They will then learn how properly to image these prints with and without ALS -Alternate Light Source -white, blue (455nm) and UV (365nm) lights. Alternate Light Sources: Students will be instructed on and utilize ALS during their photographic exercises, including how to search for bones in fire pits, large, wooded areas, and other outdoor scenes. Luminol and Luminol Based Products: Students will be instructed on the various luminol based products utilized to search for latent blood at crime scenes. Students will then be given luminol and exemplars containing latent blood to image. Macro Photography of Crime Scene and Arson Evidence: Students will be instructed on and utilize a macro lens to image a wide variety of small evidence, including wires and switches commonly needing proper imaging at fire scenes. |
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