The International Association of Forensic & Security Metrology, Inc. (IAFSM) held its inaugural board meeting this week in Salem, MA. Conceived following the Forensic track at SPAR 2006, IAFSM is a nonprofit organization registered in Delaware and chartered with furthering the development of forensic and security metrology – the science of using measurement technologies for documenting and reconstructing crime and accident scenes and for security planning.
"Sharing knowledge and finding the truth" is the motto adopted by the association. Its mission is to establish internationally certified training programs for applying the latest technologies for forensic and security metrology. First responders to events/crime scenes will have the opportunity to attend classes and develop associates to help solve specific problems. "By developing the highest level of standards and techniques and teaching them to all who have the need," the mission statement concludes, "we learn from one another."
Membership is open to "persons of integrity with suitable education, training, and experience in measuring events and crime scenes, accident reconstruction, and reverse-engineering for investigative, security, pre-event planning and/or litigation purposes," according to the organization's membership policy. Those eligible for membership include practicing crime scene investigators/technicians, security advisors and others engaged in capturing and analyzing spatial data. Trainees in these fields may also apply for membership.
Manufacturers of 3D laser scanners, post-processing software and other "products used or encountered in the capturing of spatial data, or specialists in closely related fields whose area of expertise would be beneficial to IAFSM," may apply to serve as Technical Advisors to the association. Technical Advisors will be expected to keep IAFSM apprised of advances in commercially available technologies to support forensic and security metrology, and in turn will have extensive opportunities to hear first-hand about the technology requirements of association members.
Employees of companies that are primarily service providers supporting law enforcement, security professionals, legal professionals or investigators in gathering and/or analyzing spatial data from an incident/crime scene may apply for admission as Industry Members.
To apply either for membership or to be a Technical Advisor, contact Tom Greaves, Assistant Treasurer, IAFSM, tel. 978-774-1102. Spar Point is working with IAFSM to provide administrative services and support. Spar Point has no ownership interest in the new organization.
Officers elected
The following officers were elected during the board meeting:
- President – Carl Adrian, Visual Information Specialist Examiner, FBI Laboratory (Quantico, VA)
- Vice President – Paul Dorman, Senior Computer Aided Modeller, Computer Aided Modelling Bureau, Property Services, Metropolitan Police Service (London, UK)
- Secretary/Treasurer – Larry Sonntag, Captain, Scientific Evidence Division, Albuquerque Police Department (Albuquerque, NM)
- Membership Secretary – Paula Ernst, P.E., Forensic Engineer/Program Manager for Crime Scene/Special Event Surveys, FBI Laboratory (Quantico, VA)
- Security Advisor – Daniel Livecchi, U.S. Secret Service (Washington, DC)
- Assistant Treasurer – Tom Greaves, Spar Point Research LLC
The association's board of directors currently consists of Adrian, Dorman, Sonntag, Ernst, Livecchi and Rick Moore, Engineering Technician, U.S. Army Research & Development Engineering Command.
