48th Annual Training Seminar May 14th – May 19th, 2017 – Grand Hyatt Denver, Denver, Colorado

Table of Contents Page AFTE Remembers 4 Welcome to Denver! 7 Important Information 8 Grand Hyatt Denver Floor Plan 9 Exhibitors Map 11 Exhibitor’s Info 13 Week at a Glance 20 Sunday’s Schedule of Events 21 Monday’s Schedule of Events 22 Tuesday’s Schedule of Events 28 Wednesday’s Schedule of Events 40 Thursday’s Schedule of Events 50 Friday’s Schedule of Events 64 Poster Session Information 65 Workshop Descriptions & Schedule 66 Drawing Items 78 Challenge Coin History 79 The History of Denver 80

Denver Restaurants 81 Fun Things to Do in Denver 84

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In Memoriam

Alan was born in Sandpoint, ID to parents John & Laurene Boehm. He grew up in Clark Fork, ID, and graduated from there in 1966. After graduation, he went on to attend North Idaho College and later received his BS from New York University. He enlisted in the Army, where he served for twenty-two years with the CID in the Law Enforcement division where he achieved the rank of CW4. While in the service Alan received many commendations, which included two Bronze Stars, along with the Meritorious Service Medal. He was stationed in various locations throughout his career, including Hawaii, Vietnam and Japan. After retiring from the military he went to work for the Justice Department of Montana with the

State Crime Lab in Missoula, MT. as a Firearms Examiner. His work ethic was exemplary and he was known throughout the United States for his work. He worked in this capacity for twelve years until a tragic accident forced him to retire.

While stationed in Hawaii, Alan married his first wife, Diane, in 1970. They had two children, Alan Jr. and Heather. He always felt they were his greatest accomplishments. He has three granddaughters Samantha, Sydney, and Rylan. He was a husband, father, grandfather, son, brother and mentor.

Alan enjoyed hunting, fishing, gold panning, collecting coins and Indian Artwork which he displayed in his basement "museum". Alan lived in LoLo, Mt with his partner of sixteen years, Connie. They moved to Spokane, WA in 2015 and were married a year later.

Alan is survived by his wife Connie Boehm in their home, his son Dr. Alan Boehm Jr. (Kim) Raleigh, NC and his daughter Heather Maginn (Patrick) Duluth, GA. His step son Chris Kirsop (Karen) Flagstaff, AZ and step daughter Lori Kirsop Phoenix, AZ. His two sisters Lois Frazier, Spokane, WA, and Shirley Whitaker (Alan) Spokane, WA. His brother Don Boehm (Bonnie), Post Falls, ID. He also has ten nieces and nephews, and all their children.

Jean-Paul, fondly known as “JP”, passed away unexpectedly on the 8th of November 2016. Son of the late Lawrence Menard and loved still by his mother Carol Menard (nee Shelswell). Chosen by Jeanette to be her amazing coffee maker, cook and forever blanket. The most important person in his son’s life, Kirtland will treasure the so very special memories they have made in the last 10 years. JP will be greatly missed by many friends and relatives, especially his cousin Ken and lifelong friend Tom.

JP Menard joined the Centre of Forensic Sciences in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1997 following a career as a Weapons Tech in the Canadian Forces. He was qualified as a Firearm and Toolmark Examiner and has worked continuously in that capacity for the last 19 years. JP Menard lived his discipline – he was an avid collector of firearms, active in the shooting sports, hunting, and researching historical firearms. JP was like an encyclopedia of firearms knowledge and he was always willing to take the time to answer questions or share information. JP was our “go to guy” when we had a difficult or unusual case submissions because he had read about or personally seen just about everything.

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Robert "Bob" Allen Harvey of Cumming, Iowa, 76, died at home on Sunday, January 29, 2017 due to a heart attack. Bob was born on December 22, 1940 in Scottsbluff, Nebraska to Claude and Lorene Harvey. His family later relocated to Kansas City, KS and eventually Topeka, KS where he graduated from Topeka High School and went on to study biology and chemistry at Washburn University.

While at Washburn, he became a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and met his wife-to-be, Marilyn Edgerly, whom he married on December 19, 1964. He graduated from Washburn in January of 1965 and went on to begin work as a criminologist with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

During his years in Topeka, he was an avid sailboat racer at the Lake Shawnee Yacht Club and had two sons with his wife Marilyn: Scott in 1969 and Brian in 1973.

Following a brief stay in Ponca City, Oklahoma, Bob and family settled in Des Moines, Iowa in October 1974 after taking a job with the Iowa Division of criminal Investigation. He would go on to work for the DCI for 32 years before retiring as the Administrator of the Firearms & Tool Marks division in 2006.

Not being one to sit still for long following his retirement, Bob took a job assisting the crime lab with the government of Trinidad & Tobago for two years before working for another year just outside of Baghdad, Iraq.

Once finally retired, for real, Bob returned to his lakeside home near Cumming, Iowa. He went on many trips with his wife Marilyn to locations such as Alaska, Hawaii, New England, a Caribbean cruise to the Panama Canal, and points all around the Midwest. Bob was also a lifelong sports car enthusiast with a stable of vehicles including: MGs, Z cars, and Corvettes.

Bob is survived by his wife Marilyn of Cumming, his sons Scott and Brian of West Des Moines, and sister Sharon of Olathe, Kansas.

Terrance Argus LaVoy, 80, passed away peacefully at his home on February 17, 2017 after a battle with cancer. He is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Helen, his sons Michael (Paula) of Tampa, David (Connie), of Tampa and Thom (Dawn) of Plainwell, MI, his daughter Theresa Thomas (David) of Tampa, 12 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren, brother Jeff (Joyce) of Toledo, OH, sisters Linda Keil of St. Petersburg and Chris Manley (Lester) of Petersburg, MI. Terry was born in Toledo, OH. He graduated from the Michigan State Police (MSP) Academy in 1961 and served 11 years in the Uniform Division as a Trooper at the Wayland, Detroit and Blissfield state police posts. He was awarded the Department’s Meritorious Service Award before transferring to the MSP Crime Lab in East Lansing working in the Firearms and Toolmark Identification and Bombs and Explosive Unit. While working in the crime lab, he earned his B.S. in 1975 and his M.S. in 1979 from Michigan State University’s School of Criminal Justice. He was promoted to Detective (Specialist) Lieutenant before retiring with over 25 years of service with the MSP. Terry loved to sail, spending many summers on White Lake and Lake Michigan. Upon retirement, Terry and Helen then pursued their dream of sailing their beloved boat from the Great Lakes to Florida. Terry then came out of retirement, accepting positions in the state crime labs of Fort Worth, TX and Tampa, FL before opening his own consulting practice where he served clients in Florida and the Bahamas. After 51 years of service in the criminal justice system, Terry and Helen retired to pursue their interests of travel and golf, splitting time between their homes in Michigan and Florida.

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Thomas Anthony Buel, 72, passed away Sunday, July 17, 2016 at SSM Healthcare-St. Mary’s. He was born on October 21, 1943 in Jefferson City, Missouri the son of Edward Otto and Elda (Nieman) Buel, who preceded him in death. He was united in marriage at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church by Rev. Fr. Paul Distler, S.J., on November 6, 1965 in Jefferson City to Carolyn Sue Strobel.

He was a 1961 graduate of Jefferson City High School and attended Lincoln University. He worked for the Missouri State Highway Patrol as a Forensic Analyst Supervisor until his retirement on October 31, 1995. He was also the owner and operator of Thomas Buel Photography for over 30 years in Jefferson City. He was a parishioner of the Cathedral of St. Joseph.

“Tom Terrific” is how he introduced himself on his first date with his high school sweetheart, who later became his beautiful bride. He had a wonderful sense of humor, a dashing smile and a loving, kind heart. As a younger gentleman, he was a budding artist. During his lifetime, he was a world-class photographer. He enjoyed beauty and art, sharing his creative abilities with everyone. He liked to be in the outdoors; fishing and hunting all creatures were his forte on his family farm. Most of all, he loved his family. They would take trips together seeing the zoo, float trips, Grant’s Farm, and various other places, enjoying nature. Tom enjoyed the simple pleasure of a great meal with friends and family. Top Menu choices were always, Spaghetti and Tacos with ice cream and apple pie for dessert.

William True (Bill) McDonald was born July 18, 1935, in Bellingham, Washington. His father was William Leo McDonald and his mother was Florence Ernestine (True) McDonald. Bill grew up in Mississippi City, MS, New Orleans, LA, Gresham, OR, and Marshfield, OR.

Bill graduated with a BS degree in Electrical Engineering in June, 1957from the California Institute of Technology. He was a member of Tau Beta Pi and an associate member of Sigma Xi and was awarded the Donald O. Douglas Fellowship for his senior year at Caltech. In June, 1958, Bill received an MS degree from Caltech in Electrical Engineering. In November, 1958, Bill met his future wife Esther Louise (Pink) Coutu, while she was an undergraduate student at Immaculate Heart College in Hollywood, California. In June, 1968, Bill graduate with a Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Bill worked for Autonetics Division of North American Rockwell Corporation in Anaheim, CA from August 1968 through May, 1994. Almost all his work during that period was highly classified. In late 1976 he was named the Rockwell Engineer of the Year for the Autonetics Group of Rockwell International for his contributions to visible imaging technology. He served for ten years in 1984 as a systems engineering representative on the TriServices Medical Information Systems (TRIMIS) Peer Review Group reporting to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs and served as Rockwell Representative on a Government Ad Hoc Committee on Advanced Military Technology. In 1993 he was selected to lead an effort in Russia to evaluate magnetometer technology and placed contracts with three Russian institutes for development of advanced magnetometers for Rockwell. In May, 1994 he retired from Autonetics as a Chief Scientist.

Bill’s second professional career actually had begun in late 1968 when Bill and Ted Almgren had been introduced by a mutual acquaintance at Autonetics, and they became best friends and began an avocational study of the ballistics of small arms, which later grew into a small business. This business included measurements of ballistic coefficients of sporting bullets, calculating bullet trajectories on personal computers, and writing and teaching in this ballistics field. This work gained a national reputation for Ted and Bill. Bill specialized in mathematics and physics of bullet flight, and Ted specialized in mathematics and computer technology, so that this team had the basic competence necessary for this business. Their business continued from late 1968 to the date of Bill’s death.

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Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners

2017 Host Committee 48th Annual Training Seminar May 14 – May 19, 2017

The AFTE 2017 Host Committee would like to welcome you to the beautiful city of Denver! The conference is being held at the Grand Hyatt of Denver. We are excited about this year’s technical session! We have arranged several featured presentations this year in lieu of a key note speaker. Those featured presentations include the “dynamic trio” from the Grim Sleeper trial in L.A. County, the lead detectives from the infamous Aurora Theater Shooting that tragically took place here in Colorado, and a presentation from Taser where they will demonstrate to the entire group what can be analyzed by us and what to report to the consumer. This presentation will conclude with a live demonstration. Doug Scott will be here to discuss a unique examination of the battle field from the Battle of Little Big Horn and, finally, we will have Chief Glen Trainor from Winterpark/Frasier Police Department here to speak about the Grandby Incident. This talk will definitely entertain you!

There are thirty-five offered workshops this year! The host committee worked hard to bring you a variety of classes to choose from and hope you partake in the learning. We also have several evening events that are planned, including the ever popular poster session and bring your own slides events. This year, these two events will be held on different nights. The poster session will be held on Monday night and will be interspersed with the vendors in the Aspen Ballroom. This will allow you interact with the vendors while perusing the posters. Bring your own slides will be held Tuesday evening in the Colorado ballroom.

Denver is a spectacular city full of things to do. Please take some time to do some exploring and enjoy our great city. The host committee would like to thank you for attending the 48th annual seminar and wish you a wonderful stay here in Denver!

The 2017 AFTE Host Committee would also like to thank the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the Denver Police Department for the sponsorship of this year’s conference as well as the great city of Denver!

If you have any questions during your stay, please contact the host committee.

Please remember that name badges must be worn in order to gain admittance to the technical session, workshops, the poster session, the exhibit hall, and social functions.

2017 Host Committee Members

Chair Julie Knapp – Colorado Bureau of Investigation

Members

Steve Oster – Colorado Bureau of Investigation Eric Thornton – Colorado Bureau of Investigation Dale Higashi – Colorado Bureau of Investigation Erin Mulligan – Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Chuck Reno – Denver Police Department Zach Kotas – Denver Police Department Nathan Von Rentzell – Denver Police Department Stephanie Happ – Colorado Springs Police Department Dan Gammie – Colorado Springs Police Department Amy Weber – Nebraska State Patrol Kent Weber – Nebraska State Patrol Justin Bechaver – Utah Bureau of Forensic Services Jennifer Gelston – Utah Bureau of Forensic Services Jeff Goudeau – Louisiana State Police Jay Stuart – Albuquerque Police Department Mike Haag – Albuquerque Police Department Rick Wyant – Washington State Patrol Brian Smelser – Washington State Patrol Jori Farquharson – Washington State Patrol Mike Coakley – AV Guru

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Hilton New Orleans Riverside

At the Hotel:

 The technical session will be in the Colorado Ballroom (second floor).  The exhibitors will be in the Aspen Ballroom (second floor).

 Workshops scheduled at the hotel are on the first, second, and third floors. Please see the map in this booklet for further information.  There is free Wi-Fi in your guest room; however, there is no Wi-Fi in the meeting spaces.

Meeting Information:

Continuing Education Units (CEU) for Recertification: There are 23 CEUs possible during the technical session. Please note that if you are in a workshop on Wednesday afternoon, you will need to subtract those hours. Daily Hours: Monday – 3 hours and 30 minutes Tuesday – 7 hours and 25 minutes Wednesday – 5 hours and 50 minutes Thursday – 5 hours and 55 minutes

*Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the presenters, and those providing comments on the presentations are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or positions of the Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners.

In the City:

Denver is a great city, but it is still a city! Please be smart and remember to be aware of your surroundings. Please consider the following when you are out and about on the town:

 Remove your name badges when you are not in the hotel.  Travel with groups and stay in well-lit main thoroughfares  Avoid carrying a purse when possible and do not display cash in public.  LoDo is a great place to hang out, but do not go there by yourself!  Take care of each other!

Important phone numbers: Emergency Help (Denver Police Department) – (720) 913-2000 Yellow Cab – (303) 777-7777 Grand Hyatt of Denver – (303) 295-123

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Floor

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3

Floor

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LobbyLevel

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The Welcome Reception will be held at the Pinnacle Club which is located on the 38th floor of the tower adjoining the hotel at 555 17th Street. Walk across the hotel entrance driveway into the adjoining building and take the elevator to the 38th floor.

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Exhibitors are located in the Aspen Ballroom of the hotel. Booths will be opened during the following hours:

Monday: 7:15 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday and Wednesday: 7:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thursday: 7:15 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

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Exhibitor Booth #

Alicona Corporation 302 ANAB 309 ATF – NIBIN Branch 102 CartWinPro 206 Collaborative Testing Services, Inc. 200 CTL Scientific Supply Co. 205 CyberNational, Inc. 303 Dino-Lite 101 EAR Inc. 304 Edgertronic T7 M FARO 107 Forensic Pieces T5 Forensics Source/Safariland T6 Ultra-Electronics Forensic Technology 201 Foster & Freeman T3 Gradient Lens 105 (M-W) Gunbusters 305 (T&W) Hirox-USA, Inc. T4 International Firearm Specialist Academy 311 (M&T) JusticeTrax 108 (M&T) Keyence Corporation 110 (T) Leeds and Evofinder 106 Leica Geosystems 100 Leica Microsystems 306 Mideo Systems, Inc. 310 Olympus T7 (T) Present Arms T1 & T2 Savage Range Systems, Inc. 104 SDI School of Firearms Technology 202 Sensofar, LLC 103 Shotcaller, Inc. 203 Team Fabrication, Inc. 207 Unitron 307 Vision Research Inc. 204

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Alicona Corporation Brad Etter

1261 Humbracht Circle, Suite G Bartlett, IL 60103 Phone: 630-372-9900 www.alicona.com [email protected]

ANAB Laurel Farrell

200 Regency Pkwy, Ste. 430 Cary, NC 27518 Phone: 919-501-5365 www.anab.org [email protected]

ATF – NIBIN Branch Sharon Buchanan, Meredith Acosta, Erin Hine

99 New York Avenue NE Washington, DC 20226 Phone: 202-648-7714 www.ATF.gov [email protected]

CartWinPro Axel Manthei, Elke Manthei

Albrecht-Nutzel-Weg 29 Kaufering 86916, Germany Phone: +49-8191-66704 Fax: +49-8191-973326 www.cartwinpro.com [email protected]

Collaborative Testing Services Inc. Richard Hockensmith

P.O. Box 650820 Sterling, VA 20165-0820 Phone: 571-434-1925 www.ctsforensics.com [email protected] 13

CTL Scientific Supply Co. Henry Modello & Evan Thompson

1016-3 Grand Blvd. Deer Park, NY 11729 Phone: 631-242-4249 ctlscientific.com [email protected]

CyberNational, Inc. Karen Montgomery, Chris Berger, Sam Reid

1512 Sarah Court Murfreesboro, TN 37129 Phone: 615-893-1099 Fax: 615-895-2133 www.cyber-national.com [email protected]

Dino-Lite Scopes Kerie Roark

19803 Hamilton Ave., Suite 200 Torrance, CA 90502 Phone: 310-618-9990 www.dinolite.us [email protected]

E.A.R., Inc. Andrew Gordon

5763 Arapahoe Ave #L Boulder, CO 80303 Phone: 800-525-2690 earinc.com [email protected]

Edgertronic Todd Fischer & Matt Kearney

300 Santana Row, Suite 200 San Jose, CA 95128 Phone: 208-409-7007 edgertronic.com [email protected]

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Faro Technologies Jeanine Charity

250 Technology Park Lake Mary, FL 32746 Phone: 407-333-9911 www.faro.com [email protected]

Forensic Pieces Jan Johnson

4400 Bayou Blvd., Suite 30A Pensacola, FL 32503 Phone: 850-332-0141 www.forensicpieces.com [email protected]

Forensics Source Jerry Kramper & Allen Miller

13386 International Parkway Jacksonville, FL 32218 Phone: 904-741-1765 Fax: 904-741-5407 www.forensicssource.com [email protected]

Ultra-Electronics Forensic Technology Rene Belanger, Sabrina Benzid, Andrew Boyle, Kristina Godin, Tim Heaney, Brandon Huntley, Serge Levesque, James Needles, Ron Nichols, Paul Murphy, Michel Paradis, Danny Roberge, Stacy Stern, and Joe Zorola

5757 Cavendish Blvd., Suite 200 Côte St. Luc, QC Canada H4W 2W8 Phone: 514-489-4247 www.ultra-forensictechnology.com [email protected]

Foster & Freeman David Tobin

46030 Manekin Plaza, #170 Sterling, VA 20166 Phone: 888-445-5048 Fax: 888-445-5049 www.fosterfreeman.com [email protected]

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Gradient Lens Corp. Ken Harrington

207 Tremont Street Rochester, NY 14608 Phone: 585-235-2620 www.gradientlens.com [email protected]

Gunbusters, LLC Joe Stairett & Svetlana Stairett

611 Main St. Jetmore, KS 67854 Phone: 620-357-4037 www.thegunbusters.com [email protected]

Hirox-USA, Inc. Christian Munoz

100 Commerce Way Hackensack, NJ 07601 Phone: 201-342-2600 www.hirox-usa.com [email protected]

International Firearm Specialist Academy Daniel O’Kelly & Pam Quicksall

P.O. Box 338 Lake Dallas, TX 75065 Phone: 813-422-4674 www.GunLearn.com [email protected]

JusticeTrax David Epstein

1 W. Main Street Mesa, AZ 85201 Phone: 480-222-8921 www.justicetrax.com [email protected] 16

Keyence Corp. Sean Fitzsimmons

500 Park Blvd. Itasca, IL 60143 www.keyence.com [email protected]

Leeds Forensic Systems, Inc. /Evofinder Kevin Boulay & Neal Schrode

17300 Medina Road, Suite 600 Minneapolis, MN 55447 Phone: 763-546-8575 www.leedsforensics.com [email protected]

Leica Geosystems Dietrich Evans

5051 Peachtree Corners Circle, Suite 250 Norcross, GA 30092 Phone: 770-326-9500 www.leica-geosystems.us [email protected]

Leica Microsystems Wayne Buttermore, David Chapa, Levi Felts, Alan Paris, Jonathan Roman, & Lance Russell

1700 Leider Lane Buffalo Grove, IL 60089 Phone: 800-248-0123 Fax: 847-236-3009 www.leica-microsystems.com [email protected]

Mideo Systems, Inc. Greg Laskowski

15177 Springdale Street Hunting Beach, CA 92649 Phone: 714-379-3760 www.mideosystems.com [email protected]

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Olympus America Inc. John Best

48 Woerd Ave. Waltham, MA 02453 Phone: 303-704-6743 www.olympusamerica.com [email protected]

Present Arms, Inc. Mark Jenkingson

34 Front St., Suite 326 Indian Orchard, MA 01151 Phone: 413-575-4656 presentarmsinc.com [email protected]

Savage Range Systems, Inc. Allan Offringa

100 Springdale Road Westfield, MA 01085 Phone: 413-642-4174 www.savagerangesystems.com [email protected]

Sensofar, LLC Niels Schwarz, Cristina Carevall, Bill Henderson

P.O. Box 2013 Carefree, AZ 85377 Phone: 480-862-0101 www.sensofarusa.com [email protected]

Shotcaller Global, Inc. Rocky Edwards, Jennifer Rogers, & Gary Brewer

4025 E. LaPalma Suite 204 Anaheim, CA 92807 Phone: 949-851-4700 www.shotcallerinc.com [email protected]

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SDI School of Firearms Technology Zeke Stout, Garret Bischef, Ed Jauch

8767 E. Via De Ventura, Suite 126 Scottsdale, AZ 85258 Phone: 800-336-8939 Fax: 480-314-2138 www.sdi.edu [email protected] [email protected]

Team Fabrication, Inc. Neil Hopkins

1055 Davis Road West Falls, NY 14170 Phone: 716-539-1914 Fax: 716-655-0426 www.BulletRecovery.com [email protected]

UNITRON / ACCU-SCOPE Adam Barbarik, Seth Grotelueschen, Tom Moyer, & Heston Singh

73 Mall Drive Commack, NY 11725 Phone: 888-289-2228 Fax: 678-574-0007 www.unitronusa.com [email protected]

Vision Research Inc. John Lewis, Toni Lucatorto, & Frank Mazella

100 Dey Road Wayne, NJ 07470 Phone: 973-696-4500 www.phantomhighspeed.com [email protected]

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Sunday, May 14 Registration – Colorado Ballroom Foyer 7:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Workshops 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Exhibitor Set Up – Aspen Ballroom 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Welcome Reception – Capital Peak Ballroom 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Monday, May 15 Continental Breakfast – Aspen Ballroom 7:15 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Registration – Colorado Ballroom Foyer 7:15 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Exhibitor Hours – Aspen Ballroom 7:15 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. Technical Session – Colorado Ballroom 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch Break 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Business Meeting – Colorado Ballroom 2:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. US Mint Tour 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Poster Session – Aspen Ballroom 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 16 Continental Breakfast – Aspen Ballroom 7:15 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Registration – Colorado Ballroom Foyer 7:15 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Exhibitor Hours – Aspen Ballroom 7:15 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Technical Session – Colorado Ballroom 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Lunch Break 12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Technical Session 1:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Bring Your Own Slides – Colorado Ballroom 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Denver Brewery Tour 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 17 Continental Breakfast – Aspen Ballroom 7:15 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Registration – Colorado Ballroom Foyer 7:15 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Exhibitor Hours – Aspen Ballroom 7:15 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Technical Session 8:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Lunch Break 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Technical Session – Colorado Ballroom 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Afternoon Workshops 1:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. US Mint Tour 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Denver Brewery Tour 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Lucky Strike 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Thursday, May 18 Continental Breakfast – Aspen Ballroom 7:15 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Registration – Colorado Ballroom Foyer 7:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Exhibitor Hours – Aspen Ballroom 7:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Technical Session – Colorado Ballroom 8:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Lunch Break 12:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Technical Session – Colorado Ballroom 1:30 p.m. – 3:35 p.m. Drawing – Colorado Ballroom 3:35 p.m – 4:30 p.m. Cocktail Hour – Colorado Ballroom Foyer 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Banquet and After Party – Colorado Ballroom 7:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. Friday, May 19 Workshops 7:15 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Weeklong Activities First Time Attendee Bingo & Photo Contest

NOTE: Lunches will not be covered by the Host Committee or Sponsors except for certain workshops. The only dinner included with registration is the Thursday night banquet.

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Schedule of Events

Sunday, May 14

Registration

7:15 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Colorado Ballroom Foyer

Workshops (pages 66 - 77)

7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Scientifically Defensible Criteria For the Identification Of Striated Toolmarks Meet in Lobby at 6:30 a.m. 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. Best Practices for Fast and Efficient MATCHPOINT Correlation Reviews Mount Harvard 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Courtroom Testimony Made Easy - A Practical Approach Mount Princeton 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Implementation of 3D Technology, Analysis, and Statistics for FA/TM Examinations Maroon Peak 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Contemporary Issues in Firearms and Toolmark Identification Mount Colombia 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Subclass and Sufficient Agreement Mount Oxford 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Practical Shooting Incident Reconstruction: Techniques for Analyzing, Documenting, and Testifying Mount Sopris B 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Pixel This! High Speed Videography Meet in Lobby at 7:00 a.m. 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. The Determination of Bullet Impact Sites by Detection of Common Bullet Metals Meet in Lobby at 7:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Benefits of 3D Analysis on Bullets Mount Harvard 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Subclass Characteristics Mount Princeton 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Forensic Examination of Airsoft Replica Arms Mount Sopris A 1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Wound Ballistics Mount Wilson

Welcome Reception 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Pinnacle – Capital Peak Beverages and hors d’oeuvres provided Sponsored by Forensic Technology (FTI)

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Schedule of Events Monday, May 15

Registration 7:15 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Colorado Ballroom Foyer Continental Breakfast 7:15 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Aspen Ballroom – Sponsored by Justice Trax Technical Session

Location: Colorado Ballroom Moderator: Lynette Lançon

Time Presenter Page

8:00 a.m. Color Guard, Denver Police Department Color Guard

8:10 a.m. Welcome to AFTE 2017! Host Committee Exhibitors/Sponsors Introduction of AFTE President

8:20 a.m. Welcome from Travis Spinder, AFTE President Acknowledgement of Fallen Colleagues Past Presidents, Dinosaurs, 1st Time Attendees International Members

8:40 a.m. Welcome to Denver, Colorado Bureau of Investigations Director Mike Rankin

8:55 a.m. KEEPING IT “ALL IN THE FAMILY” – HOW A SON AND A PIECE OF 24 PIZZA UNMASKED THE GRIM SLEEPER SERIAL KILLER Marguerite Rizzo, Beth Silverman, & Paul Przelomiec

10:10 a.m. Break

10:30 a.m. Announcements and Door Prizes

10:35 a.m. KEEPING IT “ALL IN THE FAMILY” – HOW A SON AND A PIECE OF 24 PIZZA UNMASKED THE GRIM SLEEPER SERIAL KILLER continued Marguerite Rizzo, Beth Silverman, & Paul Przelomiec

11:20 a.m. An Examination of Consecutively Broached Pistol Barrels 25 Jordan Green

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Schedule of Events

Time Presenter Page

11:50 a.m. The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case 26 Lucien Haag

12:50 p.m. AFTE 2018 Update 27 Calissa Carper

1:00 P.M. Lunch Break

1:00 p.m. US Mint Tour 82

2:25 p.m. Announcements and Door Prizes

2:30 p.m. AFTE Business Meeting AFTE President and Board of Directors Colorado Ballroom Attendance is encouraged!

5:30 p.m. Poster Session 65 Aspen Ballroom Beverages and Hors d ’Oeuvres Poster Session Titles on page 65 Sponsored by SDI School of Firearms Technology

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KEEPING IT “ALL IN THE FAMILY” – HOW A SON AND A PIECE OF PIZZA UNMASKED THE GRIM SLEEPER SERIAL KILLER Marguerite Rizzo, Beth Silverman, & Paul Przelomiec

Overview: From 1985 through 1988, an unknown killer had stalked the streets of South Los Angeles, murdering seven women, and attempting to murder an eighth victim. The murdered women had been shot with a .25 caliber handgun or strangled. A common DNA profile was developed from seven of the victims. Local, state, and national DNA database searches yielded negative results. The same unrecovered .25 caliber firearm used to shoot surviving victim Enietra Washington was also used to kill seven of the murder victims. In 2007, when the LAPD Task Force took a fresh look at the murders and the attempted murder of Enietra Washington, they discovered a decade’s long gap between the killings. This hiatus led a LA Weekly reporter in 2008 to nickname the serial killer the “Grim Sleeper.” The name stuck, leading to a public media campaign and a $500,000 reward for information leading to the “Grim Sleeper’s” arrest. In 2008, the LAPD requested the California Department of Justice to perform a Familial Search of the state convicted offender DNA database. No relatives were identified in that first search. LAPD made another request in 2010. On July 2, 2010, DOJ revealed that the recent search identified a possible relative in the convicted offender database . . . 28 year old Christopher Franklin, who was convicted on a felony weapons charge that had been added to the state database in 2009. Investigators focused on Franklin’s father, Lonnie David Franklin Jr. as a possible suspect. The LAPD Task Force launched an intensive surveillance operation, following Franklin’s every move in an attempt to collect a biological sample they could use to compare Franklin’s DNA directly to the DNA profiles developed from the evidence. On July 7, 2010, LAPD arrested Lonnie Franklin Jr. at his home in South Los Angeles. Investigators found and collected hundreds of items during the execution of a three day search warrant at his home. Among the items they found was a .25 semiautomatic handgun used to shoot Janecia Peters. Behind a wall in Franklin’s garage, investigators found a Polaroid photograph of victim Enietra Washington. The photograph portrays Washington sitting in the front seat of a vehicle with her blouse ripped open, bleeding, and possibly unconscious. On May 5, 2016 a jury found the defendant guilty of ten murders and one attempted murder. One month later, the jury voted to impose the death penalty.

Marguerite Rizzo is currently assigned as the Deputy-In-Charge of the Forensic Science Section at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Rizzo received a B.S. in medical laboratory science from Northeastern University and an M.A. in microbiology from Boston University. In her role as DIC of the Forensic Science Section at the District Attorney’s Office, Rizzo acts a forensic science liaison with law enforcement agencies throughout the county as well as the crime laboratories. Rizzo is an associate member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Additionally, Rizzo is a member of local, state and national Forensic Science committees which address topical issues related to the changing landscape of forensic science.

Ms. Silverman has been a Deputy District Attorney since 1994 in the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. She is currently assigned to the Major Crimes Division where she vertically prosecutes high-profile, complex homicides. During the last 10 ½ years in this unit, she has successfully obtained the death penalty in several capital cases. She has also prosecuted multiple serial killers including Lonnie Franklin, Jr., aka “the Grim Sleeper,” Michael Hughes, aka “the Southside Slayer,” Chester Turner, Samuel Little, and Latece Brown. Many of these cases involved collaboration with multiple law enforcement agencies and lengthy task force investigations.

Paul Przelomiec is currently assigned as a prosecutor in the Eastlake Juvenile Courthouse at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Paul was one of two additional prosecutors assigned to write motions and assist the trial deputies in the capital case of serial killer Lonnie Franklin Jr., aka “the Grim Sleeper.” Specifically, Paul worked closely with Firearm and Toolmark Examiners to research and author five separate legal pleadings challenging the witnesses offered by the defense in the area of Firearm and Toolmark Examination. He also authored a response to a motion submitted by the defense challenging the prosecution’s firearm experts.

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An Examination of Consecutively Broached Pistol Barrels Jordan Green (Winner of NFEA Best Paper)

Overview: Subclass characteristics are markings that are unique to a subset of tools. This is a topic of interest to firearm examiners because two tools or firearms can create similar markings if they are fabricated by the same manufacturing tool. Understanding situations in which subclass characteristics are possible helps examiners make sound conclusions in their comparisons. Subclass characteristics can be found in barrels that have been consecutively rifled by the same tool, such as a broach.

Methodology: Five consecutively broached Ruger 9E barrels were obtained from the Prescott, Arizona Ruger manufacturing plant. A comparison microscope was used to compare casts and test fires for subclass characteristics within the land and groove impressions. The consecutively matching striae technique was used to quantitatively analyze similarities between projectiles.

Results: Subclass characteristics were observed within the land and groove impressions, characterized as coarse striae. This resulted in many instances of single matching striae and several instances of two consecutively matching striae, but few instances of consecutively matching striae exceeding two. Each barrel produced unique and identifiable characteristics in all land and groove impressions.

Conclusions: Subclass characteristics are apparent between sequentially broached Ruger 9E barrels, but each barrel examined is distinguishable from the other. While the Ruger barrels studied in this research did display unique characteristics, the same might not be true for other broached barrels. Firearm examiners should remain vigilant in recognizing and identifying subclass carry-over in casework.

Jordan Green is a firearms examiner trainee for the Tulsa Police Crime lab in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She began work at Tulsa in June of 2015 after completing a Master of Science in Forensic Science at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. She is a recent graduate of the 2016 National Firearm Examiner Academy and this year's NFEA research project presenter.

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The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case Luke Haag

Overview: A compelling argument can be made that the cornerstone of toolmark identification and physical match comparisons was laid by Arthur Koehler in the Lindbergh kidnapping case.

The March 1, 1932 kidnapping of the only son of Charles Lindbergh, the ‘Lone Eagle’ and America’s foremost hero of the day, truly became the crime of the last century- a crime that went unsolved for nearly 2½ years until the arrest of Richard Bruno Hauptmann on September 18, 1934.

At the request of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences in 1982, this presenter examined the retained physical evidence and the trial exhibits archived in West Trenton, NJ.

This evidence and the trial testimony of expert and lay witnesses led to the conviction and subsequent execution of Hauptmann on April 3, 1936. The most compelling and persuasive evidence was that of wood expert Arthur Koehler after his detailed study of toolmarks and the physical matching of growth ring patterns in certain portions of wood from the abandoned kidnap ladder and wood in the attic of Hauptmann’s home.

But just as with the assassination of President Kennedy, numerous conspiracy claims and subsequent doubts regarding the guilt of Hauptmann resulted in multiple books supporting these subjects. In 1981 a lawsuit was filed by Hauptmann’s widow accusing the prosecutor, David Wilentz and the State of New Jersey of a wrongful conviction and execution of her husband.

This presentation will cover the crime and crime scenes, the investigation, the arrest of Hauptmann, the evidence, the remarkable work of Arthur Koehler, the trial and the aftermath.

Luke Haag is a Distinguished member and past-president of AFTE and a frequent contributor to the AFTE Journal.

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AFTE 2018 UPDATE Calissa Carper

The 2018 AFTE Training Seminar will be held in beautiful downtown Charleston, West Virginia. The meeting will take place at the Charleston Marriott Town Center hotel and Charleston Civic Center from June 3 – 8, 2018. Planned events, local attractions and other meeting information will be discussed.

Calissa Carper is a Regular AFTE member and the AFTE 2018 Host Committee Chair. She has been a Forensic Analyst with the West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory for almost 8 years. Calissa has a Bachelor’s in Biology from Mary Baldwin College and a Master’s of Forensic Science from Nebraska Wesleyan University. Additionally, she graduated from the NFEA in 2010.

Poster Session Event Aspen Ballroom 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The Poster Session allows for a more personalized experience during the seminar. Enjoy beverages and hors d’oeurves while discussing case studies and research projects with the poster authors, and mingling with our exhibitors!

Hors d’oeurves will be provided, beverages available for purchase.

Please see pages 65 for poster titles and authors.

Thank you to the Sonoran Desert Institute (SDI) School of Firearms Technology for sponsoring the Poster Session!

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Schedule of Events

Tuesday, May 16

Registration 7:15 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Colorado Ballroom Foyer

Continental Breakfast 7 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Aspen Ballroom - Sponsored by Collaborative Testing Services, Inc.

Technical Session

Location: Colorado Ballroom Morning Moderator: Omar Felix Afternoon Moderator: Yamil Garcia Time Presenter Page

7:55 a.m. Announcements and Door Prizes

8:00 a.m. Aurora Theater Shooting 30 Craig Appel & Matthew Ingui

10:00 a.m. Break

10:20 a.m. Announcements and Door Prizes

10:25 a.m. The Evaluation of Potential Subclass Characteristics on Bullets from 31 No Gun Cases Nancy McCombs

11:00 a.m. Ballistics and Bomb Squads: Archaeology of a Civil War 31 Battlefield Janene Johnston

11:30 a.m. The Effect of Windshield Curvature on Trajectory Estimates 32 Michael Kusluski

11:45 a.m. FMJ vs. HP Wound Ballistics Research With Test Shots into Tissue 33 Simulants Nicholas E. Tsiatis

12:00 p.m. Lunch Break

1:10 p.m. Announcements and Door Prizes

1:15 p.m. Tools for Microscope Measurements of Bullets and GRC Search 33 Pavel Giverts

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Schedule of Events Time Presenter Page

1:30 p.m. Taser 34 Bryan Chiles

2:30 p.m. The American Academy of Forensic Sciences Standards Board 34 (ASB) Firearm and Toolmark Consensus Body Gregory Laskowski

2:50 p.m. OSAC Firearm/Toolmark Subcommittee Update 34 Andy Smith

3:10 p.m. Break

3:30 p.m. Announcements and Door Prizes

3:35 p.m. Towards the Validation of 3D Virtual Microscopy for 35 Cartridge Case Comparison Ryan Lilien

4:15 p.m. Recovery and Validation of Defaced Serial Numbers Using 36 Infrared Thermal Imaging Ikwulono D. Unobe

4:40 p.m. Automatic Cartridge Case Comparison and Evaluation 37 Xiao Hui Tai

4:55 p.m. Initial Estimation of Likelihood Ratio (LR) for Ballistics 38 Identifications Using Congruent Matching Cells (CMC) Method J. Song, J.A. Soons, T.V. Vorburger, N.F. Zhang, D.B. Ott, Z. Chen, R.M. Thompson, R.M. Silver

Evening Activities

5:30 p.m. Bring Your Own Slides 39 Colorado Ballroom

6:00 p.m. Denver Brewery Tour 83

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Aurora Theater Shooting Craig Appel & Matthew Ingui

Overview: On July 20, 2012, James Holmes entered a Century 16 movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, during a midnight screening of the film The Dark Knight Rises. Dressed in tactical clothing, he shot into the audience with multiple firearms, killing 12 people and injuring 70 others. Holmes was arrested in his car parked outside the cinema minutes later. Prior to the shooting, Holmes rigged his apartment with homemade explosives, which were defused by a bomb squad one day after the shooting. Holmes confessed to the shooting but pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Arapahoe County prosecutors sought the death penalty for Holmes in a trial beginning on April 27, 2015. He was convicted of twenty-four counts of first-degree murder, 140 counts of attempted first-degree murder, and one count of possessing explosives on July 16, 2015. He was given 12 life sentences, one for every person he killed, and 3,318 years for the attempted murders of those he wounded, and for rigging his apartment with explosives.

The Century 16 Mass Murders Investigation presentation will cover the efforts taken to bring one of the most prolific mass murderers to justice. Topics being covered include a time line of the Defendant’s life leading up to the inception of the crime, arrest, laborious investigation, court proceedings, prosecution, post-conviction, and the legal gamesmanship, numerous obstacles overcome, lessons learned and tragedies averted. The goal of the presentation is to assist attendees in asking the difficult questions of how well they are prepared to deal with such an event investigatively, and where they stand in the knowledge and abilities with the resources they have at their disposal, so that when they are faced with a mass killing incident they will be better equipped to address it successfully.

Detective Craig Appel is a Task Force Officer for the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Denver Colorado specializing in International Terrorism. Craig’s home agency is the Aurora Police Department. Craig was promoted to Detective in 2000 and assigned to the Persons Crimes, Gang Interventions Unit and lastly the Major Crime Homicide Unit from 2007 to 2014. On July 20, 2012 Craig was assigned as the lead investigator in the Century 16 Mass Murder Investigation. Craig spent three years of his career investigating and preparing the case for the court room. Craig spends his off duty time with his beautiful daughter and enjoying his outdoor passions which include rock climbing, mountain biking and hunting.

Detective Matthew Ingui is currently assigned to the Aurora Police Department Major Crime Homicide Unit. The Major Crimes Homicide Unit focuses on death investigations within the City of Aurora, to include, murder, suicide, and suspicious deaths. In November 2011 Matthew was selected to the Major Crime Homicide Unit, where he is currently assigned. On July 20, 2012 Matthew assisted with the Century 16 Mass Murder Investigation. Matthew was assigned to the theater crime scene to assist with the processing of all evidence, to included personal property and video evidence located within the theater. While processing this massive crime scene Matthew worked with the Aurora Police Department Crime Scene Investigation personnel, the F.B.I. Evidence Recovery Teams and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives Investigations Unit. Matthew spends his time off duty travelling with his wife to watch their two daughters play competitive softball throughout the United States.

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The Evaluation of Potential Subclass Characteristics on Bullets from No Gun Cases Nancy McCombs

Overview: This paper attempts to evaluate the reliability of examining stria on bullet rifling impressions for potential subclass characteristic carryover in the absence of a firearm for examination.

Methodology: Rifling manufacturing tools that could contribute to subclass characteristic carryover on fired bullets are examined, along with whether there is a correlation between the appearance of the stria observed on fired bullets with markings observed in the corresponding barrels produced by manufacturing methods or other factors.

Conclusions: The reliability of current practices employed in eliminating potential subclass carryover on fired bullets in the absence of a firearm are examined, and the significance of reporting potential subclass characteristics when it cannot be eliminated is discussed.

Tuesday

Nancy McCombs is a distinguished life member of AFTE and past recipient of the Member of the Year, Steve Molnar, and Calvin Goddard awards. Nancy is certified by AFTE in all three subject areas as well as by the ABC and is currently serving on AFTE's Board of Directors

Ballistics and Bomb Squads: Archaeology of a Civil War Battlefield Janene Johnston

Overview: This project attempts to apply modern analytical techniques to the Battle of Natural Bridge – a Civil War battle that took place on the outskirts of Tallahassee, Florida in March of 1865.

Methodology: Archaeologists and volunteers recently conducted a metal detecting survey on the battlefield, which is now a state park. Utilizing a modified catch-and-release strategy allowed for just the

analysis of battle related artifacts, the vast majority of which were munitions related to both small arms and artillery combat. Due to the amount of bullets recovered, firearm identification was performed in the hopes of recovering all pertinent evidence.

Results: Though the condition of the lead bullets did not allow for an in-depth analysis, characteristics such as caliber, bullet type, rifling patterns, impact features, and modifications were noted when possible. This investigation, when combined with the detailed analysis of the artillery related artifacts, yielded several interesting conclusions about the battle regarding troop placement, equipment and gun types, the environment, and quality control issues.

Conclusions: Utilizing a modified forensics approach allowed for a much more detailed analysis of the artifacts, which led to a more comprehensive study of the battle. While these results did not alter the historical record as similar studies have done at other sites, it has greatly enhanced the narrative of Natural Bridge. By placing the artifacts in context on the landscape, we have a better understanding of the events that took place over 150 years ago. Janene is a graduate student studying historical archaeology at the University of West Florida where her research interests focus primarily on conflict archaeology and public outreach. Janene is analyzing a Civil War battlefield for her thesis and has been learning basic firearm identification techniques to assist in this effort.

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The Effect of Windshield Curvature on Trajectory Estimates Michael Kusluski

Overview: This study was undertaken to determine the degree to which windshield curvature influences trajectory estimates, to develop practical correction methods and to assess their ease of use. Existing trajectory-estimation methods described in the literature list bullet deflection, deformation and fragmentation as well as the irregular breakage of windshield glass as potential sources of error. However, the influence of windshield curvature on trajectory estimates has not been studied. While the existing methods work well near the center of the windshield, estimates for impact sites near the sides are prone to error. In addition, estimating the vertical component of trajectory based on the length and width measurements of bullet impact sites has been discouraged.

Methodology: A total of 21 bullets from a single box of ammunition were fired at a level trajectory into three pristine windshields, using a pedestal-mounted universal receiver. Shots were placed along the sides and near the center of each windshield. The windshields were rotated horizontally and vertically to simulate off-axis impact angles.

The horizontal trajectory component for each impact site was analyzed and evaluated using two existing methods. Three curvature-correction methods were evaluated for their ease of use and ability to provide appropriate correction. Vertical trajectory estimates, based on width-to-length ratios, were also evaluated.

Results: For this specific model of windshield, impact sites more than 8 inches from the center produced a systematic error exceeding 5 degrees. Impact sites close to the outer edges of the glass could produce errors of 30 degrees or more. Each of the proposed curvature-correction methods was effective in compensating the estimates, although some methods were more time consuming than others.

Estimating the vertical component of trajectory was not only possible, but essential. Introducing a 20- degree vertical trajectory caused the horizontal trajectory estimate to be rotated by an additional 10 to 15 degrees. An appropriate vertical component correction for horizontal trajectory estimates was also developed and evaluated.

Conclusions: This study indicates that both windshield curvature and the vertical trajectory component have a significant effect on the appearance of bullet impact sites which may require correction. This presentation discusses methods to correct for curvature and vertical trajectory.

Michael Kusluski is a firearms examiner in Michigan. He is a provisional member of AFTE and a Fellow of the American Board of Criminalistics, as well as a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS), the International Association for Identification (IAI) and the International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts (IABPA). He also has previous forensic laboratory experience in bloodstain pattern analysis, controlled substances analysis and crime scene investigation. Before transitioning into forensic science, Mr. Kusluski worked as a scientist, engineer and laboratory supervisor in the private sector.

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FMJ vs. HP Wound Ballistics Research With Test Shots into Tissue Simulants Nikolaos E. Tsiatis

Overview: Test shots into tissue simulants, ballistic soap and ballistic gel, produced under specific conditions, enable us to document and record the path that a bullet follows as a simulation through the human body.

Methodology: The reaction after the perforation/penetration of the human body differs when comparing a 9mm Parabellum FMJ to that of a 9mm Parabellum HP bullet. Using CT technology and studying virtual “slices” of specific areas on scanned ballistic soap blocks in 2D and 3D view allows the evaluation of the data along the bullets` path. Also, density data of these scanned blocks in 2D view, taken from Hounsfield units can be converted in gr/ml by using the appropriate software.

Results: By evaluating the results of this study, accurate measurements can be taken with respect to the projectile`s penetration depth as the bullet trajectory deviates in comparison with the shooting line. Furthermore, the measured volumes of the created temporary cavities lead to useful conclusions as these volumes represent the amount of energy that is transferred into the human body which causes the traumatic results.

Conclusions: For more realistic and accurate results the 3D views of computed tomographies gives the ability in taking measurements of the temporary cavity of scanned blocks.

Nick Tsiatis was born in 1969 in Athens-Greece. Physicist, M.Sc. in Applied Physics, Ph.D. candidate related in wound ballistics, in the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology/School of Medicine/University of Athens. Joined the Hellenic Police in 1995. Has been serving in the Forensic Science Division / Firearms Section, since 2001, as a Court qualified Firearms & Tool mark Examiner. Currently a Police Lt. Colonel. Distinguished AFTE member since 2016. Tools for Microscope Measurements of Bullets and GRC Search Pavel Giverts

Overview: In everyday work of ballistic examiner, in the process of comparison, examiners take pictures of the marks, seen in the microscope.

Methodology: The author developed the program which allows taking pictures from microscope video cameras that support Microsoft DirectShow technology.

Results: This program takes pictures which can be saved on the disk or transferred to a Laboratory Information Management System. The program gives options to add different markings to the live view picture. It is possible to measure the bullet land’s width and the rifling pitch by using the tool. It also includes the data about different calibers and weapons and has a mechanism for searching in the database. The database used is GRC provided by FBI and the data about rates of twist collected and organized by the author.

Conclusions: The program is developed especially for being used by forensic ballistics examiners. This tool can optimize the process of microscope using. The program can be used stand-alone or as module included in different LIMS. It is a free program and an open-source project.

Pavel Giverts has worked as Firearms examiner for the Israel Police since 1999. He has an engineering degree (M.Sc.) in mechanical engineering from Ukrainian University and M.Sc. degree in mechanical engineering from Ben-Gurion University in Israel.

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Taser Bryan Chiles

Overview: The following information will be presented, including an explanation for the name change from Taser to Axon: what is a TASER CEW, how the CEW works, anatomy of the CEW and Cartridge, digital evidence, and physical evidence (including differences with the Axon’s new dart).

Bryan Chiles started at TASER almost 12 years ago in the Research & Development group, then spent the next 10 years running the Validation Test Team. 4 years ago, he also began running investigations for customers and writing expert reports on the technical side of TASER CEWs, often testifying in court as an expert witness. Today, he is responsible for compliance with technical standards (mostly with wireless technology) and also runs Axon’s investigations services.

The American Academy of Forensic Sciences Standards Board (ASB) Firearm and Toolmark Consensus Body Gregory Laskowski

Overview: The American Academy of Forensics Sciences created the Standards Board (ASB) as a response to the need for standardization from the forensic community. This was in line with recommendations in the 2009 NAS report.

It is now working in cooperation with the Forensics Science Board of the Organization of Scientific Areas (OSACS). This presentation will discuss the inception of the ASB, its legal status as an entity, its membership, its mission, a discussion on its consensus bodies with particular emphasis on the discipline of firearms and toolmarks.

Gregory E. Laskowski is the president of Criminalistics Services International, LLC a forensic science education and consulting firm. He is a retired Supervising Criminalist with the Kern County District Attorney Forensic Science Division in Bakersfield, California where he supervised the Major Crimes Unit. He has over thirty-five years’ experience as a forensic scientist with both the Kern County Sheriff’s Department and the Kern County District Attorney’s Office. His university degrees include a BS degree in Biochemistry from the University of Southern California and a MPA degree from California State University Bakersfield. Currently, he is an Adjunct Professor of Forensic Science at California State University Bakersfield in addition to Oklahoma State University.

OSAC Firearm/Toolmark Subcommittee Update Andy Smith

Overview: This presentation is designed to share with the AFTE membership the current work being performed by the Firearm/Toolmark subcommittee of the OSAC (Organization of Scientific Area Committees). Current projects, future directions, and status of the committee will be provided to the membership.

Andy Smith is the Supervisor of the Firearm and Toolmark Unit for the San Francisco Police Department Crime Laboratory. He is Chair of the Firearm/Toolmark subcommittee for OSAC (Organization of Scientific Area Committees) and currently serves on the Board of AFTE.

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Towards the Validation of 3D Virtual Microscopy for Cartridge Case Comparison Ryan Lilien

Overview: Several 3D scanning technologies are capable of measuring a high-resolution 3D surface topography in standard units. When accurately measured, these topographies represent a one-to-one geometric mapping between the scanned digital surface and the actual physical surface. Virtual Microscopy, or the examination of digital representations of objects rather than the physical objects themselves, offers many novel use cases to the forensic examiner. These include new abilities in remote data sharing/collaboration, visualization, access to historic casings, annotations, verification, and proficiency testing. Several labs are beginning to experiment with Virtual Microscopy. Prior to its use in a lab, the technology must be validated.

Methodology: In support of Virtual Microscopy, we developed specialized viewing software, ran a training workshop at the 2016 AFTE meeting, and conducted a blind validation study (including 54 examiners from 15 labs). Each participant utilized the same computer setup loaded with a training tutorial and two virtual CTS-like proficiency tests. One major advantage of a virtual proficiency test is that all examiners utilize the exact same data files. That is, unlike a traditional physical proficiency test, Virtual Microscopy has no inter-operator test set variability. After working through the training tutorial, each participant completed two CTS-like proficiency tests. Participants were asked not only to complete a standard results worksheet but also to use the software to indicate regions of toolmark similarity via a ‘paintbrush-like’ feature in the software.

Results: All participants successfully completed the training and study. The software was reported to be intuitive and easy to use. In this presentation, we will share both details of our work in Virtual Microscopy as well as study results. We will show both numeric measures of performance and informative visualizations of participant annotations. That is, a visual representation of the toolmarks utilized when drawing a conclusion.

Conclusions: Virtual Microscopy will soon become another valuable resource for the toolmark examiner. Our work demonstrates the feasibility of the method and represents an important step towards validating this new technology for use in casework and proficiency testing.

Ryan Lilien, MD/PhD. Ryan's research expertise focuses on the use of advanced scientific computing and statistical models to solve interdisciplinary research problems. Ryan earned an MD/Ph.D. from Dartmouth Medical School and Dartmouth's Department of Computer Science. He is now located in Chicago and serves as Cadre Research's full-time Chief Science Officer while maintaining an adjunct appointment at the University of Toronto. Ryan leads development of the TopMatch-GS 3D system (a novel 3d imaging and analysis system for firearm forensics). Ryan is also currently a member of NIST's OSAC Subcommittee on Firearms & Toolmarks.

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Recovery and Validation of Defaced Serial Numbers Using Infrared Thermal Imaging Ikwulono D. Unobe

Overview: Infrared thermal imaging is an evolving approach useful in nondestructive evaluation of materials for industrial and research purposes. This study investigates the use of this method in combination with multivariate data analysis as an alternative to chemical etching, a destructive and fleeting method currently used to recover defaced serial numbers.

Methodology: A two stage approach for the recovery is tested. The first stage employs infrared thermal imaging of surfaces to obtain thermal images sensitive to local differences in thermal conductivity below a stamped number. These differences are a result of the stamping pressures distorting the atomic crystalline structure of the metal. However, these thermal differences are quite small and thus are not readily visible from the raw thermal images of an irregular surface created by removing the stamped numbers. As such, further enhancement is usually needed to pick up the subtle variations. The second stage, requires the application of multivariate analysis including Principal Component Analysis (PCA). PCA is a multivariate technique that transforms correlated variables into a new set of uncorrelated variables, enhancing the recovery of the serial numbers. Also, statistical measures are utilized to independently verify the recovered numbers by matching them to a library of numbers. Several fusion rules are then employed to achieve a consensus among the different measures used.

Results: Results are presented both for a test sample that was defaced by machining it to several different depths and also for recovery of the VIN number of a motorcycle defaced by criminal activity.

Conclusions: The results show the potential of this approach in recovering defaced serial numbers.

Ikwulono D. Unobe holds BS and MS degrees in Civil Engineering. He is currently studying for his PhD in Engineering and Applied Sciences at Idaho State University.

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Automatic Cartridge Case Comparison and Evaluation Xiao Hui Tai

Overview: In recent years, there have been calls to the forensics community to provide evidence as to the scientific validity of identification procedures. In particular, there has been a push to quantify examiner error rates, as well as the weight of evidence. In this talk we outline an algorithm to compare breechface marks using 2D optical images of cartridge cases, producing a probability measure that quantifies the weight of evidence.

Methodology: We build on existing methods of comparing cartridge images. These consist of steps to pre-process the images, after which similarity scores for each pairwise comparison are produced. Our contributions include fully automating the procedure, so that there is no need to manually select the breechface marks. For each comparison, we also produce an associated probability of obtaining a higher score by chance, or “random match probability,” given a known database. This serves as a measure of uncertainty for the procedure.

Results: We measure the performance of this algorithm on data publicly available from the Ballistics Toolmark Research Database, maintained by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). We demonstrate that performance varies widely between the images, which could be a result of the differing quality of marks produced by different makes and models of guns and cartridges.

Conclusions: We have developed an automated method for comparing cartridge breechface images, which produces a measure of uncertainty that can be presented in court. Firearms examiners have an important role to play in testing such algorithms. It would be greatly beneficial if the results and conclusions reached by such algorithms could be verified by examiners, who can then bring the evidence to court

Xiao Hui Tai is a PhD student in Statistics at Carnegie Mellon University. She is currently working on applications of statistics in forensic sciences.

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Initial Estimation of Likelihood Ratio (LR) for Ballistics Identifications Using Congruent Matching Cells (CMC) Method J. Song, J.A. Soons, T.V. Vorburger, N.F. Zhang, D.B. Ott, Z. Chen, R.M. Thompson, R.M. Silver

Overview: Likelihood ratio is a numerical value that expresses the weight of the forensic findings E. It is obtained by the ratio of the probabilities of findings under two propositions (Hp and Hd) formulated, respectively, by the prosecution and the defense: LR = Pr (퐸 | 퐻푝, 퐼) / (Pr |퐸 | 퐻푑, 퐼)

The 2010 “European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI) Guideline for Evaluative Reporting in Forensic Science” stated that “The conclusion shall be expressed either by a value of the likelihood ratio and/or using a verbal scale related to the value of the likelihood ratio…” and that “The choice of the reported verbal equivalent is based on the likelihood ratio and not the reverse.”

A Congruent Matching Cells (CMC) method is proposed at NIST for ballistics identification and error rate estimation. The True Positive Probability (TPP) and False Positive Probability (FPP) are calculated based on the CMC scores of image correlations, from which the LR is estimated.

Methodology: Two kinds of LR for ballistics identification are discussed: The cumulative LR(c) represents the LR for a collective correlation of image pairs obtained from a given reference population. The individual LR(i) represents the LR for the correlation score of a particular evidence and reference image pair that belong to a specific reference population.

The LRs are estimated for variations of several different influence quantities: 2D vs.3D images, three correlation programs, three statistical models, two sets of samples and four identification criteria.

Results: Initial LR estimations show that, for a challenging comparison scenario of cartridge case breech face impressions from consecutively manufactured firearms, the minimum identification likelihood ratio is estimated as LR(min) = 8.71e+10, which represents the LR range of “Extremely strong” (LR = 1,000,000 and above) as defined by the 2010 ENFSI Guideline.

This initial LR estimation showed high LR values but was obtained for a very small data set and certain qualifying assumptions. Future work requires the population considered to be scaled up to a larger variety of firearms and testing conditions.

Conclusions: Based on the CMC method, initial LRs are estimated under different influence quantities. This method provides a new approach to numerical estimation of LR for ballistics identification in forensic science.

The authors are from the Project Team of Forensic Topography and Surface Metrology at NIST. J. Song, J.A. Soons, T.V. Vorburger, D.B. Ott and R.M. Silver are from the Engineering Physics Division (EPD), N.F. Zhang is from the Statistics Engineering Division (SED), R.M. Thompson is from the Special Program Office (SPO) of NIST. Z. Chen is a guest researcher from the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), Harbin, China

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Bring Your Own Slides Colorado Ballroom 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The BYOS presentations are a great opportunity to present an interesting case study! Presentation times are limited to eight minutes, with two additional minutes for questions, concerns, or maybe new ideas about the presentation (ten minutes max). This year’s BYOS will be co-hosted by Mike Haag and Dan Alessio for double the entertainment!

Schedule of Events

Wednesday, May 17

Registration 7:15 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Colorado Ballroom Foyer Continental Breakfast 7:15 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Aspen Ballroom Technical Session

Location: Colorado Ballroom Morning Moderator: Greg Laskowski Afternoon Moderator: Ryan Kent Time Presenter Page

7:55 a.m. Announcements and Door Prizes

8:00 a.m. Fields of Fire: Indian and Army Tactics at the 1876 Little Bighorn 42 Battle and the Application of Firearm Identification Methods in Revealing the Story Douglas Scott

9:00 a.m. Light it up and slow it down: Applications of high speed 42 video for the firearms examiner Rick Wyant

9:30 a.m. What’s in it for me? The merger of ANAB and ASCLD/LAB 43 Laurel Farrel

10:00 a.m. Break

10:20 a.m. Announcements and Door Prizes

10:25 a.m. An Update on the 10 Consecutively Rifled RUGER Barrel Test 43 and the Examination of 1,632 Fired GLOCK cartridge cases. Dr. James Hamby

10:45 a.m. The Grandby Incident 44 Chief Glen Taylor

11:50 a.m. Lunch Break

12:55 p.m. Announcements and Door Prizes

1:00 p.m. Evaluating bullet impacts for incident angle based on best 44 fit ellipse calculation Brian Smelser

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Schedule of Events Time Presenter Page

1:15 p.m. New high-resolution optical 3D surface metrology methods for 44 bullet and cartridge case identification Cristina Cadevall & Bill Henderson

1:30 p.m. Forensic Led Policing Through Crime Gun Intelligence 45 Ron Nichols

2:30 p.m. Objective Comparison of Toolmark and Bullet Surface Data 46 Martin Baiker, Erich D. Smith, Earl Gliem, Jennifer Stephenson, and Xiaoyu Alan Zheng

3:00 p.m. Implementing 3D Virtual Comparison Microscopy into Forensic 47 Firearm/Toolmark Examinations. Erich D. Smith Workshops (pages 66 - 77) 1:00 p.m. Handgun Function and Repair Mount Harvard

1:00 p.m. LEEDS 3D Scanning of Deformed Bullets and Cartridge Cases Mount Colombia

1:00 p.m. Barrel Making Mount Princeton

1:00 p.m. Digital Imaging Boot Camp Mount Wilson

1:00 p.m. Hi-Point Firearms Armorer’s Course Mount Oxford

1:00 p.m. Black Powder Firearms Maroon Peak

1:00 p.m. Is Murder A’Foot? Crime Scenes ---Staged or Simply Altered? Mount Sopris A

1:00 p.m. Springfield Armory M1911A1 Armorer’s Course Mount Yale

3:30 p.m. Stump the Gunsmith Mount Harvard Activities 1:00 p.m. US Mint Tour 82 6:00 p.m. Denver Brewery Tour 83 6:00 p.m. Lucky Strike 48

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Fields of Fire: Indian and Army Tactics at the 1876 Little Bighorn Battle and the Application of Firearm Identification Methods in Revealing the Story Douglas Scott

Overview: Over 30 years of archaeological investigation of the iconic Battle of the Little Bighorn have found and recorded large numbers of firearms related artifacts, primarily bullets and cartridges cases, as well as human remains. These seemingly mundane artifacts are of great importance in reconstructing Indian and Army fighting methods and tactics. Application of forensic firearm identification methods and GIS based military terrain analysis reveal that Custer’s troop deployment was according to then current tactical doctrine while the Lakota and Cheyenne warriors employed a culturally based fluid war group concept that made best use of available terrain as cover. Simply stated the archaeological record demonstrates the Native Americans outnumbered, out gunned, and out fought the US Seventh Cavalry on June 25, 1876.

Doug received his Ph.D. in 1977 in Anthropology from the University of Colorado, Boulder and specializes in nineteenth century military sites archeology and forensic archeology. Doug has been an AFTE Technical Advisor since 1994. He was awarded the Department of the Interior's Distinguished Service Award in 2002 for his innovative research in battlefield archeology that started with his work at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. In 2015 Doug was presented with the J. C. Harrington Award from the Society for Historical Archaeology for lifetime achievements in the field of Historical Archaeology. Light it Up and Slow it Down: Applications of High Speed Video for the Firearms Examiner Rick Wyant

Overview: This presentation will provide tips, tricks, considerations, and complications for the application of high speed video related to the common duties of the firearm examiner and scene reconstructionist.

Methodology: A significant amount of information can be gathered from proper interpretation of bullet impacts, firearm cycle of fire, gunshot residue distribution, and others. High speed video capable of capturing these activities is often fiscally out of reach for a forensic scientist, but can be very useful in the recreation of a shooting event. Affordable video cameras have entered the market expanding analysis capabilities by recording high resolution slow motion images allowing detail on how a bullet interacts with a surface. These cameras were compared to premium cameras common in the industry.

Results: Experiments from the AFTE workshop demonstrated the usefulness of high end cameras as well as the utility of more affordable systems as long as their boundaries are understood by the operator.

Conclusions: Several movies from experiments conducted at a workshop earlier in the conference will be used to demonstrate the capabilities and limitations of high speed video cameras along the cost spectrum.

Rick Wyant is a supervisor in the Seattle firearm and tool mark section. He distinguished member of AFTE with a keen interest in less lethal weapons, including the publication of a textbook on the topic. Rick is the recipient of the Steve Molnar and Walter Howe awards.

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What’s in it for me? The Merger of ANAB and ASCLD/LAB Laurel Farrel

Overview: Many members of AFTE, and those attending this conference, work for a forensic service provider that is accredited by either ANAB or ASCLD/LAB. Just one year ago these two accrediting bodies, both working in the forensic sector, merged. This presentation will address the following for the new ANAB accreditation program and requirements: the “Why” behind the merger, the “How” this merger benefits the forensic science community as a whole and your organization individually, the “Who” is involved in Forensic Accreditation at ANAB and the assessment activities, the “What” accreditation programs are available to you and a brief introduction to the recently published requirements, the “Where” to go if you want to know more, and the “When” the newly merged program and requirements will be effective.

Laurel joined the staff of the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB) in September of 2008. She continues to serve as a Lead Assessor and Instructor in her current position as Senior Accreditation Manager for ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation board (ANAB). Laurel is a member of and active in several professional organizations including the Society of Forensic Toxicologists (SOFT) and the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS). Laurel is the Society of Forensic Toxicologists’ (SOFT) representative on the Forensic Science Standards Board for the Organization of Scientific Area Committees initiative by NIST. An Update on the 10 Consecutively Rifled RUGER Barrel Test and the Examination of 1,632 Fired GLOCK Cartridge Cases. James E. Hamby, PhD Overview: This presentation will discuss up to date results of the 10 barrel research project as well as discuss the expansion of the cartridge case study.

Methodology: This presentation will discuss the data used to conduct this research.

Results: Information will be provided on continuing legal challenges to our science.

Conclusions: The error rate for the 10 barrel test is nil while the inter comparison of the cartridge cases revealed the ability to individualize them to themselves and exclude from the other fired cases.

Dr. Hamby has been a firearm and tool mark examiner for 46+ years and worked in a variety of laboratories. He is a past Editor of the AFTE Journal and served as the 14th President of AFTE.

The Grandby Incident Glen Trainor Overview: On June 4, 2004, Marvin Heemeyer, a welder and auto repairman, began to level the sleepy little town of Grandby, Colorado with a modified bulldozer. The modifications to the bulldozer were virtually bullet proof, leaving law enforcement with few choices on how to stop the home-made armor- plated vehicle. The event was over two hours long, leaving thirteen buildings completely destroyed and causing more than $7 million dollars in damages.

Chief Glen Trainor from Winterpark/Fraser Police Department.

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Evaluating bullet impacts for incident angle based on best fit ellipse calculation Brian Smelser

Objective: Sometimes photographs are all we have of bullet impacts at crime scenes for trajectory determinations. How accurate can when using the best fit ellipse method developed for the evaluation of blood stain pattern analysis?

Methodology: : Using the same firearm and ammunition combination, ricochets (a hard, flat, unyielding surface) and perforations (drywall) were created at known angles. Photographs were made of these impacts and evaluated using the best fit ellipse method for calculating incident angle. An initial group of individuals were asked to evaluate these impacts and report their results.

Results: Perforations in drywall were the easiest to evaluate with this method. Ricochets were more difficult to evaluate based on the dynamics of the impacts and understanding the differences in how a bullet interacts with a surface then how blood does. The small pool of evaluators is not enough to draw significant conclusions.

Conclusions: Sets of the photographs will be distributed so that more data can be gathered and later published. Other variables to consider are different calibers, bullet shapes, bullet construction, speed of projectile, impact material.

Brian Smelser is a distinguished member of AFTE. He has worked for the WSP in DNA, Crime Scene, and Firearms.

New high-resolution optical 3D surface metrology methods for bullet and cartridge case identification Cristina Cadevall & Bill Henderson

Objective: Sensofar presents two new state of the art methods which outperform existing methods when utilized for bullet and cartridge case identification: Continuous Confocal and Confocal Fusion.

Methodology: We will solve a blind study created by the Phoenix Police Department Crime Laboratory consisting in 10 unknown fired bullets and 8 sets of test fires using the new Continuous Confocal (CC) 3D surface metrology method and we will use the new Confocal Fusion (CF) 3D surface metrology methods to measure cartridge cases and visually compare them.

Results: This study supports the possibility of using any of these surface topography techniques for ballistic identifications and points to the new Continuous Confocal (CC) technique as the preferred method providing both high CCFmax values, the best repeatability and faster measurement time.

Conclusions: Two new high-resolution optical 3D surface metrology methods for bullet and cartridge case identification are presented and compared to existing methods showing that Confocal Continuous has the best performance for bullet identification and Confocal Fusion has the best performance for cartridge case measurements.

Cristina Cadevall is Software Manager at Sensofar Tech SL since it’s foundation in 2001 and partner since 2004.

Bill Henderson is a technical sales and marketing professional with over 25 years in the world of metrology.

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Forensic Led Policing Through Crime Gun Intelligence Ron Nichols

Overview: At the 45th Annual AFTE Training Seminar in Seattle, WA, a presentation was given that examined a shift in philosophy with respect to utilizing available technology to allow police agencies to move from reacting to shooting crime to responding to a crime gun problem. This presentation built on the foundation laid by a report of the National Institute of Justice entitled, Opening the Black Box of NIBIN: A Process and Outcome Evaluation of the use of NIBIN and its Effects on Criminal Investigations, Final Report, published in October 2013. This report indicated that current ballistic imaging technology had been underutilized as an open case file and had far greater potential in helping investigators remove active shooters from the streets. This potential would only be met though with a change in the way forensic science laboratories and firearm examiners viewed casework involving firearm related evidence.

Methodology: This presentation will discuss shifts that have occurred with respect to firearm-related evidence and how it is processed in a number of different models. Every situation and community are different. Therefore, it is not possible for a single solution that will fit all situations and communities. At the same time, successful agencies do share some common features significant to the success these agencies are experiencing in helping to reduce violent shooting crime in the communities they serve.

Results: The different models that will be presented include accredited forensic laboratories both statewide and local, along with police agency-based operations that do not include typical forensic laboratories. It will be demonstrated that accreditation does not inhibit a more concise approach to handling firearm-related evidence and that police agency-based operations can be as capable as their forensic laboratory-based counterparts. There are many common features significant to the success of these agencies. Chief among them is a common understanding among all stakeholders and clients of the purpose in using technology – to get active shooters off the streets as soon as possible. Along with this are identifying the forensic examinations deemed necessary as opposed to desirable, decreasing the evidentiary footprint as much as possible, identifying ways to reduce the administrative overhead so common in contemporary forensic casework, and understanding the balance of time investment versus investigative value.

Conclusions: Testimonies will be shared highlighting how various agencies have implemented strategies and the success that they have had. An example is a local police agency performing 3,000 acquisitions and correlation reviews of firearm-related evidence, 75% within 3 days and 95% within 7 days. This led to 290 NIBIN Leads within the first year and 112 shooters identified and/or arrested as a result of those NIBIN Leads.

Ron Nichols is a Distinguished Member of AFTE, formerly of the Oakland Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Having 26 years of firearm and toolmark experience and over 30 in forensic science, Ron is President of Nichols Forensic Science Consulting, an independent consulting and training firm.

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Objective Comparison of Toolmark and Bullet Surface Data, Acquired at Three Different Laboratories in the US and the Netherlands, Using the Automated Analysis Software Scratch Martin Baiker, Erich Smith, Earl Gliem, Jennifer Stephenson, & Xiaoyu Alan Zheng

Overview: The traditional way of striated tool- and firearm mark analysis using comparison microscopes, requires the forensic examiner to manually adjust the lighting conditions, e.g. the illumination angle. Thus the appearance of the ridges and furrows as a light-shadow pattern depends on the examiner, and may lead to variation in the results. In addition, striations located in shadow areas are lost. Using 3D mark surface measurements instead is more objective and allows supplementing the traditional examination approach with accurate quantitative measurements. Several technological approaches exist on the market for measuring toolmark topography. Before the data can be used in casework, the variability of the data depending on the measurement method or the machine operator has to be studied. In this presentation, we present the influence of using various 3D surface measurement technologies and machines in different labs on topographic bullet and toolmark data.

Methodology: In total, 90 bullets were fired with 30 consecutively manufactured Beretta 92F/FS barrels at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and toolmarks were created in lead with 20 screwdrivers at the Netherlands Forensic Institute. Datasets were acquired at NIST, using a NanoFocus µsurf confocal microscope, at the FBI using a Sensofar S neox confocal microscope and at the NFI using an Alicona SL focus variation microscope. Subsequently, all datasets were pre-processed and aligned at the NFI using Scratch, an in-house developed software package for automated tool- and firearm marks comparison. Subsequently, similarity scores between matching and non-matching marks were determined and used to calculate score distributions of known matching and known non-matching marks.

Results: Preliminary results show that identical marks, measured at different laboratories with different measurement technologies are highly reproducible. Scores between the known matching and the known non-matching marks differed significantly, independent of the data acquisition technology. A further detailed analysis of the results will be provided during the presentation.

Conclusions: Reproducible data is crucial to obtain more objective results and to decrease the variability of the outcome of an examination. We demonstrate that using different technologies and operators in different labs yield similar data and that the distributions of known matching and known non-matching scores are well separated.

Martin Baiker holds a PhD in Medical Image Processing and joined the Netherlands Forensic Institute in 2011 as a scientific researcher. His work focuses at objective acquisition and comparison of striated and impression marks of tools and firearms and the subsequent objective determination of the forensic evidential value.

Erich D. Smith, MS, Forensic Examiner, Earl Gliem, Physical Scientist Forensic Examiner, Jennifer Stephenson, Physical Scientist Non-Forensic Examiner, Firearms/Toolmarks Unit, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Laboratory Division, 2501, Investigation Parkway, Quantico, VA.

Xiaoyu Alan Zheng is a mechanical engineer with the Engineering Physics Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). He holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, as well as a MS in Mechanical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. His primary research focuses on objective ballistics toolmark identifications. He is currently a technical adviser with AFTE and is serving on the Firearms and Toolmark subcommittee of the NIST OSACs. 46

Implementing 3D Virtual Comparison Microscopy into Forensic Firearm/Toolmark Examinations. Erich D. Smith

Overview: Following this presentation, attendees will be aware of the validation method used by the FBI Laboratory, Firearms/Toolmarks Unit (FTU) to evaluate 3D instruments for virtual comparison microscopy, the method used to incorporate these technologies into traditional forensic firearms/toolmarks examinations, and the capabilities of using 3d technology for training, examination verification, and blind verification/testing

Methodology: This study was conducted to determine if qualified firearms/toolmark examiners could successfully determine, using virtual comparison microscopy, the correct answers to previously distributed proficiency tests, consecutively manufactured test sets, and casework samples previously examined using a comparison microscope. Ten proficiency tests from Collaborative Testing Services® (CTS), Inc. were selected with test distributions spanning from 2003 to 2012. All proficiency test samples, including the three knowns submitted for evaluation were given random identifiers for virtual microscopic comparison. Additionally, three test sets were assembled using consecutively manufactured Ruger®, SR9 slides with Winchester® ammunition. Each consecutively manufactured test set consisted of ten cartridge cases with randomly assigned identifiers for virtual comparison.

Results: Test participants were given operating instructions on The Cadre® Forensic TopMatch- GelSight instrument prior to conducting test examinations. Results were recorded by the individual test participant on an answer key and they were encouraged to provide feedback on the virtual comparison microscopy analysis. For this virtual comparison microscopy evaluation study, test participants did not have access to the matching algorithm to assist in reaching a conclusion.

Conclusions: At the conclusion of this presentation, attendees will have an understanding of the data collected to validate 3D virtual microscopy for implementation into casework.

Erich D. Smith is a Physical Scientist Forensic Examiner with the FBI Laboratory, Firearms/Toolmarks Unit (FTU) and serves as the Training Program manager and Technical Leader for the FTU. In addition to his regular casework, Mr. Smith is an Instructor for the FBI Shooting Incident Reconstruction (SIR) school and is a regular member of AFTE.

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Goddard’s Get Together Lucky Strike 500 16th Street, Denver 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Everyone is invited to come and take part in this year’s Goddard’s Get Together!

The event will be held at Lucky Strike. We have a reserved space including shuffle boards and ping pong tables. People can bowl if lanes are available and there is a very large arcade next to our reserved area. So please join us for an evening of games, drinks, catching up with friends and making new friends.

Lucky Strike is located one block south of the hotel on the 16th Street Mall. It is on the 3rd floor of the Denver Pavilions.

Schedule of Events Thursday, June 2

Registration 7:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Colorado Ballroom Foyer

Continental Breakfast 7:15 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Aspen Ballroom

Technical Session

Location: Colorado Ballroom Morning Moderator: Adam Grooms Afternoon Moderator: Jamie Green Time Presenter Page

7:55 a.m. Announcements and Door Prizes

8:00 a.m. What's New in Ammunition and There are no Standards for 52 Caliber Designations George Kass

8:30 a.m. 3070 Consecutive Firings from a Chinese Model QSZ92 9mm Pistol: 52 Extractor Marks and Evofinder Correlations of Breech Face Marks and Firing Pin Impressions Yeusong Li and Kaifeng Zhang

9:00 a.m. Automatic Matching of Full and Degraded Bullet Lands 53 Heike Hofmann

9:30 a.m. Troubling Manufacturing Marks – As seen on SFPD Standard 54 Department Issued 40 S&W caliber 180 Grain Winchester Ranger T- Series Ammunition Megan Pytlik

9:50 a.m. The Keddie Investigation: A 36 Year Old Cold Case 55 Kelsey Kyle

10:10 a.m. Break

10:30 a.m. Announcements & Door Prizes

10:35 a.m. An Investigation into the Factors that Influence the Ability to Make 56 Toolmark Identifications on Ammunition Discharged From Semi-Automatic Pistols Recovered from Car Fires. Mark Collender, Kevin Doherty, and Kenneth Stanton

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Schedule of Events

Time Presentation Page

11:05 a.m. Identification of a Suspected Pistol with the Cartridge Case 57 and Bullet from a Murdering Case in China Bao Liyin

11:25 a.m. The Properties, Performance, and Forensic Implications of 58 Hi-Tek Bullet Coating Holli Worden

11:55 a.m. Comprehensive Forensic Analysis of 3D-Printed Firearms 59 Shanley Brezen and Richard Cayer

12:15 p.m. Lunch

1:25 p.m. Announcements and Door Prizes

1:30 p.m. A Framework for Firearm Toolmark Population Statistics 60 Xiaoyu Alan Zheng

2:00 p.m. Results of the latest ENFSI firearms identification proficiency 61 test (FAID 2015) Alice Walters

2:30 p.m. Study of Toolmarks Made by Consecutively Manufactured 62 Snap-off Blades Shing Min

2:50 p.m. Stress, Critical Incident Stress and Post Traumatic Stress 63 Effects on the Crime Scene Investigator/Firearms Examiner Katie McMann and Alan Hammond

3:35 p.m. Break

3:55 p.m. Drawing 78

Activities 6:00 p.m. Cocktail Hour Colorado Ballroom Foyer

7:00 p.m. Banquet and After Party Colorado Ballroom

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What’s New in Ammunition and There are no Standards for Caliber Designations George Kass

Overview: A briefing on new ammunition, new ammunition calibers, new ammunition firms as well as any industry changes. A discussion on caliber designations and why there is no standard for naming new calibers.

George G. Kass answered first forensic question ca. 1960. Became an AFTE Technical Advisor 1976. Was given regular membership and then awarded distinguished membership. Started Forensic Ammunition Service in 1981. Currently does expert witness work, consulting and training seminars for firearms examiners on ammunition. 3070 Consecutive Firings from a Chinese Model QSZ92 9mm Pistol: Extractor Marks and Evofinder Correlations of Breech Face Marks and Firing Pin Impressions Yeusong Li and Kaifeng Zhang

Overview: For Chinese Norinco QSZ-92 9×19mm pistol, our research team has conducted a project on the reproducibility of marks on cartridges by an Evofinder® system, in which both firing pin impressions and breech face marks were studied. We also concentrated on the reproducibility of extractor marks by microscopic comparison.

Methodology: A total of 3070 rounds were fired from a Chinese Norinco QSZ-92 9×19mm pistol. We compared the extractor marks on the 1st fired cartridge to the 2nd-20th, 500th, 1000th, 1500th, 2000th, 2500th, 3000th, 3070th fired cartridge cases respectively using a Motorized Forensic Comparison Macroscope Leica® FS C. For the Evofinder study, the first 20 cartridges were all studied, while one random sample out of every ten consecutively fired cartridge cases were studied for the rest 3050 rounds. Thus 325 cartridge cases were entered into an Evofinder® system(software version 6.3) and a database of 325 cartridge cases from the same pistol yet in different firing sequences was established. The first cartridge case and every 100th cartridge cases were correlated against the database by firing pin impression and breech face mark separately.

Results: Although there existed slight variations of extractor characteristics marks among cartridges in different firing sequence number, the first and later fired cartridges can still be identified as being fired from the same pistol. For breech face mark, cartridges fired closer in sequence to the searched one were always ranked in the top of the correlation lists, meanwhile, we observed a roughly linear behavior between the similarity score of the item ranked in position “1” and the fire sequence number of cartridge used to search. Such behavior was not noticed for firing pin impression.

Conclusions: Cartridge cases fired in closer sequence appeared more similar in breech face mark and slight variation occurred consecutively during extensive shots. However, the characteristics of firing pin impression persisted very well throughout 3070 firings. There was sufficient agreement of extractor marks for firearm examiners to reach positive conclusions of the first cartridge case and the later fired cartridge cases even after 3070 firings for Chinese Norinco QSZ-92 9×19mm pistol.

Kaifeng Zhang is a master’s degree Yuesong Li is a master’s degree student from People's Public Security student from People's Public Security University of China majoring in University of China majoring in firearms identification. firearms identification

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Automatic Matching of Full and Degraded Bullet Lands Heikie Hofmann

Overview: Despite being an accepted and established forensic science practice, the process of matching bullets to determine whether they were fired from the same gun barrel has come under fairly intense scrutiny in recent years. In this talk, we outline an automatic method for assessing the probability of two bullets being fired from the same gun barrel. We then use a simulation study to assess the performance of this algorithm in a real world scenario, where only fragments of the bullet land may be recovered. Finally, we provide some ideas for generalizing these methods so that they can apply to real world scenarios in the criminal justice system.

Methodology: Using 3D surface scans of bullets from the James Hamby study, we created an algorithm which extracts features from land to land comparisons. These features are then used to train a statistical model which automatically predicts the probability that two bullets were fired from the same gun barrel.

Results: This statistical model achieves perfect accuracy on Hamby Set 252, and has a very small error rate when including data from both Hamby Set 252 and Hamby Set 44. The extracted features, when standardized to account for the case of degraded bullet lands, help match bullets even when the full land cannot be recovered.

Conclusions: Though more data is needed to provide a thorough assessment of the effectiveness of automatic bullet matching algorithms, these results are very promising. With few assumptions and a short time to train the model, this model can effectively assess the probability of a match for a large number of land to land comparisons. When generalizing these results to full bullets, the algorithm correctly predicts every match and non-match. This suggests that automated algorithms may have a very important role in future forensic science methods.

Heike Hofmann is Professor of Statistics at Iowa State University. She is a collaborator with CSAFE, the Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence. 53

Troubling Manufacturing Marks – As Seen on SFPD Standard Department Issued 40 S&W caliber 180 Grain Winchester Ranger T-Series Ammunition Megan Pytlik

Overview: Failure to base identifications on true fire formed marks may result in critical forensic errors. During a recent examination of fired cartridge cases from a high-profile, multi-officer involved shooting which included five Sig Sauer Model P226 pistols, I discovered manufacturing marks on the primer surfaces of my evidence cartridge cases and unfired ammunition carried by the police officers involved. These manufacturing marks mimicked breechface mark impressions in a way that I have not observed before.

Methodology: While comparing what I initially believed to be breechface mark impressions on two evidence cartridge cases, I noticed that the firing pin drag mark and ejector marks were slightly out of phase. I hypothesized that these parallel marks could be manufacturing marks, despite their failure to exhibit any of the telltale manufacturing mark signs. My hypothesis was confirmed when I began an examination of the unfired cartridges carried by the five police officers involved. I observed parallel marks on the primers of the unfired cartridges that mimicked breechface marks in their position, distribution, spacing and location, however, these manufacturing marks did not extend all the way across the primer.

Results: With the assistance of Ed Harris, a technical engineer with the Olin Corporation and the new AFTE technical advisor from Winchester, I am in the process of determining the source of these marks. My working theory is these marks are being created by the primer seating punch during the cartridge assembly process; Ed Harris believes the marks are present on the brass strips Winchester purchases from an outside supplier.

Conclusions: In order to prevent serious forensic errors from occurring, it is of critical importance to share this information with the Firearms Examiner community. I am working with Ed Harris to determine the origin of these marks and any new information will be shared with the community. This case is a reminder to all that care must be taken to base identifications on true fire formed marks.

Megan Pytlik is a Firearm and Toolmark Examiner working for the San Francisco Police Department Crime Laboratory. Five years ago, she moved out west from New England where she had previously been a Firearm & Toolmark Examiner at the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. Megan’s introduction and training in the field took place at the Rhode Island State Crime Laboratory back in 2008. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Rhode Island and a Master of Science in Forensic Science from the University of New Haven.

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The Keddie Investigation: A 36 Year Old Cold Case Kelsey Kyle

Overview: On April 12, 1981 the bodies of Glena "Sue" Sharp, John Sharp and Dana Wingate were found at cabin 28 in Keddie California. Later the investigators realized that the younger daughter, Tina Sharp, was missing. After a vigorous investigation no person or persons have been brought to justice.

Methodology: Research was conducted to better understand the details of the case. Help from the current investigator, Mike Gamberg, at the Plumas County Sheriff's Office was used as well.

Results: Little clarity has been found. However there have been multiple suspects over the years but no arrests have been made. Investigator Mike Gamberg has picked the case back up and has been working on finding who committed this crime.

Conclusions: At this time there are a few leads, but the main suspects are deceased. Leads now involve persons who are considered accomplices after the fact. Mike Gamberg and the Plumas County Sheriff's Office are working the case to bring this killer to justice and give the Sharp and Wingate family closure.

Kelsey Kyle is currently a sophomore at Colorado Mesa University studying psychology with a double minor in criminal justice and forensic psychology and is interested in pursuing a career in firearms and toolmarks examination.

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An Investigation into the Factors that Influence the Ability to Make Toolmark Identifications on Ammunition Discharged from Semi-Automatic Pistols Recovered from Car Fires. Mark A. Collender Kevin A.J. Doherty Kenneth T. Stanton

Overview: We investigate the factors that influence the ability to make toolmark identifications on ammunition discharged from pistols recovered from such car fires. This work was carried out by conducting a number of controlled furnace tests in conjunction with real car fire tests in which three 9 mm semi-automatic pistols were burned. Comparisons between pre-burn and post burn test fired ammunition discharged from these pistols were then performed to establish if identifications were still possible.

Methodology: A CZ-85B model semi-automatic pistol was examined to determine what materials the barrel, slide and firing pin were made from and establish their microstructures. Controlled furnace tests were performed in conjunction with two car fires to establish how samples of these component parts behaved in the test and real type environments. Three more CZ-85B semi-automatic pistols attached to thermocouples were also burned in the first of the two car fires. Comparisons were then performed between pre-burn and post-burn sets of test-fired ammunition from the pistols to establish whether identifications were possible or not. A second car was burned and the temperatures in two locations, namely the front foot well and on top of the rear seat, were recorded.

Results: The condition of the three post burn pistols was generally good considering they were recovered from a burned out vehicle. A definite deterioration was observed on the quality of the toolmarks transferred on to both discharged bullets and discharged cartridge cases as the result of this. The discharged test fired ammunition from the three pre-burn pistols was suitable for comparison purposes with all displaying consistent reproducible discharge generated toolmarks. The post burn test fired discharged cartridge cases could be identified to one another, with all displaying consistent reproducible discharge generated toolmarks

Conclusions: Post burn test fired cartridge cases recovered from three CZ pistols subjected to a car fire could be identified to those discharged from the same pistol before it was burned, though the quality of the toolmarks on the discharged cartridge cases had deteriorated from pre to post burn. When performing casework comparisons on test fired cartridge cases from pistols recovered in vehicles that have been burned a combination of breech face impressions, firing pin impressions, firing pin aperture shear marks and firing pin drag marks should be used to make identifications. In contrast, post burn test fired bullets recovered from three CZ pistols subjected to a car fire could not be identified to those discharged from the same pistol before it was burned.

Mark Collender is a firearms examiner attached to the Ballistics Section of the Garda Technical Bureau in Ireland for the last 16 years. He works in the laboratory and also attends crime scenes.

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Identification of a suspected pistol with the Cartridge Case and Bullet from a Murdering Case in China Bao Liyin

Overview: A man who lived in Henan Province, China, was shot and killed in 2003 on his way home. Policemen collected one spent cartridge case and one bullet from the scene. The suspected pistol, a Spanish Looking Glass pistol, with a broken locking lug, was not seized until 2008. A second examination was conducted in 2016 after the first examination in 2013.

Methodology: Several examinations were conducted. First, the scene case and bullet were compared with the sample made in 2013, because the broken-barrel pistol could not afford one more shot. Second, after two-week descaling, a sample was made on silicone rubber through the direct hitting of firing pin. Third, a similar sample was obtained on lead plate. Fourth, an unfired cartridge, of which gunpowder and bullet was removed, was loaded in chamber and hit by the firing pin. Fifth, 3D printing technology was introduced, and a similar polymeric barrel was made in order to replace the broken one. Though the polymeric barrel could not bear the real firing process, the movement of the feeding, locking and percussion can be reproduced, and the sample was obtained as the fourth way. Last, a barrel was separated from a similar Looking Glass pistol, and the one with broken locking lug was replaced. The test bullets were fired and the samples of cartridge cases were collected. However, the bullet samples could not be used for the identification because of the barrel replacement.

Results: The marks on the samples made in 2013 were not plenty enough. The lead and silicone rubber samples can keep some firing pin and breach face marks from the suspected pistol, but not enough. Because of much weaker impact force, the case samples, using neither broken barrel nor 3D printing one, were also not good enough. The replacement of barrel was the best way, and the cartridge case of crime scene was finally identified firing from the suspected pistol.

Conclusions: Though what we attempted to do was not fit for the broken barrel pistol identification, experiments such as silicone rubber, lead sample, or 3D printing polymeric barrel might be useful in future rare gunshot identification.

Bao Liyin, Ph.D of Materials Science and Engineering, associate research fellow in firearm evidence identification.

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The Properties, Performance, and Forensic Implications of Hi-Tek Bullet Coating Holli Worden

Overview: Hi-Tek-Lube Supercoat is a proprietary thermoset polymer coating designed to provide a layer of protection around lead projectiles; it has the proposed benefits of providing cleaner air, barrels, and reloading equipment. Due to its increasing popularity, Hi-Tek-coated bullets may appear in casework. The goal of this two-part research study was to determine if Hi-Tek bullet coating promotes or hinders microscopic examination and comparison of fired bullets, and if it can be left behind as trace evidence.

Methodology: Twenty-eight firearm examiners compared copper-jacketed bullets to Hi-Tek Red Copper-coated bullets fired from five different conventional and polygonally rifled 45 Auto barrels. As a follow up experiment, standard lead bullets were compared to Hi-Tek-coated bullets. Hi-Tek-coated bullets were examined for the potential to leave trace evidence in barrels and on targets. Instruments analyzed the chemical properties of Hi-Tek coating, and sodium rhodizonate was used to test coating performance in light of marketing claims.

Results: The majority of examiners concluded that jacketed bullets are not appropriate for comparison with Hi-Tek-coated bullets. Comparison with lead bullets revealed similar conclusions. It was determined that Hi-Tek bullet coating hinders the quality of striae in land and groove impressions; identifications using Hi-Tek-coated bullets were only made in areas where lead was exposed. Because Hi-Tek bullet coating was scraped off of the bullet in the barrel, trace pieces of Hi-Tek bullet coating can be collected. Additional coating did not appear to be removed when perforating target materials. Contrary to marketing claims, Hi-Tek bullet coating fails to protect the lead bullet; users of this product should expect lead exposure.

Conclusions: Because of the lack of reproducible toolmarks left on Hi-Tek-coated bullets, examiners should use discretion when choosing standards for comparison. Areas where lead is exposed have the most potential for individual characteristics. If barrels are swabbed for coating particulates, instrumental analysis could confirm the presence of Hi-Tek bullet coating.

Holli Worden holds a Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science. She started her career in Firearms Identification in November 2014 at the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. Holli is a 2016 graduate of the ATF National Firearms Examiner Academy.

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Comprehensive Forensic Analysis of 3D-Printed Firearms Shanley Brezen and Richard Cayer

Overview: This presentation will impact the forensic science community by enhancing its awareness of these types of firearms and demonstrating the ways in which current, routine analytical techniques in the forensic laboratory can gather useful information from them. It will also indicate what types of analysis may provide more discriminating and conclusive results.

Methodology: : CBI scientists performed gunshot residue (GSR), polymer, DNA, latent print, and firearms analysis as is standard when a conventional firearm has been submitted by a law enforcement agency, and worked closely with engineers during the selection, printing, and firing of the 3D printed guns. This enabled forensic scientists to record information about the firearms’ construction, handling, and firing success before forensic analysis was performed. This unique opportunity to witness firsthand exactly what goes into firing a 3D-printed gun—from the way the weapon is handled prior to firing, to the way the weapon itself reacts to being fired—allowed scientists to understand potential challenges to conventional analysis. All components of the weapons were submitted to the laboratory for typical processing methods and were evaluated for useful forensic data. Scientists then determined whether typical analysis would meet the needs of law enforcement and public safety if 3D-printed firearms become as prevalent as predicted.

Results: The research discussed in this presentation includes analysis from the forensic science disciplines of firearms, biological sciences, trace evidence, and latent print analysis, and examines traditional forensic processing of firearm evidence and how those methods can be used or modified for optimal results when handling the components of 3D printed, polymer-based guns.

Conclusions: : This project successfully demonstrates the challenges of analyzing 3D-printed guns using current forensic methods as well as the possible unique characteristics of 3D-printed firearms.

Shanley Brezen has a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Western Oregon University. Previously employed by the New York City Police Department, Shanley is now with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation as a Forensic Scientist II in the Latent Print and Crime Scene Units. Shanley has been a Certified Latent Print Examiner through the IAI since 2014.

Mr. Cayer is a Senior Engineer and the Systems Engineering Group Leader at the Rocky Mountain Division of Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA). Mr. Cayer served as the Program Manager for the 3D Printed Polymeric Firearms project sponsored by CTTSO. During this effort, printable firearms were selected (in conjunction with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms), constructed, fired, and subsequently examined by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

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A Framework for Firearm Toolmark Population Statistics Xiaoyu Alan Zheng

Overview: New objective hardware and software solutions have been developed in recent years to address concerns raised by the NAS and PCAST reports. In order to fully validate these new solutions, a framework for population statistics is required. Population statistics describe the frequency distributions of a similarity score for, respectively, same-source comparisons and different-source comparisons of ballistic samples, such as cartridge cases and bullets. Similar to DNA analysis, these distributions are needed to establish a statistical foundation for the estimation of identification confidence limits and error rates. An important component of the proposed research is to systematically evaluate, for different firearm populations, the effects of key processing parameters on the comparison score distributions and associated error rate estimates. Conducting this research will play an important role in determining the extent to which the comparison protocol, population statistics, and error rate estimation need to be tailored to a particular firearm sub-population.

Methodology: Firearms from five manufacturers were chosen for this research. These include a minimum of 50 firearms each from Sig Sauer, Ruger, Smith and Wesson, Glock, and Colt. The breechface impressions on 568 test fired cartridge cases from 284 firearms were measured. Measurements were made using a disc scanning confocal microscope. Correlations were conducted using the Congruent Matching Cell Method (CMC).

Results: Distributions for known match and known non-match comparison scores were generated for all samples, for each firearm manufacturer, and for each breechface class characteristic. Furthermore, the effects of key processing parameters on these distributions were evaluated. The distributions were used to estimate the respective cumulative false positive and false negative error rates.

Conclusions: The known matching and known non-matching distributions of each firearm manufacturer exhibited different cumulative false positive and false negative error rates. Sig Sauer for instance contained more overlap between the KM and KNM distributions when compared against the other four manufacturers. This effect is mainly due to the quality and availability of toolmarks on the breechface. Throughout the entire analysis, zero false positives were encountered. However, false negatives did occur. The proposed framework will enable evaluation of other similarity metrics and the dynamic update of distributions when new data becomes available.

Xiaoyu Alan Zheng is a Mechanical Engineer in the Engineering Physics Division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). He has a B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and focuses his research on objective measurements and analysis of 2D/3D ballistics toolmarks. He is currently a member of the subcommittee on Firearms & Toolmarks in the NIST OSACs as well as a Technical Advisor for AFTE. 60

Results of the latest ENFSI firearms identification proficiency test (FAID 2015) Alice Waters

Overview: FAID 2015 was an inter-laboratory comparison and proficiency test, designed to improve the way firearms examiners interpret firing marks on cartridge cases and bullets when performing comparison microscopy. This presentation summarizes the results of the FAID 2015 proficiency test and the subsequent workshop in October 2016. Furthermore it compares performance with earlier tests and makes an assessment of the overall performance of the participating laboratories. Finally the presentation attempts to identify any shortcomings in the trial to assist in the development of future trials.

Methodology: Fifty-nine laboratories from Europe, North America and Asia were asked to provide conclusions to ten comparisons of polyurethane castings of either fired bullets or cartridge cases. Participants were expected to carry out the comparisons according to their laboratory’s own standard operating procedures. Participants used a standardized conclusion scale in order to express their opinion on whether or not the unknown bullet or cartridge case was fired from the same weapon as the known samples.

Results: The results show a continuing improvement in performance over previous tests with a 0.7% false positive rate and a 0.3% false negative rate. The number and type of errors decreased.

Conclusions: The test was designed to promote quality assurance by collaborative testing, encouraging firearms examiners to use a similar identification methodology and develop professional standards. It demonstrated the validity of the comparison microscopy method and assisted laboratories to identify problems, enabling them to initiate remedial actions.

Alice Walters has been a firearms examiner since 1999. She sits on the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI) Firearms/ Gunshot Residue expert working group’s Steering Committee and is currently the group leader for the ENFSI Quality Assurance and Proficiency Testing firearms expert working group. She is a Professional Member of the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences and was an Ordinary Member of Society Council between November 2013 and November 2016. In the Queen's Birthday Honours List 2015 she was awarded Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for service

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Study of Toolmarks Made by Consecutively Manufactured Snap-off Blades Shing Min

Overview: A case of suspected suicide, involving snap-off blades, was submitted to Forensic Chemistry and Physics Laboratory (FCPL) of Health Sciences Authority (HSA), Singapore. From the examination of complementary cut edges and manufacturing marks on the blade surfaces, we could determine consecutively manufactured blades. This led to our study to examine the toolmarks made by consecutively manufactured snap-off blades. We also designed the study such that examiners are required to make independent observations between questioned samples and known samples which they are given. This is in view of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) report in September 2016, where one recommendation given was to “improve firearms analysis as a subjective method” through having more appropriately designed studies done. Toolmarks analysis, although not specifically mentioned in the PCAST report, is the foundation of firearms analysis, and both areas use the scientific method as stipulated in the Association of Firearms and Toolmarks Examiners' (AFTE) Theory of Identification. Hence, FCPL believes that additional toolmarks-based studies should be done to further establish the scientific validity of this discipline as a whole.

Methodology: For this study, ten consecutively manufactured blades are chosen. Each blade was used to cut spare plastic tubes to break in the tool. After which, each blade is used to cut 20 plastic tubes, giving a total of 200 tubes. Each examiner is given 10 sets of samples, each consisting of one of the 200 tubes (questioned tube) chosen randomly and two known tubes from the same known blade. As the questioned tube is chosen at random, the proportion of same- and different-blade comparisons may be different among examiners. Each examiner is required to conduct independent examination and conclude whether the questioned tube was cut by the same blade that was used to cut the two known tubes.

Conclusions: This study aims to be an assessment of the reliability and repeatability of toolmarks comparison methods and have a better understanding of the examiner error rates.

Shing Min is a Senior Forensic Scientist with the Forensic Chemisty and Physics Laboratory (FCPL) of Health Sciences Authority (HSA), Singapore since 2010. She graduated from the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Chemistry.

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Stress, Critical Incident Stress and Post Traumatic Stress Effects on the Crime Scene Investigator/Firearms Examiner Katie McMann and Alan Hammond

Overview: Huge case backlogs, high profile cases, traumatic crime scenes, Daubert/Frye/Shreck hearings, and public media persecution of the forensic sciences affect all of us. AFTE provides the firearms examiner with a vast amount of information to assist them with performing firearms and tool mark examinations. This presentation will provide information to assist the firearms examiner in recognizing the effects of job related stress.

Methodology: Discuss how crime scene investigators and forensic scientists are often forgotten when it comes to critical incident stress; provide examples of how these individuals can and have been affected..

Results: Identify symptoms of stress, critical incident stress, and trauma.

Conclusions: : Present an array of ways to manage stress, critical incident stress, and post traumatic stress, and make recommendations to the examiner and their departments to ensure these individuals are provided avenues for care.

Dr. Katie McMann is a police psychologist at Nicoletti-Flater Associates in the Denver area, serving multiple police departments, sheriffs departments, fire departments, and other municipalities. She received her Masters of Forensic Psychology, and Doctorate of Psychology, from the University of Denver. She conducts suitability and psychological evaluations for various agencies, teaches and conducts trainings, and provides therapeutic services for public safety employees. She has also been involved in numerous critical incident debriefings. She is a member of the American Psychological Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police, and Association for Threat Assessment Professionals.

Alan Hammond has been a firearms examiner since 2007, serving with the Kentucky State Police, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the Aurora Police Department. He was a crime scene investigator and firearms examiner on the Columbine High School, the Aurora Theater shootings and consulted on the JonBenet Ramsey homicide case.

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Schedule of Events

Friday, May 19 Workshops (pages 66 - 77)

8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Forensic Double Casting Mount Harvard

8 :00a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Documentation Methods For Casework Mount Colombia

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Ammunition for the Firearm Examiner Torrey’s Peak

8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Smith and Wesson M&P Pistol Armorer’s Course Mount Yale

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. SIG P320 Armorer’s Course

Mount Sopris B

8 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Glock Pistols Armorer’s Course Mount Oxford

8 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Springfield XD/XDM Armorer’s Course Maroon Peak

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Terminal Ballistics – Rods, Strings, Lasers and Much Much More Mount Sopris A

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. The Reconstruction of Vehicle Shootings Meet in Lobby at 7 a.m.

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Metallurgy For the Nonmetallurgist – For Firearm And Ammunition Producers and Users Mount Wilson

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Bullet Trajectory Documentation with 3D Technologies Mount Princeton & Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Range Meet in Lobby at 7 a.m.

1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Documentation Methods For Casework Mount Colombia

1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Ammunition Identification and CartWinPro Torrey’s Peak

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Poster Session Titles

IMADA DS2-44 Digital Force Gauge: Trigger Pull Measurements and Associated Uncertainty of Measurements Carey M. Alvarez Bacha

Examination of One Hundred Bullets Fired from 3D Printed Gun Barrel Jennifer Turner

Examination of Hornady Critical Defense Bullets and the Determination of Specific Caliber Renee Hudson and Brian Smelser

Data Matrix Codes on Firearms Jennifer Owens

Cartridge Case Ejection Patterns based on Bullet Weight, Caliber and Firearm Position Peter Diaczuk

Determination of Probable Caliber Based on the G2 Research R.I.P. Trocar Size Alone Raquel Pipkin

A 9mm Luger Cartridge Case with Rifling Kasia Lynch

The Persistence of Lead in Gunshot Residue after 30 Years Stacey Hartman

Toward Objective Bullet Identification Danny Roberge

Firing Pin Aperture Shear Marks from a Colt Delta Elite Michelle Fletcher

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Workshops

Sunday, May 14, 2017

Scientifically Defensible Criteria For the Identification Of Striated Toolmarks Instructors: John Murdock, Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office & Bruce Moran, Sacramento County DA’s Office Course Cost: $175.00 Time: 7:00AM – 6:00PM Location: Denver Police Department

This course will also require some pre-course reading materials to be completed prior to the start of class. This 10 hour workshop will provide students with a literature review and a review of the concepts and rationale of identifying striated, and to a limited extent non-striated, toolmark evidence. Recent challenges and relevant court decisions will be discussed. Each student will reevaluate their basis for making striated toolmark identifications. Although new examiners can profit from this training, this course is designed for firearm and toolmark examiners who have had training in the comparison of striated toolmarks and at least one year of actually comparing them.

**Meet in the Lobby at 6:30am

Best Practices for Fast and Efficient MATCHPOINT Correlation Reviews Instructors: Andrew Boyle, Ultra Electronics Forensic Technology & Jennifer Tardiff, Washington State Patrol Course Cost: $45.00 Time: 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM Location: Mount Harvard

Participants will explore and test several tips and tricks that have been developed specifically to optimize the user’s time and experience with IBIS-TRAX HD3D in order to get the most out of the available features. The interactive format will be open for Q&A to cover any topics of relevance to the attendees.

Courtroom Testimony Made Easy - A Practical Approach Instructor: Jeff Goudeau, Louisiana State Police Course Cost: $45.00 Time: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM Location: Mount Princeton

This course is designed for individuals in the field of forensic science that routinely get called to testify in court. The class will be interactive and challenge students to think of scenarios. Methods of how to make a good first impression with the jury will be presented along with how to overcome anxiety. Preliminary information such as a proper pretrial checklist will be presented. A discussion of how to handle adversity from attorneys both during direct and cross examination will help prepare students on how to handle these situations. Both verbal and non-verbal communication techniques will be discussed. Depending on the audience, a discussion of how to present technical information to a lay audience will be discussed along with the Frye and Daubert standards for expert testimony. There will also be discussion of recent challenges to firearms examination.

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Implementation of 3D Technology, Analysis, and Statistics for FA/TM Examinations Instructors: Xiaoyu Alan Zheng, Robert Thompson, Michael T. Stocker, Ryan Lilien MD/PhD, T. Brian Renegar, Dr. Johannes A. Soons, Dr. Nicholas Petraco, and Erich Smith Course Cost: $45.00 Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Location: Maroon Peak

This full day workshop provides foundational knowledge and real world applications of emerging research, tools and automated technologies for firearm and toolmark analysis. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will provide an overview of the direction and methodologies currently being employed in FA/TM research as well as future roles that the technology can be utilized. A case study will be presented on how the FBI Laboratory Firearms/Toolmarks Unit (FTU) has been evaluating 3D technologies, validation, incorporation into casework, and mapping out challenges that laboratories could face with implementation. Attendees will also have an opportunity to participate in several CTS tests using virtual comparison microscopy to learn about its utility in every-day casework.

Topics Covered Will Include:  3D Instrument Principles  Measurement Quality Assurance  Data Processing  Quantitative Comparison Metrics  Statistical Framework  OSAC Standards for FA/TM  Implementation of Technology into the Forensic Laboratory  Virtual Comparison Microscopy  NIBIN Applications

Contemporary Issues in Firearms and Toolmark Identification Instructors: Ronald Nichols, ATF & Andy Smith, San Francisco Police Department Course Cost: $45.00 Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Location: Mount Columbia

This 8 hour workshop will discuss the current criticisms of the discipline and who is doing the critiquing, a basic introduction to subclass characteristics, a discussion of statistics and validation as used in the discipline and how bias, objectivity and subjectivity can impact the decision-making of a firearm and tool mark examiner.

Subclass and Sufficient Agreement Instructors: Carl Rone, Delaware Police Department Course Cost: $45.00 Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00PM Location: Mount Oxford

With this workshop, well will be looking at some sub class and discussing the concept of sufficient agreement, we will be working live on a microscope provided by FTI, and the images will be projected up on a screen for discussion.

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Practical Shooting Incident Reconstruction: Techniques for Analyzing, Documenting, and Testifying Instructors: Jene Rauch and Tim Scanlan Course Cost: $60.00 Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Location: Mount Sopris B

This workshop will focus on the practical techniques utilized in analyzing, documenting, and testifying in shooting incident reconstructions. Utilizing a combination of lecture, case examples, and practical exercises, participants will be exposed to proven methods of documenting crime scenes for reconstruction. In addition to presenting an overview of reconstruction techniques and methods of documentation, this course will provide an overview for authoring crime scene reconstruction reports and testifying to those reports at trial. This course will review actual cases that have gone through the trial process, demonstrating the crime scene to courtroom approach of presenting a case. Providing testimony in shooting incident reconstructions is complex and requires both general and specific knowledge of proper testimony skills and presenting complex cases through visual aids.

In general this workshop will cover the following concepts:

 Documentation for reconstruction (Creating your own and using submitted information)  Trajectory Analysis  Examine cartridge case ejection patterns  Creating analytical reports that are clear, easily understood, and scientifically sound  Easily producing court quality presentations  Delivering quality expert testimony  Qualifying as an expert in the field of shooting incident reconstruction  Provide expert testimony at trial and Daubert-style hearings

Pixel This! High Speed Videography Instructor: R.T. Wyant M.S., WSP Crime Laboratory-Seattle Course Cost: $125.00 Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Location: Douglas County Range (Range 6, Classroom G105)

Firearms examiners are often asked to interpret the origin of defects on materials as well as impact damage to the bullets themselves. High speed video can afford the examiner the means to record in extreme detail how a bullet interacts with a surface, gunshot residue deposition, cycle of fire, tool and surface interaction, and others. Videos from these systems make the unseen viewable, proving extremely useful for demonstrating critical points to juries and attorneys, helping to translate the abstract into reality. Students of this workshop will receive basic guidelines for efficient and useful operation of high speed cameras related to our discipline. These techniques will be applied with hands on operation of several camera types to capture bullet impacts and firearm action during live fire demonstrations. Representatives, application experts, and engineers from Phantom will be on hand to instruct, assist and answer questions. Experiments will include shots fired into vehicle parts, common types of glass, and other common materials.

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The Determination of Bullet Impact Sites by Detection of Common Bullet Metals Instructor: Michael Haag, Albuquerque Police Department. Course Cost: $100.00 Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Location: Douglas County Range (Range 5, Classroom B2)

This eight-hour workshop will focus on hands-on, practical chemical analysis of bullet impact sites. Students will leave the class having personally conducted visual and chemical examinations of known and unknown examples of suspected bullet impact sites. Impact sites will be created in class with a variety of firearm and ammunition types, on a variety of surface types.

It is common in shooting incidents that bullet impact sites in many types of materials (heterogeneous, yielding, and unyielding) do not have characteristics that immediately identify them as being bullet related. It is also important in shooting incidents to be able to identify as many impact sites as possible in order to account for as many shots fired as possible. These impact sites may be the best, or only, physical evidence that allows a determination of shooter or victim position or orientation.

Detection of common bullet metals at suspected sites is a chemically defensible, scientific, and logical manner of reaching conclusions regarding the identification of such sites, as well as the nature of the related trajectory and potential speed of the projectile.

The class will be comprised of lecture, live fire, and hands-on testing.

Key topics to be demonstrated include:  2-nitroso-1-naphthol testing for copper  dithiooxamide testing for copper  sodium rhodizonate testing for lead  new chemical reagents  Lead splash  Perforation of frangible materials  Bullet metal longevity  Reagent Longevity, reagent checks and field kits, and chemical safety and hygiene  Testing at perforating and penetrating impact sites and ricochet sites  Known positives and false positives, interferants, and background influence/interference

**Meet in the Lobby at 7am for ride to Douglas County facility Workshops

Benefits of 3D Analysis on Bullets Instructors: Lt. Michael Sandford & Sgt. Krzysztof Audinis, Union County Police Department & Andrew Boyle, Ultra Electronics Forensic Technology Course Cost: $45.00 Time: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Location: Mount Harvard

Whether you are examining conventional rifling, polygonal rifling, or no rifling at all, bullets can pose a challenge on a comparison microscope; especially when deformed surfaces are involved. 3D comparison can bring new tools and features to light, and has recently led to a conclusive result in a decade-old cold case homicide.

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Subclass Characteristics Instructor: Nancy McCombs, DOJ-Fresno Course Cost: $45.00 Time: 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Location: Mount Princeton

This half day workshop will introduce students to methods of recognizing potential subclass characteristics. A wide variety of firearm and tool mark manufacturing processes will be evaluated for subclass carry-over potential. Participants will discuss lab practices with an emphasis in documenting potential subclass characteristics in casework.

Forensic Examination of Airsoft Replica Arms Instructors: Dan Alessio, Oregon State Police & Matthew Noedel, Noedel Scientific Course Cost: $45.00 Time: 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Location: Mount Sopris A

This half day workshop will review the history, use, development and mechanical design features of Airsoft style guns. Time will be spent covering how to document and test these guns in the forensic environment and the legal implications surrounding the use and possession of such guns. A protocol for the safe handling of these types of devices will be discussed and techniques on checking the loaded status, test firing and documenting the guns and their accessories from a forensic standpoint will be reviewed. Examples of different airsoft designs will be available for hands-on disassembly and examination.

Wound Ballistics Instructor: Larry Sturdivan, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Course Cost: $30.00 Time: 1:30 PM - 4:00 PM Location: Mount Wilson

Humans have been dealing with wound ballistics since thrown spears and the bow and arrow. As a scientific study, however, it is relatively recent. In this presentation, modern wound ballistics will be defined by what it is; its modern-day goals, methods, and accomplishments, and also by what it isn’t; the body of mythology that the audience is almost certain to encounter in the course of their profession.

The mission of the Army’s Biophysics Laboratory in wound ballistics research will be briefly reviewed, emphasizing the potential value of some of the models to the members of the AFTE. Applications will be illustrated by a couple of examples, one of which will be the Biophysics Lab’s role in the investigation of the John Kennedy assassination.

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Handgun Function and Repair Instructor: Keith Gipson and Bill Sturtevant, Trinidad State Junior College Course Cost: $45.00 Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Location: Mount Harvard

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This 2-hour seminar will focus on the design, function, and general repair of revolvers and semi-auto handguns. The revolver presentation will focus on common revolver types (S&W, Ruger, and Colt) with discussion of others as time and interest allow. Semi-auto handguns including inexpensive striker fired (Raven/Jennings), single action (1911 style), double action (Beretta 92 types), and striker fired (Glock types) will be presented to illustrate the various firing and operating systems. These handguns are representative of the various types commonly observed by the participants and will provide a point of reference to help visualize some of the malfunctions and repairs common to these firearms. This workshop is intended as an introduction for examiners less familiar with the operating systems frequently encountered in casework or for those wishing to refresh their knowledge of the subject.

LEEDS 3D Scanning of Deformed Bullets and Cartridge Cases Instructors: Rick Steffen, Leeds Product Manager & Jake Kurth, Leeds Director of Forensic Sales Course Cost: $30.00 Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Location: Mount Columbia

3D automated ballistics identification systems have been a topic of considerable discussion; with rapid improvements in algorithms and technology over the last several years. This year Leeds will be hosting a workshop to discuss and demonstrate a 3D bullet and cartridge case scanning/matching technology that has a particularly precise and innovative approach for scanning deformed bullets and cartridge cases both quickly and accurately. This workshop will involve a presentation on the Evofinder® systems technology and how the system works on deformed bullets and cartridge cases. The presentation will also contain a hands on ballistics identification portion of scanning bullets and ammunition into the Evofinder® system to show and discuss how the system makes correlations. The Workshop will also have a Q&A portion and act as a forum for feedback.

Barrel Making Instructor: Alan Offringa Course Cost: $45.00 Time: 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Location: Mount Princeton

This workshop will cover seven common processes used to make barrels from start to finish.

Digital Imaging Boot Camp Instructor: Adam Hartley Course Cost: $45.00 Time: 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Location: Mount Wilson

Digital imaging is now a part of every examiner's daily life, making it more important than ever to understand the principals of digital imaging. Knowing the building blocks of the digital image can help in selecting imaging hardware, optimizing your images, and defending your images in court. This half-day workshop will explore the fundamentals of digital imaging from creation, to processing, to final output.

Hi-Point Firearms Armorer’s Course Instructors: Evan Thompson, Chris Monturo, and Brian Smelser. Course Cost: $45.00 Time: 1:00PM-5:00PM Location: Mount Oxford

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This course will discuss the Hi-Point product line as well as assembly/disassembly, serial number system, and the manufacturing processes utilized by the company. There will be a hands-on portion of the course using actual Hi-Point firearms.

Black Powder Firearms Instructor: Douglas D. Scott, PhD, RPA Course Cost: $75.00 Time: 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Location: Maroon Peak and Denver Police Department Indoor Range

This class will go over some general interest topics about black powder guns including from an archeological aspect. Students will also be instructed how to unload, load, shoot and clean black powder guns.

Is Murder A’Foot? Crime Scenes ---Staged or Simply Altered? Instructors: Jan Johnson, CSCSA and Jeff Goudeau, M.S., CSCSA Course Cost: $45.00 Time: 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Location: Mount Sopris A

If your job is solving crimes….this is a MUST see presentation. Most law enforcement agencies have encountered a potentially staged crime scene, some with a sinister motive behind their appearances and others of a more benign incidental nature. The average investigator, detective or crime scene technician or analyst probably knows little about empirical data or theories regarding staged crime scenes and is simply trying to efficiently process a scene during a death investigation. This presentation will illustrate some of the characteristic “red flags” that are so often present but frequently overlooked within the crime scenes, which would allow the investigator to tell the difference between the incidentals versus sinister staging events. Bring your keen mind and “forensic eye” and help solve a case as we learn to “find the red flags”.

Springfield Armory M1911A1 Armorer’s Course Instructor: Gary Monreal, Team One Network Course Cost: $175.00 Time: 1:00 PM - 5:30 PM Location: Mount Yale **The course is available to US citizens only** Springfield Armory Armorer courses are structured to provide each student with a practical understanding of the advanced features that make the Springfield Family of Firearms unique. Students will receive practical skills on the 1911-A1 pistols the "warhorse" of combat pistols.

Stump the Gunsmith Instructor: Keith Gipson and Bill Sturtevant, Trinidad State Junior College Course Cost: $45.00 Time: 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM Location: Mount Harvard

Keith Gipson is Dean of Instruction at Trinidad State Junior College. He is a master gunsmith himself and was also in charge of the school’s gunsmithing curriculum for 28 years. This workshop will be organized around the questions submitted in advance by attendees. This will be an opportunity for Examiners to get answers to the quirkiest cases they’ve encountered; analyze malfunctions they’ve experienced; discuss a mental template for analyzing mechanical cause-and-effect as it relates to

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firearms, etc. The Instructor solicits your toughest questions for potential inclusion in this informative 2- hour class.

Friday, May 19, 2017

Forensic Double Casting Instructor: Paul J. Murphy, Ultra Electronics Forensic Technology Course Cost: $45.00 Time: 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM Location: Mount Harvard

Forensic Double Casting, also known as “evidence cloning”, is a technique used to make microscopic quality resin replicas of fired bullets and cartridge cases (evidence or test fires) by making a RTV Silicone mold of the originals of the originals and pouring liquid urethane resin into the mold. The end result is a microscopic accurate urethane replica of the original items. This technique can also be applied for Tool Marks and is non-destructive. This technique is becoming an increasingly common practice for moving evidence or reference material from one jurisdiction to another or from one country to another. This course will demonstrate the techniques used to create microscopic quality resin replicas of tool marks.

Documentation Methods For Casework Instructor: Brian Smelser, Washington State Patrol Course Cost: $45.00 Time: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM Location: Mount Columbia

Every scientist needs to create case notes that document the observations, data, and thought processes that support opinion reports as well as use them for later testimony in court. The documentation methods we use are shaped by our training and experience. It continues to change and increase in quality. This workshop is focused on improving documentation for firearms and tool mark casework. We will be discussing and practicing different types of documenting mock evidence items using different forms, incorporating pictures, and using different techniques for creating case notes.

Ammunition for the Firearm Examiner Instructor: George Kass, Forensic Ammunition Services Course Cost: $45.00 Time: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM Location: Torrey’s Peak

This 4 hour course will cover information on ammunition as needed by the firearms examiner. Lecture will cover the development of cartridges followed by information on bullets, cases, shotshells, markings, air gun projectiles, etc. Specimens will be passed around and can be examined by students.

Smith and Wesson M&P Pistol Armorer’s Course Instructor: The Smith and Wesson Academy Course Cost: $225.00 Time: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Location: Mount Yale **The course is available to US citizens only** *Please note – This course includes an M&P Pistol Tool Kit*

This course is designed for Smith & Wesson M&P Centerfire Duty Pistols. Focus will be on nomenclature, field stripping and maintenance, safeties and safety checks, detailed disassembly, troubleshooting and 73

minor repairs. Performing lessons repeatedly will insure good hands-on instruction for a better understanding of this firearm.

SIG P320 Armorer’s Course Instructor: Tony Caspers Course Cost: $150.00 Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Location: Mount Sopris B

**The course is available to US citizens only**

Course content focuses on the mechanical functioning, disassembly/reassembly, maintenance, troubleshooting, and field repair of the SIG SAUER P320 pistol.

This is a hands-on program that teaches and guides each participant through all armorer operations step by step with the instructor. Active participation coupled with question and answer periods provide a supportive learning environment for maximum retention of the material. The course is also well suited for law enforcement armorers to design their agency's own maintenance and inspection program. Maintaining current practices and procedures for factory authorized service is essential for all pistols. A three (3) year factory certification is issued upon successful course completion.

Glock Pistols Armorer’s Course Instructor: Glock Professional, Inc. Course Cost: $150.00 Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Location: Mount Oxford **The course is available to US citizens only**

This one day course (8 hours) will cover maintenance and service of all pistol models. Upon successful completion of the course, each student will receive a 3 year Certified Armorer Certification.

Springfield XD/XDM Armorer’s Course Instructor: Gary Monreal, Team One Network Class Size Limit:20 Course Cost: $175.00 Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Location: Maroon Peak **The course is available to US citizens only**

Springfield Armory Armorer courses are structured to provide each student with a practical understanding of the advanced features that make the Springfield Family of Firearms unique. Students will gain hands-on experience with the XD Pistols, the safest polymer handgun available, bringing together a number of important safety innovations into one firearm.

Terminal Ballistics – Rods, Strings, Lasers and Much Much More Instructors: Jan Johnson, CSCSA and Jeff Goudeau, M.S., CSCSA Course Cost: $45.00 Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Location: Mount Sopris A

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The photographic documentation of shooting incidents can be quite involved and difficult at times. However, capturing accurate and meaningful photographs of the crime scene can be the determining factor in being able to replicate the scene for the jury. As part of the documentation process, capturing photographic images of the approximate flight paths of fired projectiles can help investigators, prosecutors, and jurors alike understand the events that transpired during a shooting incident. Investigators have routinely used dowel rods, fluorescent colored strings, and lasers to reconstruct shooting scenes. This workshop will demonstrate both commercially available shooting reconstruction kits, as well as provide instruction on building one’s own inexpensive shooting reconstruction kit. Students will be given hands-on instruction in photographing bullet trajectories using trajectory rods, strings, and lasers. An emphasis will be on photographing lasers, both in low-light and daytime, in order to represent the flight paths of fired bullets. Because lasers come in a variety of light intensities, participants may desire to bring their personal lasers for the practical exercises. However, instructors will have some lasers for participants to us.

The Reconstruction of Vehicle Shootings Instructor: Lucien (Luke) C. Haag Course Cost: $100.00 Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Location: Douglas County Range (Range 6, Classroom G105)

This 1-day workshop will involve a lecture and live-fire session covering the special problems and phenomena associated with the reconstruction of projectile impacts to motor vehicles. These include moving vs. stationary vehicles at the time they are struck by gunfire, the great variety of ‘target’ materials associated with vehicles and their behavior to projectile impact, projectile ricochet from sheet metal, projectile perforation of tempered and laminated glass, the perforation and deflation of tires and various approaches to trajectory reconstruction.

Lunch will be provided. Disposable eye and ear protection will be provided.

**Meet in the Lobby at 7am for ride to Douglas County facility

Ammunition Workshop Instructor: George Kass, Forensic Ammunition Services Course Cost: $45 Time: 8:00 A.M. – Noon Location: Elmwood Room

This course will cover the development of the cartridge, head stamps, reference material, bullets, color codes, reference collections, etc.

Metallurgy For the Nonmetallurgist – For Firearm And Ammunition Producers and Users Instructors: Dana J. Medlin, Ph.D., P.E., FASM and Frederick E. Schmidt, Ph.D., P.E., FASM Course Cost: $75.00 Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Location: Mount Wilson

This course will cover the general aspects of metallurgy with specific application to firearms and ammunitions. Some of the general topics that will be covered include:

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 A brief history of metals from the first development of metals for use as weapons thousands of years ago to the modern era will be given.  A basic explanation of the distinctive physical and mechanical properties that make metals exceptional materials for firearm and ammunition applications.  A comprehensive review of the national and international alloy designation systems used to identify metals.  A general overview of basic physical metallurgy theory and applying these theories to appropriate alloy manufacturing and heat treatment methods.  Explain how metals are formed into engineering components with specific reference to firearms and ammunitions.  Heat treatment terminology, methods and best practices for firearm components.  A basic overview of physical and mechanical test methods to determine critical properties of metals, as well as a discussion concerning typical standard test methods.  Explain the basis for the selection process of different alloys for specific applications.  Review the fundamentals of metal corrosion, corrosive environments, why different metals respond differently to corrosion, and controlling/minimizing corrosion damage.  Explain typical metal surface finishing techniques for firearms, the processes involved and the performance attributes.

Bullet Trajectory Documentation with 3D Technologies Instructor: Eugene Liscio, FARO Course Cost: Free - This course is fully funded and sponsored by FARO. Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Location: Mount Princeton, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Range

The use of 3D technologies for shooting reconstructions is a powerful tool since it can place bullet trajectories in direct context of a crime scene and in relation to other evidence. Trajectories can be extrapolated and theories posed as to where the shooter or victim may have been situated. This workshop will begin with a review of current 3D technologies (hardware and software), how they perform in the field and the kind of accuracies one can expect from each respective technology. Examples of shooting cases and how these types of instruments can be best employed at a shooting scene will be reviewed. A live shooting event will look at methods of documentation for the laser scanner on various substrates such as glass, car body, drywall and wood.

**Meet in the Lobby at 7am for ride to Jefferson County facility

Documentation Methods For Casework Instructor: Brian Smelser, Washington State Patrol Course Cost: $45.00 Time: 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Location: Mount Columbia

Every scientist needs to create case notes that document the observations, data, and thought processes that support opinion reports as well as use them for later testimony in court. The documentation methods we use are shaped by our training and experience. It continues to change and increase in quality. This workshop is focused on improving documentation for firearms and tool mark casework. We will be discussing and practicing different types of documenting mock evidence items using different forms, incorporating pictures, and using different techniques for creating case notes.

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Ammunition Identification and CartWinPro Instructors: Axel Manthei, CartWinPro Course Cost: $45 Time: 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Location: Torrey’s Peak

A common task for the firearm examiner is to identify the origin of a cartridge by the head stamp. A head stamp can be more than just the usual letters and numbers. It can contain abbreviations in foreign languages and Arabic numbers as well as symbols. But beyond this the arrangement of the information on the head stamp might be of importance. Special or meaningful codes may also be hidden on the head stamp amongst the more obvious information.

There are many caliber designations, and the difference in measurements can differ only by fractions of an inch. The determination of the correct caliber is, in many cases, easy by reading the head stamp. However, in some cases, even with readable information on the case head, it can be a difficult task. Demonstration will show how CartWinPro is applied in these cases.

Color codes will be discussed as an important means to describe the nature of the cartridge, and they may also be of importance in determining if the cartridge should not be fired in a particular type of range. Coding is usually standardized within a country or an organization but may have a completely different meaning if it is from another source. Color codes are not only encountered on the bullet itself, but also in other locations such as the primer annulus, head stamp, or case mouth. Combinations of these codes may also be used to designate the type of cartridge.

With only a bullet from the crime scene, identifying the caliber and cartridge can be a difficult task. Measurement, documentation, and entry of a few parameters in CartWinPro can narrow down the possibilities to a small number, and might also point out some not so obvious ones.

In this workshop we will try to sharpen the eye for hidden details of cartridges, and how one can identify them using CartWinPro.

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AFTE 2017 Donations Donated by

Glock Pistol of Choice Glock Sig Sauer 1911 Sig Sauer S&W M&P 45 Shield Smith & Wesson American Beauty Rifle Henry Repeating Arms Ruger 10-22 Takedown Lite Sturm, Ruger, & Co. High Standard AK-47 CyberNational Hi-Point Firearm Hi-Point Gunner’s Mounts and Armorer’s Plates Present Arms MRO Red Dot Sight & Banner Trijicon Forensic Buddy Savage Range Systems Selection of Yeti Products CTS

VKS Pepperball Gun United Tactical Systems Can Cannon Xproducts Blackhawk Gun Cases Vista Outdoor Misc. Gear Bags & Knives Vista Outdoor Gunslick Pro Ultrasonic Cleaners & Vista Outdoor Solution Bushnell GPS Watches Vista Outdoor LED Portable Radioray Golight, Inc. Hearing Protection EAR, Inc. Binoculars Leupold ALG M-LOK V2 Rails, Triggers, & Go-Juice Geissele Automatics 3 Gun Case & Extreme Gun Oil Brownells Tactical Grips, Rail Covers, & Magazines Hex Mag AR-15 Stocks, Glock 26 Magazines Magpul Glock 43 Holster Crossbreed Matrix Pack, Weapons Case, & Hats Voodoo Tactical Sonic Boom Exploding Targets Jerent Enterprises Spyderco Knives Spyderco Bench Mats Hogue Lens Pens Original and MicroPro Venture And more…

Thanks to all of the donating companies and individuals for sharing your products, craftsmanship, and support and thank you to LK Firearms LLC for the FFL transfers!

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Excerpt Taken from “A Brief History of Challenge Coins” by Rob Lammie (Mental Floss Article) Sept. 26, 2012

For full article please go to: http://mentalfloss.com/article/12630/brief-history-challenge-coins

“There are many examples of traditions that build camaraderie in the military, but few are as well- respected as the practice of carrying a challenge coin—a small medallion or token that signifies a person is a member of an organization. Even though challenge coins have broken into the civilian population, they're still a bit of a mystery for those outside the armed forces.

Challenge Coin Origins It's nearly impossible to definitively know why and where the tradition of challenge coins began. One thing is certain: Coins and military service go back a lot farther than our modern age. One of the earliest known examples of an enlisted soldier being monetarily rewarded for valor took place in Ancient Rome. If a soldier performed well in battle that day, he would receive his typical day’s pay, and a separate coin as a bonus. Some accounts say that the coin was specially minted with a mark of the legion from which it came, prompting some men to hold on to their coins as a memento, rather than spend them on women and wine.

The First Official Challenge Coin…Maybe Although no one is certain how challenge coins came to be, one story dates back to World War I, when a wealthy officer had bronze medallions struck with the flying squadron’s insignia to give to his men. Shortly after, one of the young flying aces was shot down over Germany and captured. The Germans took everything on his person except the small leather pouch he wore around his neck that happened to contain his medallion. The pilot escaped and made his way to France. But the French believed he was a spy, and sentenced him to execution. In an effort to prove his identity, the pilot presented the medallion. A French soldier happened to recognize the insignia and the execution was delayed. The French confirmed his identity and sent him back to his unit.

One of the earliest challenge coins was minted by Colonel “Buffalo Bill” Quinn, 17th Infantry Regiment, who had them made for his men during the Korean War. The coin features a buffalo on one side as a nod to its creator, and the Regiment’s insignia on the other side. A hole was drilled in the top so the men could wear it around their necks, instead of in a leather pouch.

The Challenge Stories say that the challenge began in Germany after World War II. Americans stationed there took up the local tradition of conducting “pfennig checks.” The pfennig was the lowest denomination of coin in Germany, and if you didn’t have one when a check was called, you were stuck buying the beers. This evolved from a pfenning to a unit’s medallion, and members would "challenge" each other by slamming a medallion down on the bar. If any member present didn’t have his medallion, he had to buy a drink for the challenger and for anyone else that had their coin. If all the other members had their medallions, the challenger had to buy everyone drinks.”

AFTE 2017 Challenge Coins In your welcome bags, you will find the AFTE 2017 Challenge coin. We encourage you to carry these with you at all times – keep it in your pocket, in your wallet, in your badge holder, in your shoe, or however you see fit. These coins represent not just a part of history, but also show that you are a part of this meeting and organization. Be warned, however, if a challenge is initiated you must produce your AFTE 2017 Challenge coin. If you are challenged and are unable to respond, you must buy a round of drinks for the group. If everyone responds, then the challenger must buy a round of drinks for the group. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask an AFTE 2017 Committee Member. GOOD LUCK!

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A Brief History of Denver Excerpt taken from http://www.encyclopedia.com/places/united-states-and-canada/us-political- geography/denver#HISTORY

Permanent settlement of Denver began in 1858 when gold was discovered in small deposits along the South Platte River, near its junction with Cherry Creek. The area attracted prospectors disappointed with the yields at Pike's Peak, as well as gold-seekers newly arrived from the East. By 1867, Denver (named for an early territorial governor, James Denver) had been designated as a territorial capital.

The city's early years were marked by misfortunes that included two major fires, flooding, Indian attacks, and invasion by Confederate forces from Texas during the Civil War (1861–65). Denver also acquired a rather unsavory reputation as new gold discoveries drew a variety of colorful characters to the growing boomtown. However, by 1880, as gold discoveries were waning, gold was replaced by silver as the area's primary source of wealth, and Denver's growth accelerated. The city rebounded from a depression caused by a drop in silver prices in 1893 to become a bustling cosmopolitan center by the late nineteenth century, graced by parks, statues, mansions, and such landmarks as the Tabor Opera House, built by silver baron Horace Tabor. Approximately 30,000 trees were planted along the city's boulevards, and 20,000 acres of land were acquired for its mountain park system. Denver's rapid development and newfound sophistication led to the nickname "Queen City of the Plains."

In the early twentieth century, infrastructure improvements continued, and in 1928, with the opening of the Moffat Tunnel through the Rocky Mountains, the railroad provided a direct connection to the West Coast, spurring additional growth. (The transcontinental line of the Union Pacific Railroad had bypassed Colorado in the nineteenth century, but Denver built a rail line to meet the Union Pacific at Cheyenne, Wyoming.) With a direct link to the West, Denver became a hub for the nation's rail lines and growing highway system. By World War II, the establishment of government agencies including the U.S. Mint and the Bureau of Land Management helped spur a new surge in population, which continued through the 1950s, as the city's climate and recreational opportunities sparked a building boom.

Movement to the suburbs resulted in a drop in population in the 1960s, and the energy crisis of the 1970s also slowed the city's growth. However, urban renewal and a new construction boom, beginning in the late 1970s and continuing through the 1980s and 1990s, have changed the face of the city, giving it a modern, vibrant downtown with 16 skyscrapers constructed during the last decade alone. Denver's downtown is now the nation's tenth largest, and its population is double what it was in 1960. Major improvements continued in the 1990s with the construction of Coors Field, one of the country's top baseball stadiums, and the large, modern Denver International Airport, both of which opened in 1995. The city continues to grow and modernize, with major development planned for the Commons Park area northwest of Union Station—including a series of pedestrian bridges over the South Platte River—and further development in the Golden Triangle district south of Civic Center Park. A major enlargement of the city's convention center is planned as well.

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American Steak Mexican

21 Park Burger 8 Guard and Grace 16 La Loma

26 Amato’s Ale House 9 Morton’s 17 Rio Grande

1 Rock Bottom Brewery 10 Denver Chop House 18 Tamayo

2 Euclid Hall Italian Seafood

3 Fresh Craft 11 Panzanos 19 Jax Fish House

4 Thirsty Lion 12 Osteria Marco 25 Fish and Beer

5 Mercantile Dining and Provisions 13 Venice 20 Stoic and Genuine

6 The Kitchen 14 Racca’s Pizza 7 The Squeaky Bean Asian

22 Acorn 15 Cholon

23 The Preservery 24 Sushi Rama

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US Mint Tour Monday & Wednesday 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Meet in the lobby of the Grand Hyatt at 1:00pm!

The US Mint is approximately a 15-minute walk from the Grand Hyatt. The AFTE group will leave from the Grand Hyatt no later than 1:15pm to meet the 1:30pm arrival requirement. If you need to ride or drive to meet us there, please note that the Mint does not provide parking. Meters and public parking are available in the area. No curbside drop-offs or pickups are allowed around the Mint facility. The address is 320 West Colfax Avenue.

Tours are recommended for children 7 years and older.

After the tour, be sure to visit the Mint’s Gift Shop. The Gift Shop is open to the public and offers a great selection of coins and one-of-a-kind souvenirs.

NOTE: The U.S. Mint does have restrictions and rules for their tours:

All visitors are subject to a security screening, including metal detection and X-ray examination of hand- carried items. The United States Mint reserves the right to deny access to anyone at any time. The Mint does NOT provide storage for any items. You will need a photo ID to gain entry. All visitors must be at the tour entrance located on Cherokee Street 30 minutes before their scheduled tour time. Late arrivals will not be admitted.

Permitted items: •A palm-sized wallet that fits in your pocket •Cameras/cell phones-photography is prohibited while on the tour and cell phones must be turned off before entering the building •Medical items necessary for the safety and well-being of the visitor

Prohibited items include, but are not limited to: •Handbags, purses, fanny packs, tote bags, backpacks and packages •Strollers •Food, drinks, tobacco products, lighters and matches •Weapons, including pocket knives and personal protective devices such as pepper spray 82

Denver Brewery Tours

Enjoy a private bus tour of three local breweries in the downtown Denver area! This tour includes pick up at the Grand Hyatt hotel, bus transportation, and one pint or flight of tasters at each brewery.

Tuesday May 16th Wednesday May 17th 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM 3:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Breweries include: Breweries include: Diebolt Black Shirt Call to Arms Factotum Joyride Prost

The breweries will have food trucks available if you would like something to eat (not included in price).

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Fun Things to Do in Denver:

Museum of Contemporary Arts - Within Walking Distance The Museum of Contemporary Art Denver (MCA Denver) explores the art and culture of our time through rotating exhibitions and public educational programs. Featuring regional, national and international artists, MCA Denver offers a wide range of exhibitions promoting creative experimentation with art and ideas. Through adult and youth education programs and other creative events, the museum serves as an innovative forum for a culturally engaged community.

Denver Firefighters Museum - Within Walking Distance Welcome to the Denver Firefighters Museum. If the heart of a great museum is its subject, then the Denver Firefighters Museum is truly one of the greatest in the world! The Museum offers not only outstanding exhibits on the history of fire fighting in Denver focusing on the Denver Fire Department, but innovative and exciting hands-on activities that allow visitors to interact with the traditional exhibits.

Molly Brown House Museum - Within Walking Distance Our wonderful Docents will lead you through the Museum telling you the story of Denver's Titanic heroine and activist, Margaret Brown. All guided tours of the Museum last approximately 45 minutes. Museum tour tickets are available in the Carriage House Visitor's Center.

Colorado State Capitol - Within Walking Distance The Colorado State Capitol welcomes about 300,000 visitors annually, with nearly 70,000 visitors taking tours of our beautiful and historic Statehouse. We welcome you to visit and learn more about this building, the work of our General Assembly, and our unique Colorado heritage.

Private Haunted Tour of the Capitol Hill Area - Meeting Location Close to Hotel Get a glimpse into the strange happenings in Denver’s seedy past on this walking tour of Capitol Hill. The stories that Denver’s ghosts and ghouls have to tell are sure to raise the hairs on your arms and send chills down your spine.

Pikes Peak & the Airforce Academy Tour- Meeting Location Close to Hotel Journey to the Colorado Springs area and visit the United States Air Force Academy and the Garden of the Gods. Then make an ascent up Pikes Peak in specially-equipped vehicles.

Denver Mountain Parks Tour- Meeting Location Close to Hotel Leave the city behind, and head west into the wilderness of the Rocky Mountains. Explore iconic sights on the way, including the Red Rock Amphitheater, Bear Creek Canyon, Lookout Mountain, and the world-famous Coors Brewery.

Rocky Mountain National Park Tour- Meeting Location Close to Hotel Spend a day immersed in the breathtaking natural beauty of Rocky Mountain National Park. Take in sweeping vistas from the park’s highest summit, see the continental divide, picnic among wildlife, and check out the grand Stanley Hotel—used as a filming location for The Shining.

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Denver Natural History Museum The Denver Natural History Museum is the Rocky Mountain region’s leading resource for informal science education. A variety of exhibitions, programs, and activities help Museum visitors experience the natural wonders of Colorado, Earth, and the universe.

The Denver Zoo Lions, tigers, bears — and so much more! Set aside several hours for exploration at the Denver Zoo, an eye-opening experience for all ages. One of the most popular zoos in the nation, the Denver Zoo has about 4,000 animals, representing more than 750 species.

The Denver Botanical Gardens One of the top five botanic gardens in the nation, Denver Botanic Gardens is an oasis in the city, offering year-round events, Mordecai Children’s Garden, lifelong learning opportunities and research to preserve Colorado’s precious natural resources. Just south of the expansive City Park, you and your family will find the spectacular 23-acres that make up Denver Botanic Gardens. There are dozens of gardens to enjoy, including the internationally recognized Japanese Garden.

The Denver Aquarium Colorado may be landlocked, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't have plenty of marine life for you and your family to gawk at. The Downtown Aquarium features fascinating sea creatures, sharks and more. All in all there are more than 15,000 fish, mammals and plants, including an exhibit of Sumatran tigers who love to swim. And if you're left with the urge to get a little wet yourself, you're in luck: the Swim with the Fish and Dive with the Sharks programs let you swim alongside giant groupers, Moray eels, guitar fish, sand tiger sharks, green sea turtles and 400 of their closest friends.

Celestial Seasonings Visit the Celestial Seasonings headquarters in Boulder, Colorado and unlock the mysteries of tea with a guided tea tour. During the 45-minute tour, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look how tea is made – from raw ingredients to finished products – plus see unique attractions like our famous Mint Room, Tea Shop and Celestial Café.

Hammonds Candy Factory Hammond's complimentary candy factory tours are fun and educational for candy lovers of all ages! Hundreds of thousands of people from across the globe have seen how our famous, handcrafted candy canes, ribbon candy, and lollipops are pulled, twisted, and shaped by hand – just like they were in 1920.

Coors Brewing Company See and taste traditional brewing at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Since 1873 the Coors brewery has thrived on a legacy of quality, innovation and customer service. The tour showcases the company’s history and passion for brewing.

Stranahan's Whiskey Distillery The Stranahan’s Distillery is whiskey lover’s Promised Land. Reserve your spot on a Distillery Tour to discover our brew house, bottling room, and more. Most importantly, try some Stranahan’s.

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The 2017 Host Committee wants to thank Hi-Point for its continued support of AFTE. Mike Strassell, President of Hi-Point Firearms, is continuing to honor Tom Deeb’s generosity through first time attendee sponsorship, making us the wonderful court exhibits we all use, providing workshops, and through donations. Thank you for all you do for us, we could not have a successful conference without your help!

Sincerely, The AFTE Host Committee and Community

We hope you enjoyed your time with us! See you in Charleston!

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