Letter To Members Regarding COVID-1
The Iowa Division of the International Association for Identification is a non-profit organization chartered in 1963 with the International Association for Identification. The Iowa I.A.I has over 200 active, life, and associate members who are valued resources within the forensic law enforcement community. Our membership has a vast knowledge in the scientific disciplines of fingerprints, photography, footwear, DNA, crime scene processing, and more. Our members believe in networking and they appreciate continued education and learning from our peers. We offer newsletters and information on our website about new technology, techniques, and resources. The Iowa I.A.I strives to educate and share with its members by offering trainings and an annual educational conference. We are Iowa’s regional representatives to the I.A.I, the most senior organization that certifies and sets standards in forensic science disciplines.
Welcome to the Iowa Division of the International Association for Identification. During our most recent conference we had the pleasure of learning from great instructors from both within the State of Iowa and throughout the US. With training choices such as blood spatter, handling electronic evidence, infant death investigations, processing for prints on difficult surfaces, and several case studies, our goal was to provide a variety of opportunities that will enhance the skill of novices as well as experienced veterans. They were all excellent classes that will inevitably assist us in the various investigations we will encounter during our careers.
As I look back at some of the lessons learned, I want to focus on something discussed by one of our presenters, Jason Cole. Jason works for Foster + Freeman and is currently on the International Association for Identification Board of Directors. He discussed the importance and value of our organization, the Iowa Division of the IAI. During his comments I reflected not only on who we are as an association but what we are and what we do.
We are a strong division whose members serve communities throughout the State of Iowa. We are made up of a group of hard working, quality people with a unique set of skills, education and training. We are tasked with providing factual, scientifically-based evidence in the courts of law. The service we provide gives objective data which is independent of hunches or theories. What we do will have a life-long impact on the victims, offenders, and the family members associated with the cases to which we are assigned.
The Iowa Division of the IAI has a tremendous value for its members. This value comes not only from training opportunities, but also from networking with individuals that have training and experience that other members don’t. There are 392 law enforcement agencies in the State of Iowa, and each one has something they have learned that can be beneficial to others in the field.
We have trained hundreds of sworn officers and civilian crime scene investigators over the years at the Iowa IAI Basic Crime Scene Investigation Class, which is held annually. This year will be no exception as the course is scheduled for September 23-27, 2019. For the benefit of your agency, I encourage those of you who have not taken the Crime Scene Class to do so, and I urge former students of the class to consider taking the Advanced Crime Scene Investigation class and to remain active in the Iowa IAI.
We don’t have all 392 Iowa agencies reflected in our membership, but we should!! Every agency that takes pride in having a well-trained staff should value their employees being involved in a professional organization such as the Iowa Division of the IAI. It’s effective, affordable, and most of all it’s a benefit to your agency and those around you. As we look to the coming year we look forward to expanding our network and continuing to be a division of the IAI for Iowans.
David Billings
2019 President Iowa IAI
Ankeny Police Department
411 SW Ordnance Rd.
Ankeny, IA 50023
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