Who May Attend: This course is also open to both law enforcement and non-law enforcement

Cost: $67.00

I.A.I. Approved: Course is approved for 24 hours of educational credit towards initial IAI Forensic Photography & Imaging certification or recertification.

Certified: California Plan IV - Reimbursable

Location: Sacramento Regional Public Safety Training Center, 5146 Arnold Avenue, McClellan, CA 95652

College Credit: 1 Unit through American River College, Sacramento, CA

To Register: Contact the Sacramento Regional Public Safety Training Center, phone number - (916) 570-5000.

Course Flyer: Sacramento Regional Public Safety Training Center Website Link

Course Description: This training course provides the student with extensive knowledge and practical experience pertinent to crime scene and forensic photography of physical evidence and latent prints found or developed on evidence. Also, equipment and procedures pertinent to crime scene and forensic photography and the detection and preservation of physical evidence will be covered in this course. Additional major topics included in this course are the proper selection of cameras, lenses, tripods, films, filters, specialized lighting techniques and high energy forensic lights. The student will be equipped with essential skills and knowledge in regards to…

• Select camera settings to obtain acurate and optimum images for use in a court of law
• Demonstrate the ability to use Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual Modes on modern digital cameras
• Demonstrate the use of available light and electronic flash to properly expose digital film
• Explain and demonstratehow lens aperture settings may be used to increase or decrease depth-of-field
• Explain and demonstrate how to properly photograph all the pertinent features of a crime scene and individual evidence
• Demonstrate the ability to operate digital cameras in general photography, crime scene, and macro (close-up) photography
• Explain the importance of documenting every photograph taken at a crime scene via photographic logs, sketches, evidence recovery logs, latent print lift logs, and identification tags
• Demonstrate the techniques of "painting" a scene with light
• Demonstrate the ability to set up the digital camera to photographically record latent blood stains visualized with Luminol
• Demonstrate the techniques to photographically reconstruct a shooting scene and shooter positions with lasers and painting with light techniques
• Demonstrate the techniques to photograph fluorescent latent prints and fluorescent evidence with forensic light sources
• Demonstrate the operation and utility of the UV-IR camera to visualize and photographically capture hidden evidence
• Explain the four major vantage points of crime scene photography
• Explain the requirements to present digital photographic evidence in a court of law

A three ring binder containing copies of presentations, reference material, and job aids is included. Certificates of completion will be awarded at the conclusion of the course.

Students are REQUIRED to bring their own personal or departmental digital camera (preferably DSLR cameras), lenses (normal, macro, & zoom), owner’s manuals, tripods, memory cards, electronic flash attachments, flashlights, extra batteries, battery chargers, photographic scales, and equipment manuals. Other items to bring but are not required are remote shutter release cords, off-camera flash sync cords, lens filters, and if possible any other crime scene photographic equipment and supplies issued by their department for use at crime scenes. It is also highly recommended that each student familiarize themselves with the operation and settings of their camera before the start of this course.

Instructor: FBI Special Agent Mike Stapleton, M.A. (Retired)

E-mail Mike Stapleton for more information.