Does FBI "certify" 10-print or latent print examiners?

[Tazman]

A current job announcement on the IAI website http://www.theiai.org/jobs/fayetteville.php lists among the requirements the following:

Possession of, or ability to obtain, fingerprint classification certification from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Possession of, or ability to obtain, latent fingerprint classification certification from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Do such certifications really exist? They didn't when I took my FBI training a few decades ago. Or has the agency posting this announcement got it all messed up?

[Boyd Baumgartner]

I think a more interesting question would be: "Is a certifying body civilly liable for damages that occur when someone who holds their certification makes bum ID?"

[g.]

Tazman,

The FBI had an "internal" certification program. It is their equivalent of "trained to competency" and required successful completion of training modules, demonstrated skill in comparisons, knowledge of proper procedures, and successful moot court participation. They referred to this as "FBI certification". This was not offered externally in courses taught by FBI instructors but was solely and in-house term. FBI certification was not recognized by the IAI as equivalent or exchangeable.

I cannot say today if they still have this term (although when a number of them partiticpated in the Black Box study, they did answer that they were certified by the IAI or other agency certification, etc.). I know that several of them have since gone on to complete the IAI certification program. In the past, that was rare to find one that was IAI certified since they had their own internal certification and it would have been an elective "out of pocket" expense.

There was quite a bit made of the FBI certification back in 2002 in the U.S. v. Llera Plaza, et al. case. This was predominantly where I first learned about it. I think Steve Meagher testified a bit about it and one of the defense witnesses was rather critical in his assessment of their certification approach.

I can't speak to the quality or difficulty of it, but I can say that from working private defense cases and having the opportunity to view FBI cases, or in training, I have always found them to have skill and competency at least equal to other IAI certified examiners I have known/worked with and came from a similar environment (well trained, accredited, aware of/following SWGFAST standards, etc.).

Hope that helps. Any FBI readers out there, if you are unable to post, you can contact me privately if I have said anything in error and I will correct myself, while preserving your anonymity.

As to Boyd's question:
I doubt it. I would think the agency itself would be the more likely target or if a private practice, the individual or LLC. You would go after the hospital or the doctor, not the licensing board...UNLESS, there were known problems and issues, a clear pattern established, and they failed to follow stated practices and revoke a license/certification. Even then...go after the agency/individual so their deep pocket Insurer is more likely to pay and settle. Why sue the IAI (or poor/or non-profits) when you can sue the government that employed the individual and the prosecutor/police that wrongly imprisoned him/her?




g.

[Tazman]

Hello g.

I guess the point of my curiousity was this: "Is this agency asking for IAI Certified 10-print examiners and CLPEs?"

A followup question might be, "If no such FBI certifications exist, does that mean nobody is qualified to apply for the job being advertised?"

Based on your reply, I would amend the second question to ask: "Can only former FBI certified 10-print and latent print examiners apply?"

I just thought it was a bizarre requirement for a job if these are not certifications that are available in the first place.

[Alan C]

I've actually emailed the city of Fayetteville asking about this (not that I want to apply). I will report back on the response.