CLPEX Chat Board

Hello all. I am not a Latent Print Examiner, I am a Firearms Examiner, and hope you do not mind me posting in your forums.

Carl Speckels wrote:At the risk of sounding sarcastic, if you oppose the granularity (because there's a lot of it!) of the ASCLD-LAB requirements then why would you want to apply for accreditation? Again, this question isn't meant to sound sarcastic. Is it that you have a DNA section that requires accreditation or is your administration simply exploring the idea?

Crime Laboratories in Texas are required to be accredited by some accrediting body before the lab may present in court.

Are your cards considered evidence? If they are simply "work product" you might be able to get away from the sealing issue.


Thank you,

Bradford T. Means
Forensic Scientist
Texas Department of Public Safety

** The views expressed do not represent the Texas Department of Public Safety. **

The following are the thoughts of the author and not of anyone else living, dead or imaginary. The following views are mine and not that of any government, bureaucracy, or thieving taxing authority.

Brad, glad to see you made it back home buddy. It was good talking to you the other day. I hope to see you again sometime. I hope you enjoyed the class.

I for one do not mind you coming on this site. But keep in mind I don’t own it, but just lurk around it some. I am surprised they have not thrown my booty off of here yet. But I keep trying.

From my POV you are more than welcome. Why we have other disciplines pop in for view. I bet we have some QD people. All you QD people raise your hands. Let’s see there are 8, 14, oh yes 17 QD people out there. How about a show of hands for those involved in Track Identification. Let’s see, 12, 18, 24, yep 36, no wait 37 TI people. I think we might even have some DNA Folks. All you DNA people out there raise your hand. Hmmmmmm, I don’t see any. Oh well back to the thread.

Brad, we have just all kinds of people here. We have a couple of Doctors, a sprinkling of PhD’s, and plethora of MA, MS, BA, and BSers. There is a whole gaggle of those that come from the school of HK & CS. We have a mountain of scientist, a smattering of criminalists, and a dash of analyst’s and there might even be a few technicians in the crowd. Yes sir, every shape, form and size.

Now back to your OP.

Crime Laboratories in Texas are required to be accredited by some accrediting body before the lab may present in court.

Well yes and no. Latent prints are one of those disciplines that are exempt by law. Alphabrit has to do it because they have another discipline in their department that the law does require that before their evidence can be introduced in court, that evidence must have been analyzed in an accredited lab. They are kind of being dragged into it unwillingly because of the other discipline. Latent prints are not the only discipline that is exempt.

Also the law states that the accrediting body shall be selected by DPS. DPS selected ASCLD-LAB. So just not any accrediting body can come in and do that. They must be appointed by DPS. I sometimes wonder why they did not do like Oklahoma and state that before latent print evidence can be admitted it must have been analyzed by ASCLD-LAB or the examiner must be IAI Latent Print Certified. If they would have passed the law that way then Alphabrit would not have to be doing all of this but just get IAI Latent Print Certification. Interesting----something to ponder another day.

Are your cards considered evidence? If they are simply "work product" you might be able to get away from the sealing issue.

Brad you bring up a good point about evidence or work product. However latent prints have always been considered physical evidence (as far as I know) and I am afraid we are not going to be able to shake that dog off our leg even it does like to hunt (That bud is for you RSA). Yep they are evidence but you bring up an interesting tidbit that needs more research.

Anyway I am glad to see you stepping in.

For all the attorneys out there thinking about printing this out and using it against me. Well go ahead because I am not me and I was not here.