Course Catalog

This is the second session, intended for students who took part 1 of the course or is already familiar with 3D-printing. We will look at finished 3D-printed items as they relate to firearms. The items examined will be actual examples and there will be a discussion as to their functionality and durability. The primary focus will be a case study of a hybrid, parts-completion kit, semi-automatic pistol from start to test-firing. The final sections will cover the potential for trace evidence and toolmarks present on 3D-printed items. There will be a discussion on how these items of evidence can be used to potentially locate manufacturers of 3D-printed items.

Kirk Garrison

This is part 1 of a potential two part class, intended for a practitioner that has not done any 3D-printing themselves. This course will cover the basics a forensic practitioner needs to know when investigating 3D-printing in relation to a crime. The introduction will cover the basic anatomy of a 3D-printer to know what to look for on scene, but also to know what to collect, how to collect it, and where trace evidence and toolmarks can be located. The next section will cover how to 3D-print a part. This section will cover the basics of initial printer set-up, some websites where 3D-printed designs are located, and the 3D-printing process. Once the 3D-printing process is complete, there are finishing steps that can create other usable items of evidence that should be considered and could be used for probable cause.

Kirk Garrison

This course is designed for experienced firearm examiners who have been tasked with training a new hire, due to their level of bench experience, even though they lack teaching training and/or experience. We will review what kind of questions to ask in the interview process and how to interpret the responses so the best person is hired. Then we will discuss adult learning theory, learning style, and the learning process, and how to apply this knowledge to all styles of learning to help every trainee become successful, as well as when and how to have difficult conversations. If time allows, we will also discuss how to leverage virtual applications for training remotely.

Stacey Phetteplace

This 2-hour online class focuses on recognizing reloaded ammunition, an essential part of firearms examination, evaluation, and comparison that is often overlooked in the training plans and technical procedures in many laboratories. The course includes a brief look into the history of reloading, commonly encountered reloading marks, and the interpretation of potential reloading marks, should they be encountered in casework. In addition, report writing examples will be explored and toolmarks at each stage in a reloading process will be examined. Objectives: To recognize and interpret the meaning of potential reloading marks observed on ammunition

Nancy McCombs

Have you ever struggled to get your camera to capture a scene exactly as it appears in real life? Forensic photography demands absolute accuracy, but fighting with complex settings under pressure is the last thing you want to worry about. This 2-hour course is designed to take the guesswork out of forensic photography. You will learn how to command your equipment to capture precise, accurate images that stand up in court and also save you valuable time on exhaustive written notes. This course will break down the essential theory behind exposure, focus, and lighting so you can make deliberate, purposeful choices. If manual mode feels overwhelming, this course will also show you how to efficiently leverage your camera's automation, allowing you to spend less time fighting your gear and more time accurately documenting the evidence. This course will improve your record shots of evidence, serial number restoration photos, photomicrographs of critical comparisons, and other important documentation that supports your examination.

Joseph Vandenburgh

The interaction between a fired bullet and the target surface can cause specific types of deformation, which when recognized, may provide valuable information regarding the details of a crime. This 2-hour class will teach students how to recognize and evaluate that damage, as well as how to document it to support any current or future reconstruction efforts.

Toniann Rebick

What is the science behind silencers? This 2-hour class will discuss the physics principles behind sound and the reduction of it through the use of various types of silencers, including those that are homemade. We will discuss the history of silencers, legal issues regarding silencers, and ways to document and evaluate silencers in casework.

Toniann Rebick

This 2-hour course offers a comprehensive overview of the origins of firearms and the evolution of forensic identification techniques. It examines historical development from the invention of gunpowder to modern weapons, analyzing their technological and social impact. Additionally, it introduces the fundamentals of forensic ballistics, including internal, external, and terminal ballistics. The course delves into the principles of firearm identification by studying the unique marks left on projectiles and casings, using comparative microscopy and accepted scientific methods. Identification criteria, limitations, sources of error, and laboratory quality standards will be discussed. Furthermore, practical exercises and real-case analyses are integrated, allowing students to apply theoretical knowledge in investigative contexts.

Hery Figueroa

This 2-hour session trains forensic experts, firearm examiners, and investigators in using a hybrid documentary research methodology applied directly to forensic investigations. The course serves as a practical aid for verifying a firearm's authenticity, provenance, country of origin, and classification as a military or civilian weapon. Participants will learn how to symbiotically combine traditional archival cataloging methods—specifically, proof marks, fabricator marks, and historical literature—with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced internet search methods. Attendees will learn to utilize AI to streamline patent discovery, track manufacturing marks, and analyze case data, while immediately applying traditional written sources as a critical analog filter to validate findings and eliminate hallucinations. The objective is to provide a dual-protocol approach that accelerates forensic investigations and the preparation of technical expert reports, ensuring methodological rigor and technical integrity.

Hery Figueroa

This one-day (8 hour) course will provide participants with an in-depth exploration of various firearms machining methods and subclass characteristics. Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of the techniques used to manufacture firearm components, such as milling, turning, and broaching, and how these methods relate to subclass and individual characteristics. Through detailed discussions and 3D animation, the workshop aims to boost participants' confidence in both understanding and effectively explaining the intricacies of machining, learn how to evaluate for subclass characteristics in everyday casework, discuss areas of confusion/myths of what subclass characteristics are and are not, and much more.

Omar Felix

This three-day (24 hour) workshop explores the historical development and evolution of  “Subclass Characteristics” and critically examines the use and definition of the term. A wide variety of firearm and tool manufacturing processes commonly encountered in the industry will be evaluated for subclass potential. Methods of recognizing potential subclass characteristics on tooled surfaces will be examined. Lab practices, interpretation, and legal challenges will be discussed. Emphasis will be on recognizing or eliminating the potential of subclass involvement, developing strategies to ensure identifications are not subclass in nature, and exploring documentation and report writing methods when subclass influence is suspected. This class combines lecture with heavy emphasis on laboratory/microscopic time, focusing on the examination of toolmarks made from numerous consecutively manufactured tools.

Nancy McCombs

This 5-Day class introduces the participants to forensic toolmark examination, which is also the basis for firearm identification and comparison.  The basis of toolmark comparison is the determination of whether or not a particular tool was used to make a questioned mark. Students will gain specific knowledge related to examining toolmarks, producing exemplar marks, and comparing them to questioned marks. “Hands-on” training, which will include the examination of tools, toolmarks, the preparation of test marks, and the comparison of marks using a comparison microscope will be provided.

Nancy McCombs