Facial composite assembly systems used to create criminal composites have existed for several years. Since their introduction into the market, companies that dabbled in the technology have had difficulty marketing their creations to law enforcement.
I believe facial composite assembly systems, whether mechanical or software-driven, fell short because forensic artists were rarely involved in product development. The failure of these facial composite assembly systems to gain a solid foothold in law enforcement left forensic artists feeling pretty confident about their work. Still, I always believed a better solution was out there and was determined to find it.
During my journey to create a better facial composite software solution, I was thankful to have met and trained under three veteran forensic artists involved in developing and implementing forensic facial imaging software programs. These men helped shape my worldview of the discipline. They influenced me to push the envelope and embrace a technology solution. They were great mentors, and I want to take a brief moment to introduce them to you.
Fernando Ponce – Los Angeles Police Department
Fernando Ponce, a classically trained painter, held the job title – Police Composite Artist for many years before retiring in the mid-1990’s. I first met Ponce in 1979 when I attended a forensic art course he taught. Afterward, we struck up a friendship that lasted several years. He shared his dream of creating a facial composite software program to help officers manually construct composite images. Unfortunately, he was such a perfectionist that he never completed the program. The technology at the time didn’t meet his strict image standards.
Tom Macris – San Jose Police Department
Tom Macris was trained and educated as a commercial artist before joining the San Jose Police Department. I was lucky to have met him several times and marveled at his talent.
During Tom’s career, he partnered with Visatex Corporation to create Compusketch, a facial composite software program. Although it was once popular with law enforcement, it eventually disappeared from the market.
Horace Heafner – Federal Bureau of Investigation
I met Horace in 1984 during an F.B.I. police artist conference I attended at the F.B.I. Academy. Horace’s career at the F.B.I. spanned over 40 years. After leaving the bureau, Heafner worked at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, where he helped pioneer their model Age Progression program. Horace quickly adapted to the software, blending the new tools with his art skills and training to become a sought-after expert on the subject of computerized age progression.
All three men pioneered the emergence of technology in forensic facial imaging. Though passionate about their work, they never allowed themselves to be affected by their elevated status within the forensic art discipline. Each of them had enough humility to keep an open mind about developing technology and its role in transforming the discipline.
To build on their legacy and continue their tradition of mentorship, SketchCop® Solutions, Inc. offers many learning opportunities. Digital tools, software products, and textbooks are coming soon to help you take your skills to the next level. We recently completed our online, instructor-led course, Killer Images: Creating Digital Faces for Law Enforcement, to introduce students to SketchCop Online, our web-based facial composite application, with another date coming soon.
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