February 1986
I would like to take a moment, along with my fellow Division Officers and Board Members, to wish
all a happy and healthy New Year.
Welcome to all of our new members, with a special welcome to those in the Voice Print field.
Thanks to Steve Cain for all his efforts in this area to bring Voice Print into the Chesapeake
Bay Division. I, also, noticed that a few Composite Artists, a new field in the IAI, have
decided to join our Division and I hope to be able to fet one of them to speak at the Fall
seminar. I am looking forward to seeing some articles from the Voice Print and Composite
Artists members in the Examiner.
The plans for the Spring seminar, April 18th and 19th in Williamsburg, Virginia have almost
been completed. A tentative schedule of the topics and speakers, along with hotel and seminar
registrations can be found elsewhere in the Examiner. As you will notice, a few of
the topics are listed as "open", this is due to speaker conflicts which we are working to
resolve. Mr. Robert Grant, President IAI Parent Body, is expected to attend the seminar and
discuss the future direction of the Parent Body and your views are needed for the IAI to continue
to grow. The fall seminar locations have been narrowed down. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania tops
the list at this time.
For your enjoyment, a Busch Entertainment Passport Club 1986 - 1987 discount card is enclosed.
It can be used for discount passes and special rates at certain hotels.
Now!! The rumors you have heard about a special raffle are true. As most of you know, the
Chesapeake Bay Division is going to host the 1987 IAI Training Conference which will be held
in Alexandria, Virginia. To make this conference a professional and enjoyable experience for
all, we need each member's help now! The "DC in 87" Conference Committee needs funds
to start 'getting the show on the road' and as promised, the funds are not to come from the
Division's savings. We are asking each member to make a monetary donation and help collect
a few donations from friends and co-workers. Most people do not readidly part with their
money without good reason. An explanation of how these training conferences bring us together
to become more professional in our fields of forensic investigation and to help solve our
growing crime rate may bore them, but the chance to win a remote controlled color television
worth $500 may get theirs, and your attention.
Enclosed you will find 6 tickets (2 packs) to be used for donations. Each $2.00 donation
entitles a person to one ticket; for each $5.00 donation a person will receive three tickets,
to be placed in the drawing for the TV, which will be held after the dinner, April 19, 1986,
in Williamsburg, Virginia. You need not be present to win, or live locally. Arrangements
will be made to deliver the TV anywhere in the USA; therefore, do not hesitate to make a
donation for any reason. To spice up the idea of getting additional donations, a $100 gift
certificate will be given to the member who solicits the winning donation ticket. Think Fast!
A member who makes a donation can win twice.
May 1986
On April 18th and 19th 1986, the Division held its annual Spring training conference in
Williamsburg, Virginia, and without a doubt it was a learning and good time experience for
all who attended. One hundred and thirty six people registered, the largest turnout that I
can ever remember for a conference.
All of the instructors were top notch, well prepared and organized in their presentations.
Two of the topics, Abortion Clinic Bombing and Terrorism, generated a lot of thought among
the guests in the room, and believe me it was packed. A special thank you to Rick Johnson, Ben
Wilson, Jack Dillon, Bob Carruthers and Kenny Green for their truly professional talks, and
for fending questions long after their classes were over.
On Saturday, at the Board of Directors meeting, we discussed and voted on, the presentation of
a yearly award at the Fall meeting. The award will be given to a member for any significant
contribution in the area of identification, investigation and scientific crime detection or
special achievement while a member of the Chesapeake Bay Division (CBD), not necessarily
during the prior calendar year. The full list of qualifications are to be set forth by the
Board by the Fall meeting.
It was not hard for the Board to decide what to name the award, one name was mentioned and
unanimously approved. We could think of only one person who has done so much for so long.
A person who I had met a 'few' years ago; a person who helped me understand the inner working
of the Parent Body of the IAI, when I thought I had been working over by it. A person who
became my friend and a friend to my daughter. To those people who have known her, they will
understand what I write about, she is that special type of person. She was the first and up
until 1985, the only woman President of the CBD. She served as Editor and then Historian up
until a few years ago. Even though she is retired and lives a long way from the Division,
she always attends the meetings to brighten everyone's days. I speak of our friend Lillian
Jenkins. At the banquet and here, it gives me great pride to announce that the award will be
named: "The Lillian Jenkins Special Achievement Award". The first
award will be given out at the Fall meeting in 1987.
Next, congratuations are in order for Lavada and Jim Aker, who won $600 in the '87 Conference
donation raffle, and thanks to all the members who helped raise the needed funds, especially
Ruth Ross, Vernon McCloud, and Randy Goodwin for their work. I understand that there is going
to be another one with more prizes for more people.
The Fall conference will be held in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania starting on Friday, October 10,
at 11:00 AM to 12:00 noon for registration, followed by lunch, then into the meetings. Please
see registration form in this publication. The entire conference has not been planned
(suggestions are still being taken), the full program will be available in the July issue, and
will include topics on fingerprints, case histories, lasers and improvised explosive devices.
Any member who has an interesting case or investigation that they feel will benefit the entire
Division, please think about giving a presentation.
July 1986
The President's Message was a new column this year and I hope that you have found it
informative.
Making use of this, I would like to take a moment to remind all of us that one of the aims of
our Organization is to exchange ideas and information to assist each other toward the advancement
of scientific techniques of Forensic Identification and Crime Detection. In some cases, this
exchance of information can lead to the closure of criminal cases in another member's area. All
of us should look closely at how we release or exchange information. Are we doing everything
possible to assist our fellow members with their active cases, or are we keeping information to
ourselves? We should make every attempt to release criminal information as soon as possible
after an agency has made the request. Our Organization now has many members who are active
Criminal Investigators and Criminal Prosecutors who can benefit from the knowledge that
"physical evidence" holds, and can be "released" by those who process it, if it is handled
properly. Frustrated? Call another member to see if he/she can help with your problem.
The Annual Fall Conference is approaching and the elections will be held during the Business
Meeting on Saturday. Any member who is interested in becoming more active in the everyday
running of this Association, make your goals known to other members who will help support you
as a candidate, and get in contact with the Nominating Committee which is chaired by Sharon
Talmadge.
The schedule for the training conference is printed elsewhere in the Examiner. Please
register early!! The lunch on Friday will consist of a light buffet, so you will not feel
"heavy" for the class after lunch.
The IAI Conference in London will be upon us any day now, and I am looking forward to spending
a very informative week with the British as your representative. Good luck to our members
who are running for office, from all of us. I am sure, that even those who cannot make the
trip fully support you in spirit.
One final note. I have been in contact with the Pennsylvania chapter of the IAI and interest
has been shown to have a large group meeting of the Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and the
Chesapeake Bay Divisions (possibly) in the Spring of 1988. Looking forward to seeing more
members in October.