Non-Subscriber Extract
Computerised identification
Computerised identification
Forget the police artist sketching with a pencil, now it is all done by
computer. Shirley Hardy-Rix reports.
The days of a police artist sketching as a victim describes their attacker
are long gone. Today, these people work with a computer stylus and not an
HB pencil. The results of their work now appear more like a photograph than
a sketch.
The Victoria Police Forces Criminal Identification Squad (CIS) in Australia
leads the world in the techniques used to recreate the faces of wanted men
and women.
There is no other police force in the world that has the wide range of services
we have developed here, said Detective Sergeant Adrian Patterson. We have
cranio-facial reconstruction, computer-ageing and offender image enhancement.
The New South Wales and Tasmanian forces and Australian Federal Police use
the services provided by the Victoria Police Force CIS, and the system is
now being used overseas as well.
The office, based in the St Kilda Road police complex, deals with between
2,500 and 3,000 face images each year. The system is only limited by what
people can remember. If a victim or witness has any idea of what they saw,
it can be reproduced. The members aim to produce the best possible visible
description of people, living or deceased. They work in colour, which gives
the best results.
Remnants of clothing and shoes found on the badly decomposed remains of a
murder victim can be reconstructed, giving investigators an accurate description
of the victims clothing.
The computer programme can be used to enhance a facial image on a reconstructed
skull. After the skull is rebuilt by the cranio-facial experts, the computer
experts step in, making it look more like a person and less like a mask. If
the investigators are able to supply a hair sample, it can be matched to create
a head of hair, eyebrows and lashes. The computer can then generate different
skin tones.
We cant make the face look any better than the experts make it, said Det
Sgt Patterson. We just give the investigators some variations.
Most of the work carried out by the squad is done by the digitised Facial
Automated Composition and Editing System FACE.
We can reconstruct the face of a murder victim, or an unidentified deceased
person, explained Det Sgt Patterson. If a person is beaten to death, the
FACE system can be used to remove the swelling and abrasions and open the
eyes. This image can then be released to the media to help identify the deceased.(Pictured
below)
FACE can also be used to age photos of missing persons to show what they would
look like today. This is not an exact science and cannot be used to see exactly
what you will look like in 20 years time. It is just an indicator, but it
can be reasonably accurate by incorporating family traits.
Det Sgt Patterson said: This is also helpful if a criminal is being released
after a lengthy time in prison. The only available photo may be 10 years old.
If we are told how his hair has changed, his new weight and any other identifying
characteristics, we can old age the photo to see what the crook looks like
today.
Witnesses or victims sit with the experts at the computer and piece together
what they saw. We are not miracle workers, said Det Sgt Patterson.
Investigators must be realistic. There is no point sending someone to us
if they have not seen anything or those who cant describe what they saw,
even if they think they could recognise them if they saw them again.
The squad can ensure mug shots are all the same size and quality with similar
faces suitable for identification photo boards.
Poor quality security videos can be enhanced to give a better view of the
offenders face for use in the investigation. If the quality of the video
is poor, the system can be used to create a computer image face, as close
as possible to the offender on the video.
The computer graphic section compiles generated graphics to present evidence
in an easy to understand form for juries. These can show the modus operandi
for an individual offender, indicating the similarities between a number of
crimes. This form of evidence is also valuable for fraud cases, showing money
trails. There is also a draftsperson in the squad who prepares the crime scene
drawings for the homicide squad, as well as layouts of properties used for
criminal offences, such as drug laboratories.
The experts from the CIS are available to help solve the most serious offences
24 hours a day. It is desirable that a witness is interviewed by a member
of the squad within 24 hours of the incident, while their recollection is
still clear.
This article first appeared in the Victoria Police Association Journal
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Identifying people:
Pictures of a missing person can be adapted to show their face 20 years later.
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Identifying people:
Pictures of a missing person can be adapted to show their face 20 years later.
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