Its seems lately we have been going to bed and waking up to various tragedies - first natural disasters, and now a mass shooting in Las Vegas. We have several friends and colleagues in Las Vegas and Nevada, and many more with their own family and friends there. We have been to Las Vegas many times for business, meetings, conferences and personal - our honeymoon was there in late October 1999. Like you, we are very familiar with the area. Our thoughts and prayers to everyone, especially victims and their families, in Las Vegas. Please have them in your own from this horrible tragedy.
We also have friends and colleagues in Puerto Rico, who we recently heard from are safe. They struggle with basic necessities - food, water, power, communications. As many recover in Texas and Florida, let us not forget Puerto Rico. Please consider any help in any way you can. So many have been to these areas devastated by the three hurricanes - and many are aiding in the recovery. We extend our thoughts and prayers, as well as our our appreciation to each of them.
Our story is at www.DeathCaseReview.com/afi-llc-blog/celebrating-30-years-in-business
On October 1st, 30 years ago, after leaving his high school job at a local family run grocery store in 1987, Dean filed his business tradename registration - Investigative Services. Karen joined him in 1996.
In 2008 the agency focus became Legal Investigations and Expert Consultations in Personal Injury, Negligence and Death in Civil, Criminal and Probate litigation.
Many ask how our agency was started, our background and experience – all the usual questions. It has been an interesting 30 years.
-- Our Thoughts and Prayers to So Many...
-- Celebrating 30 Years!
-- Commentary from the blog archives of AFI-LLC
- NEW - Celebrating 30 Years - Our Story...
- Associations for Networking, Training, Information and Friendship
- About Associates in Forensic Investigations LLC Video
- Convicted Defendants Uninformed of Forensic Failures
- Frontline Real CSI - Fact or Fiction
- Public Records - Thinking Outside the Box
-- Time is money!
-- Global Investigators Media Group (GIMG.tv) Facts & Forensics
-- Expert Affiliations
-- Tidbits From Our Profession
-- Associations and News
-- News From Our Profession
- Traces of Crime: How New York’s DNA Techniques Became Tainted
- L.A. settles with hundreds of victims of LAPD officer who snooped for celebrity private eye Anthony Pellicano
- Appeals Court Rules Against Warrantless Cell-site Simulator Surveillance
-- Legislative News You Can Use... from NCISS
-- The Quint-Essential Qualities of a Professional Investigator
-- IN CLOSING...
Together We're Better - Together We Make the Difference!

We provide Expert Consultations and Legal Investigations of Personal Injury, Negligence & Death in Civil, Criminal and Probate litigation. We are Subject Matter Experts in Equivocal Death Investigation and Analysis, Medicolegal Investigations of Death and Serious Bodily Injury.
Based in the Rocky Mountain West, we provide expert consultations nationally. Learn details at www.DeathCaseReview.com

"Investigating Death and Serious Bodily Injuries"
FALI is offering, for a limited time, our Investigating Death & Serious Bodily Injuries book, "Death and Serious Bodily Injury Investigation for the Professional Investigator," by Dean & Karen Beers.
These are for a limited time! The guide is under revision and will be released this summer for $95 - save 1/3 off the price now at just $70, including shipping with 50% net proceeds going to FALI!
https://fali.site-ym.com/store/ViewProduct.aspx?id=8948697
The manual is over 200 pages and begins with the core of the Beers's distance learning course manual. It includes over 20 additional forensic, death and serious bodily injury based articles.

www.DeathCaseReview.com/afi-llc-blog.html
Keep up with the current events of our agency and profession through our blog. Dating back to the fall of 2011, there are dozens of articles, tips and resources for professional investigators.
Associations for Networking, Training, Information and Friendship (from 4/4/2012)
You likely know the value of networking, training, information and professional relationships. Do you know how to foster these? By being active and involved. Things happen, whether we like it or not -- being proactive is important. You are likely already a member of your state association. The right associations can help expand your network, knowledge and resources. If you are not already, we highly recommend a few for national and international interests.
-- continued at www.DeathCaseReview.com/afi-llc-blog/associations-for-networking-training-information-and-friendship
About Associates in Forensic Investigations LLC Video (from 4/6/2012)
We just produced our first video to tell you a little bit about AFI-LLC. It is brief but informative. Feel free to share your thoughts, comments and questions. Of course, contact our office any time we can help.
-- continued at www.DeathCaseReview.com/afi-llc-blog/about-associates-in-forensic-investigations-llc-video
Convicted Defendants Uninformed of Forensic Failures (from 4/17/2012)
The foundation of our criminal justice system is the right of the defendant to face accusers and evidence against them - inculpatory and exculpatory.
When faced with criticism following the release of Timothy Masters, wrongfully convicted of the 1987 murder of Peggy Hettrick, the former prosecutors who became judges, now former judges ... "Its not like we were hiding anything. A few things weren't provided. Lawyers ought to have known or asked about the evidence because it was referenced in multiple documents they were given."
-- continued at www.DeathCaseReview.com/afi-llc-blog/convicted-defendants-uninformed-of-forensic-failures
Frontline Real CSI - Fact or Fiction (from 4/21/2012)
We have received a lot of emails, and seen several others on listserves, about this show and our opinion. Its a mixed opinion - there was less discussion of 'Real CSI' and more criticism that was somewhat misplaced and misleading. This same series did the same in reviewing the death investigation system nationwide - concentrating on a few negative things (and some skewed more negative) and less on the reality. Being an expert consultant, I was interested and decided to watch.
-- continued at www.DeathCaseReview.com/afi-llc-blog/frontline-real-csi-fact-or-fiction
Public Records - Thinking Outside the Box (from 4/25/2012)
As private investigators we often check court records in the course of backgrounds, assets, and skip tracing - and the court records are often redacted of certain identifying and contact information, if we are permitted to view this otherwise public record. The other issue complicating our job is that certain files are being destroyed after a set number a years after the case is closed. These include non-violent misdemeanors and other offenses considered minor. Although it may differ by locale, in many jurisdictions these issues are further complicated by the myriad of statutes, department policies and judicial directives.
-- continued at www.DeathCaseReview.com/afi-llc-blog/public-records-thinking-outside-the-box

Learn how we efficiently multi-task using these tools. Visit this article on our blog at www.DeathCaseReview.com/afi-llc-blog/time-is-money-multi-tasking-is-time-recovered!
- DropBox - http://DropBox.PrivateInvestigations.org
- Right Inbox for Gmail - www.RightInBox.com
- Desktop Texting - www.MySMS.com
- Ring Central Faxing - http://Fax.PrivateInvestigations.org
- Ring Central VOIP - http://RingCentral.PrivateInvestigations.org
- Toll-Free Numbers - http://Kall8.PrivateInvestigations.org (PIs - contact our office for more uses)
- Split View - www.SplitView.com

Facts & Forensics
About every other month Dean host a podcast featuring topical information in the areas of legal investigations and forensic investigations. He is joined by his wife and business partner, Karen for 'Conversations with Karen' on special topics of interest. Dean closes each episode with a 'Special Guest' who is an expert in a forensic specialty. Tune in this, and every, month!
All shows are posted at http://gimg.tv - the latest podcast topics include:
Conversations with Karen
Every Contact Leaves a Trace
Is it Homicide or Suicide – Test Your Observation Skills
Special Guest with Dean
Brandon Perron, CCDI, CFI-FTER, returns to talk about FTER – Forensic Testimonial Evidence Recovery
Coming soon...!
Our next podcast will have updates from the NCISS Mid-Term Board Meeting, the PPIAC Rocky Mountain Investigators Conference, and much more!

We believe that medicolegal investigation and consultation is a team effort. Stephen Cina MD, Harold Schueler PhD, and our agency are affiliated as experts in our respective fields offering our clients comprehensive medicolegal services.
Dr. Cina, based in Colorado, is the former Chief Medical Examiner of Cook County IL.
Dr. Schueler is now a profession at mid-Atlantic university, and is the former Chief Forensic Toxicologist of a large mid-Atlantic metropolitan area.
Contact our office to consult on medicolegal death and injury causation. The CVs of both Dr. Cina and Dr. Schueler are available by Contacting Us
We are proud of our working relationship with Dr. Cina, since 2002 and Dr. Schueler since 2010.

Do you have news of your associations and members to share? Please let us know!
The associations conference season is coming to a close. Stay tuned for upcoming state, national and international association conferences.
National Association of Legal Investigators (www.NALI.com) - 2018 Mid-Winter is January 18th and 19th in Orange Beach, AL. Details at http://nalionline.org/events/mid-winter-conference-2018
National Council of Investigation & Security Services (www.NCISS.org) - 2018 Hit the Hill and Annual Meeting will be held March 19th-21st. Details will follow soon!

Professional Private investigations Association of Colorado (www.PPIAC.org) Monthly meetings are the first Wednesday of each month, usually in the Denver metro area. PPIAC continues to hold specialized training sessions for new and veteran investigators, and also specific to the new licensing program.
National Association of Legal Investigators (www.NALI.com)
NALI is the premier association for legal investigators for civil plaintiff and criminal defense, and oversees the prestigious Certified Legal Investigator (CLI) program. Experience is required to join and all members are subject to a background check.
The current issue of NALI's official journal - The Legal Investigator - is now available online at www.nalionline.org/publications.htm
National Council of Investigation and Security Services (www.NCISS.org)
Each day we find an increasing number of problems confronting the orderly growth of our profession. These problems include, among others: overly restrictive legislation regarding training and standards, proliferation of legislation requiring local licensing, public misunderstanding and misinformation on the role and contribution of private investigators and security services, and an uninformed media. It is the role of NCISS to meet and solve these problems while seeking to uncover and recommend action on any hidden potential problems which may have an effect on our profession.
The current issue of NCISS's official journal - Your Advocate - is available online at www.nciss.org/your-advocate
Special news and alerts are at www.nciss.org/important-nciss-news
NEW!! Members Only Page - www.nciss.org/members-only
State Legislation Awareness Monitoring (SLAM), Membership Directory (PDF), Member contributed articles.
World Association of Detectives (www.WAD.net)
W.A.D. is a global alliance of investigators and security professionals with origins dating back to 1921 and formalized in 1925. W.A.D. is the longest established and largest association of its kind in the world.
Karen is the W.A.D. Administrative Manager, and Dean is the Governor of the Americas (North, Central and South America). Together we work to further the mission of W.A.D. and provide resources to clients needing assistance in these regions. The W.A.D. magazine,
The current issue of WAD's official newletter - Beyond Global - is available online at www.wad.net/newsletters-beyond-global
Additional memberships include FALI, TALI and CALI state associations, as well as specialty specific national associations (see right sidebar). If your association has news, please send it to us for inclusion in our newsletter.

Our thanks to Bill Elliott, CLI (Elliott & Associates - NM) for sharing all the following news and stories.
Traces of Crime: How New York’s DNA Techniques Became Tainted
An excellent in depth article which calls into question many of the techniques being used by labs (about 50) around the country on DNA analysis of small amounts. Some experts are calling the methods "questionable" and "not defensible". Some experts are calling into question the source code of the program used among other things. Excellent article for developing Daubert issues. With the past issues at the FBI Lab and the Austin, Texas lab, plus current questions concerning processing by other labs, great info.
-- continued at www.nytimes.com/2017/09/04/nyregion/dna-analysis-evidence-new-york-disputed-techniques.htmlwww.nytimes.com/2017/09/04/nyregion/dna-analysis-evidence-new-york-disputed-techniques.html
L.A. settles with hundreds of victims of LAPD officer who snooped for celebrity private eye Anthony PellicanoIt started with a cryptic threat: a dead fish and a rose left inside a Los Angeles Times reporter’s car, and a note that simply read “Stop” on the fractured windshield.
An FBI investigation into the threat would uncover a criminal scheme in which celebrity private eye Anthony Pellicano was illegally gathering information for his star-studded list of clients.
The scandal ensnared Hollywood powerhouses, executives and celebrities as well as a Los Angeles Police Department detective, Sgt. Mark Arneson, whom Pellicano paid to provide him with confidential law enforcement records on hundreds of people.
Fifteen years later, the city of Los Angeles is about to compensate victims of the scheme as part of a class action lawsuit settlement.
The City Council on Wednesday approved a deal that will pay a total of $285,600 to be divided among the 345 people identified by the FBI investigation as victims of Arneson’s record checks, according to court records.
-- continued at www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-lapd-pellicano-celebrity-20170906-story.html
Appeals Court Rules Against Warrantless Cell-site Simulator Surveillance
Law enforcement officers in Washington, D.C. violated the Fourth Amendment when they used a cell site simulator to locate a suspect without a warrant, a D.C. appeals court ruled on Thursday. The court thus found that the resulting evidence should have been excluded from trial and overturned the defendant’s convictions.
-- continued at www.eff.org/deeplinks/2017/09/appeals-court-rules-against-warrantless-cell-site-simulator-surveillance(DOJ changed their policy in September 2015 which required agencies (USM, DEA, FBI, ATF, etc) to seek a warrant. This takes it a step further for all the locals who have the Stingray, etc.)

Legislative Activity Summary
It remains relatively quiet on the state and federal legislative activity. Most state legislatures are not in session, and Congress remains mostly busy with domestic economic and healthcare issues.
Security Officer Screening Improvements Act and Legislation
In the month of August, Lobbyit took advantage of the lull in legislative activity to discuss future plans for action on Senator Toomey's Security Officer Screening Improvements Act (SOSIA) with allied parties, including Steve Amitay, Executive Director of the National Association of Security Companies (NASCO).
What does this mean for our professions? Please read the full report at http://conta.cc/2xjlNLD
2018 Hit the Hill and Annual Conference - Speakers announced!
NCISS is fortunate to have many members with expertise in multiple investigative and security services disciplines. We appreciate them giving of their time to join us for the Hit the Hill and Annual Meeting events, as well as speak to our group on a variety of important trends and topics important to each of us. The conference committee has recently secured the following speakers. Details of the full schedule and registration will be coming soon!
- Terry Kilburn, CEO
Terry will speak on trends and techniques of effective database use.
- Timothy A. Dimoff, CEO/President
The Escalating Trends of Aggression and Violence Sweeping Our Nation.
- Cynthia Hetherington
Cynthia will speak on the Internet, open sources and database offerings.
Visit Your NCISS Website - www.NCISS.org
Facebook - www.facebook.com/NCISS.Association
For additional information on NCISS legislative activity, please visit www.nciss.org/important-nciss- news

Skills Appropriate for the Assignment
Law firms and medical offices specialize - Professional Investigators also specialize. Their casework and continuing education should also be in your specialized areas.
Experience and Knowledge
Professional Investigators strive to maintain and further these. All professions have requirements of continuing education. The CLI and CCDI programs both require extensive compliance with continuing education.
Responsible and Ethical Conduct
Every component of the investigation has evidentiary considerations. Professional Investigators hold themselves to a higher standard and leaves no question as to the admissibility of their evidence. Information without ethics is not evidence.
Effective Communication
Professional Investigators maintain communication with the attorney, client, witnesses, and other key persons in the investigation. Moreover, reports are the product of an organized investigation and should reflect the work product you expect.
Keyword - 'Professional'
Honesty, Integrity & Intelligence. These define Professional Investigators and gives you the confidence that your case is in competent and skilled hands.

Specializes in the Expert Consultations and Legal Investigations of Personal Injuries, Negligence and Death in Civil, Criminal and Probate litigation.
We provide investigations and consultations of any death or serious bodily injury case nationwide with the conveniences of modern technology and assistance of our local professional friends and colleagues.
In addition, we continue to provide Individual Locates, Backgrounds and Assets & Liabilities for your Civil, Criminal, Probate and Domestic Relations litigation. Additional information at www.DeathCaseReview.com/general-services.html
Call us today, we're glad to help!
Experience the PRIDE of Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC - Professional Reliable Investigators Defining Excellence in every assignment.
Sincerely,
Dean A. Beers, CLI, CCDI and Karen S. Beers, BSW, CCDI
Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC - Associates@DeathCaseReview.com
Colorado (970) 480-7793 - Dean x1 and Karen x2 - Voice / TXT

www.WasItSuicide.com
- Legal Investigations - Civil, Criminal & Probate
- Expert Consultations and Medicolegal Investigations of Death & SBI
- Individual Locates, Backgrounds and Assets & Liabilities
We specialize in helping other PIs and attorneys assisting families. Contact our agency any time – we’re there when you need us.
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