August 4, 2003

East Lansing - As the popularity of forensic science increases, the Michigan State Police are rolling out a new web site that addresses a little known aspect of forensics - forensic art.

In addition to composite sketches, the Michigan State Police Forensic Artist Program web site offers an overview of forensic art and how it is used in solving crimes.

"This web site allows the public to be our partner in solving crimes," said Detective Sergeant Annette Cook, Forensic Artist Program Coordinator. "We hope that citizens will check out the composite sketches available there and submit a tip that may solve these cases. We also hope that they will check back for new sketches."

All of the composite sketches on the web site are from unsolved crimes, such as robbery and criminal sexual conduct. Should a person be able to make a positive identification there is a phone number to call to report any information.

There are four different categories of forensic art listed on the Forensic Artist Program web site, they include: composite imagery, image modification/identification, demonstrative evidence and reconstructive/postmortem drawings. Using pictures, the web site highlights the step by step process used to create postmortem drawings.

The site can be found at: www.michigan.gov/forensic_artists

Members of the Michigan State Police Forensic Artist Program are trained in all aspects of forensic art including composite sketches, age progression drawings, 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional skull reconstruction and postmortem drawings. The drawings they create help both law enforcement and the public in identifying unknown victims and criminals who might not otherwise be identified.

The Forensic Artist Program is also unique in that it is one of the nation’s only state-level teams with a network of artists available on a 24-hour basis to assist state, county or local police agencies at no cost to them. Team members are stationed throughout the state at the Metro South, Bad Axe, Lansing, Bridgman and Richmond posts, as well as at the Grayling and Lansing laboratories.

Earlier this year, a composite sketch done by a member of the Forensic Artist Program helped the Alma Police Department apprehend a suspected bank robber. A composite sketch of a suspect from a previous robbery, which had been released to the media, allowed a witness to a later robbery to make a positive identification of the suspect. This witness called 911 and the suspect was subsequently arrested and confessed to a total of five robberies.

Currently, the forensic artists are assisting the MSP’s Fugitive Teams by creating age progression drawings for Michigan’s Most Wanted Fugitives, since several of their arrest photographs are over 20-years old. The Forensic Artist Program plans to release the age progressed drawings with the hope that someone can make a positive identification leading to the apprehension of these fugitives.

So far this year, the Forensic Artist Program has handled over 52 requests for assistance. Approximately 60 percent of those requests came from agencies other than the MSP.

Read more press releases from the Michigan State Police.