TUESDAY
SEPTEMBER 9, 2025
Presented by: Matt Cole, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Main Lecture Room
Presented by: Kenneth Blue, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
Location: Main Lecture Room
Presented by: Julie Wiel, Not Just Me Foundation
Location: Main Lecture Room
This panel brings together a diverse group of criminal justice and private sector leaders to explore the pivotal role of biometrics in improving public safety. Through real-world examples and lessons learned from years of experience, the panel will highlight the benefits and challenges of leveraging advanced biometrics in the criminal justice space.
Presented by: (Facilitator) Wyatt Pettengill, IDEMIA Public Security; Stehpanie Stoiloff, Miami-Dade Crime Lab; Christian Henry, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Main Lecture Room
Location: Ballroom Foyer/Atrium
Presented by: Stephane Caillebotte, IDEMIA
Location: Windsor/Sandringham
New standards on how to conduct and document the ACE-V examination process were published in 2024. Many examiners, however, are still unsure about how to decipher and meet the new recommendations. Nor are they confident in explaining to a court how their unit meets the new recommendations, or why their unit has chosen not to follow them. This workshop will look at the new standards in detail, discuss how to interpret recommendations in the documents, and also go over methods on how to meet the recommendations utilizing documentation tools in IDEMIA products. Examiners will leave feeling less overwhelmed by the latest standards recommendations, and more secure in knowing how to handle the recommendations both during examination and in court.
Instructed by: Brianne Breedlove, Uncover Forensics
Location: Training Room #1 (Raphael/Michelangelo)
Getting started with Face Expert, inclusive of case creation and management, uploading photos and videos, image cropping, image enhancement (including 3D pose correction), search submission together with demographic filtering, review of results, image comparison with side-by-side, annotations/charting and reports generation. Hands-on examples will include face and tattoo images and video. Attendees will become familiar with MBIS 5 Face Expert and will be able to perform basic tasks.
(Beginner)
Location: Training Room #2 (Alhambra/Escorial)
Hands-on training for our world-class handheld biometric mobile devices, such as IDent 2.0, Mobile Biometric Check, and MTop Mobile. These will be 30-minute sessions with a maximum of 10 attendees per session.
Instructed by: Yasmine Guelmi, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Balmoral
Hands-on training for our world-class handheld biometric mobile devices, such as IDent 2.0, Mobile Biometric Check, and MTop Mobile. These will be 30-minute sessions with a maximum of 10 attendees per session.
Instructed by: Yasmine Guelmi, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Balmoral
Presented by: James Haluska, IDEMIA Public Security; Eric Ray, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Main Lecture Room
(Facilitator) Wyatt Pettengill, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Main Lecture Room
Location: Windsor/Sandringham
Latent print examiners can increase accuracy by following IDEMIA best practice recommendations on search strategy. This hands-on workshop will cover the newest MBIS and MLE features for latent print searching by the recommended strategies, methods and practices used to effectively calibrate, resample, position, encode, and annotate latent prints for submission.
(Beginner)
Instructed by: Christine Schultz, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Training Room #1 (Raphael/Michelangelo)
Learn about IDEMIA’s image enhancement tools and capabilities to better visualize latent print images. IDEMIA’s MBIS solution continues to host a suite of basic and advanced tools to improve contrast between ridges and valleys, remove background noise, and highlight comparison features for you – the expert user. IDEMIA recommends using image enhancements to further increase our unmatched search accuracy and algorithms, this certificate class provides hands-on time to add these tools and capabilities to your own knowledge base and crime-solving tool-belt.
(Intermediate)
Instructed by: Eric Ray, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Training Room #2 (Alhambra/Escorial)
Hands-on training for our world-class handheld biometric mobile devices, such as IDent 2.0, Mobile Biometric Check, and MTop Mobile. These will be 30-minute sessions with a maximum of 10 attendees per session.
Instructed by: Yasmine Guelmi, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Balmoral
Hands-on training for our world-class handheld biometric mobile devices, such as IDent 2.0, Mobile Biometric Check, and MTop Mobile. These will be 30-minute sessions with a maximum of 10 attendees per session.
Instructed by: Yasmine Guelmi, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Balmoral
Presented by: Casey Mayfield, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Main Lecture Room
Presented by: (Facilitator) Joel Benayon, Halton Regional Police Service and PPT Consulting; Brian Kennedy, Peel Regional Police
Location: Windsor/Sandringham
Join us for the Experience Center opening night where you have the chance to do a deep dive into our cutting-edge solutions with 1:1 access to the team members who spearheaded the solutions’ evolutions. Enjoy drinks and a buffet-style dinner as you interact with all our products, solutions, and subject matter experts.
Location: Experience Centers (Chopin Ballroom and Biscayne Ballroom)
wednesDAY
SEPTEMBER 10, 2025
Presented by: Wyatt Pettengill, IDEMIA Public Security, Executive Users Board
Location: Main Lecture Room
Presented by: John Riemen, Dutch Police
Location: Main Lecture Room
Brian Kennedy will be co-presenting with Joel Benayon on the first joint, multi police agency Facial Recognition program utilizing shared cloud technology. This is a first for Canada! The discussion will look at strategies to engage all stakeholders and lessons learned. A joint panel will be held after discussing Facial Recognition in Law Enforcement advances in Canada and a vision for the future.
Presented by: Brian Kennedy, Peel Regional Police; Joel Benayon, Halton Regional Police Service and PPT Consulting
Location: Windsor/Sandringham
Leading up to 2013, friction ridge databases underwent significant expansions and upgrades that resulted in improved matching algorithms. Furthermore, the new nationwide database Next Generation Identification (NGI) allowed full enrollment of palm prints into the known record repository, expanding search parameters. Because of this, CJIS recommended that latents submitted prior to 2013 be re-submitted to the NGI system if no identifications were made. The Tulsa Police Forensic Lab was finally included in this upgrade in late 2017. After eliminating the latent print backlog in 2021, a latent print examiner at the Tulsa Police Forensic Laboratory suggested re-evaluating unidentified latent evidence from cold cases for AFIS suitability. Now we not only have the able to re-run cold case latents using these advanced algorithms, but we can also run prints that were not initially deemed suitable for database searching due to previously limited technology (palm prints, more difficult latents, etc.).
Presented by: Dr. Katie Casper, Tulsa Police Department
Location: Main Lecture Room
Presented by: Karen Gulotti, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Windsor/Sandringham
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Certificate Class: Latent Automation – Grab that low-hanging fruit! (using MBIS)
To search latent prints in AFIS, officers or crime scene investigators typically need to submit lift cards or photographs to the latent print unit and wait weeks or months for results. The latent print examiners must upload or scan the impressions into the system, ensure the image is sized properly, encode the latent, launch a search, and review candidates. New IDEMIA technology automates many of these steps to provide timely results. Officers or CSIs can upload latent print images directly into IDEMA MBIS where they are added to a case and prepared for search. The system automatically detects a ruler and properly sizes the image, and then automatically detects the latent prints in the images. These latent prints are automatically searched with results going to the latent examiners queue for review or with very high-scoring hits reported back to the submitting officer as investigative leads. This certificate class demonstrates latent automation tools with the potential to reduce backlogs from years to days.
(Advanced)
Instructed by: Eric Ray, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Training Room #1 (Raphael/Michelangelo)
Instructed by: Christine Schultz, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Training Room #2 (Alhambra/Escorial)
Walk through best practices in capturing fingers, palms, and interdigital areas on a TPE4 device. These will be one-hour sessions with a maximum of 10 attendees per session.
Presented by: Mike Barakat, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Balmoral
Presented by: Joe Courtesis, J-Cour Consulting
Location: Main Lecture Room
In January of 2024, Columbia University issued a media release claiming “AI Discovers That Not Every Fingerprint is Unique.” The release went on to allege research from Columbia engineers “(shattered) a long-held belief...that fingerprints from different fingers of the same person are unique.” But did it REALLY? In this lecture we will break down the contents of the research article and discuss what it truly did or did not uncover. We will addittonally highlight specific quotes from the article that can be used if/when an attorney claims this article is grounds to prohibit the admission of fingerprint evidence in court.
Presented by: Brianne Bredlove, Uncover Forensics
Location: Windsor/Sandringham
Location: Ballroom Foyer/Atrium
Presented by: (Facilitator) Wyatt Pettengill, IDEMIA Public Security; Yasmine Guelmi, IDEMIA Public Security; James Haluska, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Main Lecture Room
Join us for a dynamic breakout session featuring a panel of three accomplished women leaders from IDEMIA, who will share their personal journeys, insights, and strategies for success in leadership roles within law enforcement, tech and innovative industry. This session will explore key themes such as overcoming barriers, fostering inclusive work environments, and the importance of mentorship and empowerment in advancing women’s careers. Attendee participation is welcomed and encouraged, as we invite you to share your thoughts, ask questions, and engage in meaningful discussions. This empowering session aims to inspire all attendees, regardless of gender, to take actionable steps in driving positive change in their careers and workplaces.
Presented by: Casey Mayfield, IDEMIA Public Security; Christie Fleeman, IDEMIA Public Security; Meg Peterson, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Windsor/Sandringham
Proactive monitoring of the health of your system and database: In this session, learn useful troubleshooting techniques including monitoring disk space, queues, and your PostgreSQL or Oracle database as well as utilizing key log files and utilities as well as running Central View Reports and learn some useful SQLPlus database queries.
(Beginner/Intermediate)
Instructed by: Mark Roberg, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Training Room #1 (Raphael/Michelangelo)
Challenges to forensic evidence are becoming more common in the courtroom, and the expert witness must be able to answer difficult and technical questions. Are you prepared to answer questions regarding the search algorithm, match scores, ABIS workflows, or the risk of errors? Deborah Shandles brings her experience as an attorney, and Eric Ray brings his experience as a fingerprint examiner. This class will discuss admissibility, disclosure, documentation, and other aspects of ABIS in the courtroom.
(Intermediate/Advanced)
Instructed by: Eric Ray, IDEMIA Public Security; Deborah Shandles, (Former) Wake County District Attorney
Location: Training Room #2 (Alhambra/Escorial)
Presented by: (Facilitator) Wyatt Pettengill, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Main Lecture Room
Inspector Joseph Courtesis, retired commanding officer of the NYPD’s Real Time Crime Center, will speak firsthand about the benefits of facial recognition technology (FRT). He will also address training needs for end users and investigators. The policy and training recommendations in this presentation are best practices which are intended to increase public safety by allowing law enforcement agencies to maximize the benefits of FRT while minimizing the risk to individual privacy, civil liberties, and civil rights, and equally as important protecting the integrity of the criminal investigation.
Presented by: Joe Courtesis, J-Cour Consulting
Location: Windsor/Sandringham
Presented by: Abby Rochon, Michigan State Police; Jaala McClain, Michigan State Police
Location: Main Lecture Room
Being a working supervisor—one who balances supervisory duties while also handling casework—can be incredibly challenging. This presentation will explore the common pitfalls of this dual role, including burnout, lack of time for leadership responsibilities, and difficulty transitioning from peer to leader. Attendees will gain strategies for managing their workload effectively, prioritizing tasks, and setting boundaries to ensure they can both lead their team and maintain quality work. Whether you're struggling to find balance or preparing to step into a working supervisor role, this session will provide practical insights to help you succeed.
Presented by: Erin West, Gap Science; Ashley Church, Gap Science
Location: Training Room #1 (Raphael/Michelangelo)
Walk through best practices in capturing fingers, palms, and interdigital areas on a TPE4 device. These will be one-hour sessions with a maximum of 10 attendees per session.
Presented by: Mike Barakat, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Balmoral
Presented by: Yasmine Guelmi, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Main Lecture Room
This session will focus on the importance of maintaining separate test and production environments within an agency's operations. It will explore how having a dedicated testing environment can enable agencies to thoroughly test cases—such as arrests or civil enrollments from live scans, or cases submitted from latent workstations (local or foreign)—before submitting them in the production system. By ensuring proper testing procedures, AFIS administrators and agency personnel can minimize errors, enhance workflow efficiency, and ensure more accurate submissions. This session is especially valuable for AFIS administrators or agency personnel tasked with managing and submitting critical biometric data.
Presented by: (Faclitator) Christie Fleeman, IDEMIA Public Security; Kenneth Blue, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
Location: Windsor/Sandringham
Before our last day of User’s Conference, join us at Julia & Henry’s in the heart of downtown Miami, just a short walk from the InterContinental Miami. Located in the iconic Art Deco building on Flagler Street, this 5-story market-style eatery boasts more than 20 food stalls and multiple bars. Enjoy some local Miami fare or venture out to one of the international offerings. Enjoy the sounds of Miami while you mingle with attendees in this National Registrar of Historic Places.
Location: Julia & Henry’s Food Hall
thursDAY
SEPTEMBER 11, 2025
Location: Main Lecture Room
Presented by: Wyatt Pettengill, IDEMIA Public Security; Executive Users Board
Location: Main Lecture Room
On August 08, 2023, Maui experienced the deadliest wildfire in the State’s history and the deadliest in modern American history claiming 102 victims. The story of the response to this mass fatality incident is one of partnership as Maui and their local, state, and federal partners raced to identify the victims alongside private companies. The different modalities and the investigative techniques used to identify these wildfire victims were varied and utilizing these different techniques led to a successful response to a truly horrible incident.
This presentation will cover the incident from start to finish with a focus on identification efforts, but it will also include information about the various agencies that responded to the incident, the activation of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact system to get the proper experts needed in this response for successful search and recovery efforts, the investigations that focused on the missing individuals and the identification efforts made by the team. This presentation will illustrate to those that have not worked a mass fatality how the different systems work with the medicolegal system including the importance of the family assistance center in the identification efforts and bringing closure to families. The efforts of the team resulted in mainly notifications of deceased individuals, but some reunifications were also made. Working together as a team on this incident was truly the key in the success of identifying the victims.
Finally, this presentation will also cover the various modalities used to make timely identifications. Making these identifications quickly was complicated further by the lack of family reference samples and the distrust by the survivors for government that permeated this incident. The Maui team took various extraordinary steps to overcome this distrust and ensure family reference samples were received to make identifications. These steps can be incorporated into any incident and will provide some helpful tips that can be utilized in day-to-day missing persons investigations.
Presented by: Anthony Earles, Maui Police Department
Location: Main Lecture Room
Walk through best practices in capturing fingers, palms, and interdigital areas on a TPE4 device. These will be one-hour sessions with a maximum of 10 attendees per session.
Presented by: Mike Barakat, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Balmoral
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Certificate Class: Latent Print Enhancement Tools, Tips, and Tricks (using MBIS)
Learn about IDEMIA’s image enhancement tools and capabilities to better visualize latent print images. IDEMIA’s MBIS solution continues to host a suite of basic and advanced tools to improve contrast between ridges and valleys, remove background noise, and highlight comparison features for you – the expert user. IDEMIA recommends using image enhancements to further increase our unmatched search accuracy and algorithms, this certificate class provides hands-on time to add these tools and capabilities to your own knowledge base and crime-solving tool-belt.
(Intermediate)
Instructed by: Eric Ray, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Training Room #1 (Raphael/Michelangelo)
A toxic work environment can drain morale, hinder productivity, and take a toll on your mental and emotional well-being. In this session, you'll assess whether you're in a toxic workplace, explore the impact toxicity has on individuals and teams, and learn practical strategies to transform your work environment—or protect yourself if change isn’t possible. We’ll cover ten actionable steps to foster a healthier, more positive workplace culture while safeguarding your mental health. Whether you're a leader looking to turn things around or a professional seeking ways to cope, this session will provide the tools you need to thrive.
Instructed by: Erin West, Gap Science; Ashley Church, Gap Science
Location: Training Room #2 (Alhambra/Escorial)
Presented by: Yasmine Guelmi, IDEMIA Public Security; Jason Neitz, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office; William Vosburg, Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office
Location: Main Lecture Room
Presented by: Casey Mayfield, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Windsor/Sandringham
Presented by: Casey Mayfield, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Windsor/Sandringham
Location: Ballroom Foyer/Atrium
Before searching latent prints through an ABIS database, the image must be accurately calibrated to maximize search accuracy. Typically, a scale is required in the image. Images of latent prints without scales may still be calibrated using the average frequency of friction ridges. This lecture presents the results of new research into the accuracy of image resolution estimation using examiner measurement of ridge frequency.
Presented by: Eric Ray, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Windsor/Sandringham
Since 2014, the LQMetric tool has been a part of the ULW software and allows examiners to objectively measure the quality of a latent fingerprint and its likelihood to generate a hit if searched through NGI. Soon, IDEMIA will introduce a new feature into its AFIS software to measure latent quality, generate a color-coded quality map, and estimate the likelihood of a successful AFIS search. Integration directly into an agency’s AFIS provides the ability to more efficiently use this type of tool to assist in suitability determinations and prioritize QA measures. This lecture introduces the tool, presents examples of quality maps and likelihood estimations, and discusses how this tool can assist examiners and QA managers.
Presented by: Eric Ray, IDEMIA Public Security
Location: Windsor/Sandringham
The theme of our highly anticipated closing banquet is South Beach! Enjoy a festive night where everyone can enjoy delicious food and drinks, engage in fun games, and dance the night away, celebrating a successful event in true Miami-Vice style.
Location: Main Lecture Room