ASSOCIATION OF FORENSIC FINGERPRINT EXAMINERS AND CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATORS

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MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS FAQs!

Membership renewals are ongoing.

  Early renewal period: October 1 – December 31, 2025.

 Late renewal period: December 31, 2025 – March 31, 2026.

Failure to submit renewal payment by March 31, 2026, will result in loss of membership status.

To access the renewal forms , you need to have an active online member account.

Please note that the new website was launched in February 2024 . If you have not created a member account since then, you will need to do so to access member-exclusive features, including renewal forms.

If you already have an account and want to login—or need to create one—click on the MEMBERS tab in the navigation bar above and follow the instructions provided. 

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

As we begin a new year, I am truly honored to step into the role of President of the Southern California Association of Fingerprint Officers. SCAFO has long represented professionalism, integrity, and excellence within the identification community, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve and lead this organization forward. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to our outgoing President, Denell Payne, for her leadership, dedication, and service to SCAFO. Her commitment to this organization and to the advancement of our profession has helped strengthen our foundation and position us well for the future. I am thankful for her guidance and the example she has set.

To our members, your passion for forensic science, your commitment to continued learning, and your dedication to excellence are what make SCAFO strong. Each of you plays an important role in advancing the identification profession and upholding the standards we are proud to represent. I am also grateful to our Executive Board, committees, and volunteers whose continued service and collaboration are essential to our success. Together, we will continue to build upon SCAFO’s mission through education, innovation, and professional integrity.

As President, my focus is on strengthening our organization, supporting our members, and continuing to move SCAFO forward with purpose and vision. The work we do matters, not only within our profession, but in the communities we serve. Thank you for your trust and support as we move into this new year. I look forward to working alongside each of you and to all that we will accomplish together. This is our moment to lead with purpose, strengthen our profession, and leave SCAFO better for those who follow.

Respectfully,

Lindsey Olson, 2026 SCAFO President

THIS WEEK ON FORENSIC ARTICLES

3.2.2026 | Hand Determination of Whorl Patterns Using Axis Slant  by Mack and Shelly Brazelle et al.

“Hand determination of a single latent fingerprint can reduce the amount of time a latent print examiner spends conducting comparisons.”

“This study explores the usage of whorl slant and proposes a latent fingerprint hand determination method by analyzing the axis of the whorl. The whorl axis is defined as the imaginary line from top to bottom of a whorl that passes through the central pattern area in which the pattern could be rotated (Figure 1). In this method, the whorl can be thought of as a globe. The whorl axis may be left or right in slant. If the axis points down and to the left, it is a left slant whorl, and if it points down and to the right, it is a right slant whorl… “

“This study examines the use of whorl slant in hand determination through whorl axis analysis. Two certified latent print examiners determined the whorl axis for 550 whorls. They found a higher percentage of right slant whorls in the right hand (92.7% and 93.8%) and a higher percentage of left slant whorls in the left hand (91.0% and 91.2%). A small percentage of whorls absent of any axis were reported in both hands. Interestingly, a higher percentage of right slant whorls were present in the left index finger, and a higher percentage of left slant whorls were present in the right index finger.”

See full presentation here

GAP SCIENCE

What’s Inside The Vault?

With The Vault, you get unlimited access to expert-led forensic training designed for busy professionals like you. Whether you’re just starting out or advancing in your career, The Vault puts the training you need at your fingertips.

Exclusive SCAFO Member Offer: Unlock The Vault at a Special Rate!

Gap science is teaming up with SCAFO . You can access The Vault for just $10 per month —way less than the regular $29 per month.

PREVIOUSLY ON FORENSIC ARTICLES
EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO SCAFO MEMBERS
AP NEWS BBC – FORENSIC SCIENCE CSAFE LEARNING FORENSIC LIBRARY FORENSIC RESOURCES – OIDS FORENSIC TECHNOLOGY FSI FSI-SYNERGY JFI – ABSTRACTS JFS NIJ NOBLIS STUDIES ONIN OSAC PHYS ORG RSA – LP ACADEMY SCIENCE ADVANCES SCIENCE DAILY
Credit: Standards for Examining Friction Ridge Impressions and Resulting Conclusions (Latent/Tenprint), 2011

THIS WEEK ON FORENSIC ARTICLES

3.2.2026 | Hand Determination of Whorl Patterns Using Axis Slant  by Mack and Shelly Brazelle et al.

“Hand determination of a single latent fingerprint can reduce the amount of time a latent print examiner spends conducting comparisons.”

“This study explores the usage of whorl slant and proposes a latent fingerprint hand determination method by analyzing the axis of the whorl. The whorl axis is defined as the imaginary line from top to bottom of a whorl that passes through the central pattern area in which the pattern could be rotated (Figure 1). In this method, the whorl can be thought of as a globe. The whorl axis may be left or right in slant. If the axis points down and to the left, it is a left slant whorl, and if it points down and to the right, it is a right slant whorl…”

“This study examines the use of whorl slant in hand determination through whorl axis analysis. Two certified latent print examiners determined the whorl axis for 550 whorls. They found a higher percentage of right slant whorls in the right hand (92.7% and 93.8%) and a higher percentage of left slant whorls in the left hand (91.0% and 91.2%). A small percentage of whorls absent of any axis were reported in both hands. Interestingly, a higher percentage of right slant whorls were present in the left index finger, and a higher percentage of left slant whorls were present in the right index finger.”

See full presentation  here

PREVIOUSLY ON FORENSIC ARTICLES

GAP SCIENCE

What’s Inside
The Vault?

With The Vault, you get unlimited access to expert-led forensic training designed for busy professionals like you. Whether you’re just starting out or advancing in your career, The Vault puts the training you need at your fingertips.

Exclusive SCAFO Member Offer: Unlock The Vault at a Special Rate!

Gap science is  teaming up with SCAFO .  You can access The Vault for just $10 per month —way less than the regular $29 per month.

EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO SCAFO MEMBERS
AP NEWS BBC – FORENSIC SCIENCE CSAFE FORENSIC LIB FORENSIC – OIDS FORENSIC TECH FSI FSI-SYNERGY JFI – ABSTRACTS JFS NIJ NOBLIS STUDIES ONIN OSAC PHYS ORG RSA – ACADEMY SCIENCE ADV SCIENCE DAILY
Credit: Standards for Examining Friction Ridge Impressions and Resulting Conclusions (Latent/Tenprint), 2011

Bi-monthly Training Meetings

Mark Your Calendars

Be sure to check the website for updates and important information. Please note, the dates below are subject to change pending on venue availability.

Visit the shop page to purchase your seats for the different meetings or events as they become available.

Also, ensure you are logged into your member account to access exclusive information on the locations as well as other features.

2026 Training Dates

– FEBRUARY 7TH
– APRIL 4TH
– JUNE 6H
– AUGUST 1ST
– OCTOBER 1ST – 2ND (Annual Conference)
– DECEMBER 5TH

Cheers from the 2025 Conference, Santa Clarita

  ~ Conference Appreciation ~  
Agencies Represented and Sponsors/Vendors

Listen to some interesting crime stories or forensic-related updates…

DATELINE DOUBLE LOOP FORENSIC FILES INVISIBLE CHOIR MINUTIAE TROIS

Non-Profit Registration Number: 91-1925512

  • 1260 Palmyrita Ave, Ste A, Riverside CA 92507
  • scafo.training@scafo.org
  • Suzette Young (Treasurer)
  • Dennise Hernandez (Secretary)
  • Omolola Odeniyi (Editor/Web manager)
© 2026 Southern California Association Of Fingerprint Officers.