History

The Wisconsin Association for Identification (WAI) held its first organizational meeting on October 5, 1966.  The WAI is a chartered division of the International Association for Identification and was incorporated in the State of Wisconsin as a non-profit organization on May 5, 1967.

The Association was formed to accomplish the following objectives: To associate persons who are actively engaged in the profession of forensic identification, investigation and scientific crime detection in an organized body, so that the profession, in all of its branches may be standardized and effectively and scientifically practiced. To encourage the enlargement and improvement of the science of forensic identification and other branches of scientific crime detection. Encourage research in scientific crime detection. To keep its members appraised of the latest techniques and discoveries in forensic identification and scientific crime detection. To continue to improve the high professional standards of law enforcement officials at all levels of government who have charge of crime scene units, and/or forensic laboratories. The WAI provides the opportunity to employ the collective wisdom of the profession to advance the scientific techniques of forensic identification and scientific crime detection. The WAI shall do everything possible to improve the high professional standards of law enforcement officials at all levels of government who have charge of crime scene units, and/or forensic laboratories. The members of the WAI shall employ the collective wisdom of the profession to advance the scientific techniques of forensic identification and scientific crime detection. The WAI shall inform legislative bodies of the importance of general laws making it mandatory to fingerprint every person who is arrested. The WAI shall provide training, education, and the publication of information related to forensic identification and scientific crime detection.

     The Association has taken several actions to accomplish these goals. There is a 3-day annual educational conference with both lectures and hands-on workshops. The topics covered at these conferences range from an update on the criminal history records and changes in the state AFIS system to the latest techniques in crime scene processing and laboratory examinations of physical evidence. All members receive a quarterly newsletter that includes professional articles in addition to Association news. The AFIS-CIB Technology Committee is unique in that this committee provides a direct line of communication between the Wisconsin State Criminal Information Bureau and law enforcement agencies at all levels of government within the state. The Association has been the co-host division for two annual IAI International Educational Conferences (1972 and 1999). The WAI worked together with six other Midwest divisions of the IAI in 1998 to bring to the Midwest the highly successful Mid-States Educational Conference in Davenport, Iowa. The WAI is now expanding its web site to meet the growing needs of its membership.

Wisconsin Association for Identification
1999 IAI Conference Committee

Robert Sanders, a member and Past-President of the Wisconsin Association for Identification, was elected President of the International Association for Identification at their Annual General Membership Meeting held in July 2000 in Charleston, West Virginia.   At the Annual IAI Banquet, Robert expressed his thanks to all the members of the WAI who have given him their active support, including the current WAI President, Jim Bruno who led the team of photographers covering the 1999 IAI Annual Educational Conference; the current WAI Secretary-Treasurer, Melissa Graf who was on the WAI 1999 IAI Conference Committee and who also serves on several IAI committees; and the current Chair of the WAI Board of Directors, Mike Campbell who was the chair of the WAI 1999 IAI Conference Committee and who also serves on the IAI Board of Directors.

WAI Past Presidents

 
PAST CONFERENCE SITES

WAI SECRETARY/TREASURER

• 1.     Henry Peters (temporary appointment): 1966
• 2.     John Lauber: 1966 - 1967(?)
• 3.     Charles R. Race: 1969
• 4.     Michael Hanrahan:  1969
• 5.     Herbert Breske: 1970 - May, 1973
• 6.     Abe Toigo: May, 1973 - June, 1974
• 7.     Robert Exner: June, 1974 -  May, 1975
• 8.     Jerome D. Gartner:  May, 1975 - April, 1976
• 9.     Edmond Jakubowski:  April, 1976 - April, 1978
• 10.  Donald Ramthun:  April, 1978 - May, 1981
• 11.  Kathryn Kohn:  May, 1981 - April, 1982
• 12.  Roger Heiligenthal:  April 1982 - April, 1986
• 13.  Edwin L. Bandi:  April, 1986 - April, 1988 -
• 14.  James Yoghourtjian:  November, 1988 - until May, 1991
• 15.  Roger Heiligenthal:  May 1991 – 1997
• 16.  Janell Robinson  1997-1998
• 17.  Melissa Graf:  1998  - 2003
• 18.  Michael Davis:  March, 2003 - March, 2005
• 19.  Julie Avila:  March, 2005 - March 2020
• 20. Steven Kirby: March 2020 - present