innovations, mugshots become a key piece in investigations through the FBI’s Interstate Photo System (IPS).

Joining Justice Clearinghouse to talk about this initiative is Margery Broadwater, the Lead Analyst for the Interstate Photo System. She’s been with the FBI for more than 2 decades and is currently assigned to the Biometric Services Section, Facial Analysis, Comparison, and Evaluation Services Unit. She is a Management & Program Analyst at FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division.

In this session, Margery unpacks the IPS and provides guidelines on taking great mugshot photos. Specific she covered include:

• What the FBI’s IPS is, its purpose, and how the system is populated.
• The IPS enhancements that came with the implementation of FBI’s Next Generation Identification System.
  • How the enhancements allowed broader acceptance, bulk submission, and more photo sets per subject including supplementary photos.
  • The ability to use the system to identify missing persons and victims of mass casualty or disaster.
• Best practices to capture high-quality mugshots.
  • The specifics of the equipment, background, and lighting.
  • Guidelines on the correct subject pose to take and field code.
  • Samples of mugshots to review the elements discussed.
• Details to pay attention to when it comes to the pose fields to ensure correct markings.
• Additional photo images that can be accommodated given the larger number of photo sets.
  • Details that must be included in the additional photo images.
  • Best practices to effectively take photos of scars, marks, and tattoos.
  • The correct field code and description for tattoo images.
• Utilizing the mugshots in face recognition search.
  • How face recognition search is being utilized by the FBI – its capability and limitations.
  • A rundown of the steps involved in running a face recognition search through the system
  • A view of sample search results in the IPS.
• Questions raised by webinar attendees were about:
  • Tools that ensure mugshot photo quality is up to set standards.
  • Standard procedure for subjects that have makeup on.
  • Specifics for the profile or side
  • Photographing both with and without glasses.
  • Taking mugshots in a medical facility and submitting supplementary mugshots after initial ones were taken.

Audience Comments:

• “Every information in this webinar was very informative and valuable.” — Desiree
• “I have a background in this field but learned a few new things.” — Nicholas
• “Good practice of picture taking, the training is well explained.” — Jose