​Instructor:  ​Pat A. Wertheim 
Course length: 8 hours

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Detection of Forged and Fabricated Latent Print Evidence

In 1907, a full-length novel, The Red Thumb Mark, appeared with the plot built around a fingerprint forged in blood. Even in modern times, book and movie characters from James Bond to Jason Bourne have had to deal with forged fingerprints. While true forgery is exceedingly rare, unfortunately, fabricated fingerprint evidence is not uncommon. Cases have appeared in the professional literature almost since the introduction of latent print evidence in court. Unscrupulous officers continue to fabricate fingerprint evidence from time to time to solidify a case against a suspect and latent print examiners need to be aware and able to recognize signs of fabrication when it occurs.

Upon completion of this webinar, students will be aware of the possibility of receiving fabricated fingerprint evidence for examination and will recognize red flags (warning signs) in latent print evidence if they are present. Students will act accordingly and investigate suspicious latent print evidence to determine its true origin.

This course is instructed by Pat Wertheim.  ​Pat began teaching latent print comparison classes in 1986. He has taught courses in 25 states, as well as in the UK, the Netherlands, the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific islands. He has testified at all levels of court from municipal, justice, state, and Federal to internationally in Scotland, England, and South Africa.

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This course has been approved for 8 hours of certification/recertification training credits by both the IAI Tenprint Board and the Latent Print board.

Pat A. Werthiem

Hold a Bachelor’s degree in geophysics from Texas A&M University in 1971 and began his law enforcement career in 1973, Pat Wertheim has worked for the Kerrville, TX, Police Department; the Plano, TX, Police Department; the Arizona Department of Public Safety; the US Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory; and as a private consultant. Pat is currently employed as a Latent Print Examiner with the Fort Worth, TX, Police Crime Laboratory.

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