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Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC
A Colorado Limited Liability Company and Licensed Private Investigators
www.Forensic-Investigators.com ~ (970) 480-7793
Quaero Indicium -'To Find the Evidence'
Please distribute to others that may have an interest
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Greetings!
This complete newsletter is at http://newslettercontinued.Forensic-Investigators.com We hope everyone is planning a great Independence Day holiday to relax and spend time with families while reflecting on the importance of July 4th.
Unfortunately, for many in Colorado it seems to be variously the center of hell and/or the apocalypse, as some have put it. When the wildfires started early it seemed telling of trouble to come. We first saw the High Park Fire, northern Colorado, by the smoke from many miles away while refreshing our firearms skills. By the time we returned home it had grown and was within four miles of our home at its closest point. LaPorte soon became the evacuation center for the surrounding canyon areas and the command center. It got pretty busy for a very small town. The fire has grown immensely and containment continues to improve, even after some loss due to wind gusts and record breaking high temperatures all over Colorado. The smoke has been the issue for us. By the time this is read, it is anticipated High Park will be 100% contained - and a couple weeks to get it out. That will free up resources to fight the other fires. Your contributions today will help tomorrow! (below is a photograph entering our subdivision)
Continued at http://newsletterscontinued.forensic-investigators.com/
In This Issue
This month we have changed the format of the newsletter. Instead of having separate focused contributions by us, there is one section called 'Bits and Pieces' that has recent topics of interest, a synopsis and link to the full article, story or news source. We will still provide feature articles as they are written or received. We hope you like this new format and welcome your comments and contributions. Categories will continue to be:
-- Bits and Pieces - What is going on in our profession?
-- Agency News and Updates - What is AFI-LLC up to?
-- Associations and Industry News - What are your associations up to?
-- In the News - What are your colleagues up to?
TRAINING AND CONFERENCES Continued at http://newsletterscontinued.forensic-investigators.com/ PPIAC - The Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado will be holding its 2012 Summer Training seminar: "So You Want to Be an Investigator..." on Friday July 13th. Visit http://ppiac.org/training/colorado-private-investigator-training for details or email training@ppiac.org .
TALI - Dean will be in Texas the first week of August for the annual conference of the Texas Association of Licensed Investigators - International Conference of Investigative Associations (http://www.icia2012.net).
AFI-LLC - Our agency is called upon for many reasons - from investigations to consultations, and from finding the right investigator to the right expert. We have recently added to our case examples found at http://www.forensic-investigators.com/sample-cases.html.
NEWS OF IMPORTANCEBeers, Karen S
With our house sale comes some exciting news - stay tuned for our plans -- you're included! Also, some contact information is changing; the phone, fax and email contact information will remain the same. We anticipate that through July our mailing address will remain unchanged. To avoid any confusion, we will send an email as soon as our new mailing address is confirmed, and a follow-up email as soon as it is effective. At this time, please continue to use the same mailing address.
Licensing for private investigators in Colorado is now available and effective! You can apply for your Colorado license by visiting the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) - http://www.dora.state.co.us/private-investigator/index.htm
Continued at http://newsletterscontinued.forensic-investigators.com/
If you have any questions, contact the program at (303) 894-7433 or PI@dora.state.co.us.
Beers, Dean Alan
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Bits and Pieces
| What verbiage is best used for requesting AFI-LLC expert consultations for court appointments or client considerations?
This is a very common question. The courts, or clients of attorneys and investigators, need to have the best description of our services that also provides us the most latitude from completing - not just conducting - these expert consultations and investigations. We have recommended the following:
"Expert Medicolegal [and/or Death] Investigator to review the records, reports, photographs and evidentiary documentation in order to provide an opinion, within the scope of their education, training and experience, as to the totality of the circumstances of the death (and/or injury and/or injury causation and/or injury pattern)."
Of course, we are glad to talk to you about your specific needs. Contact us any time.
About Licensing in Colorado
Continued at http://newslettercontinued.Forensic-Investigators.com
We have provided some personal commentary and information about the new PI licensing at www.ColoradoLicensedPrivateInvestigators.com. In addition, here are two other good blogs:
-- Steve Davis, Davis Backgrounds at http://davisbackgrounds.com/colorado-pi-licensing-its-a-good-thing/
-- Robert & Andrea Orozco, Advanced Professional Investigations at http://www.coloradoprivateinvestigations.com/news/?p=255
Breaking Bad News to Clients
Friend and colleague Scott Fulmer, a successful surveillance investigator in San Antonio TX, shared his experiences at http://www.pinow.com/articles/1223/private-investigator-tips-breaking-bad-news
AFI-LLC on PI's Declassified!
Francie Koehler, a successful criminal defense investigator in Oakland CA, has had a successful Internet radio since 2010! Dean has been a guest multiple times and we are excited to return and talk about:
-- The difference between the legal and medical applications of cause and manner of death (i.e. legal vehicular homicide vs. medical accident) and felony arson debate
-- Value of death investigation and injury causation in capital cases (case studies)
-- Death investigators think outside the box - suspicions of families may be founded, but not for the same reasons (myths vs. reality and protocol)
-- The book 'Practical Methods for Legal Investigations: Concepts and Protocols in Civil and Criminal Cases' from CRC Press
-- Colorado licensing program
Did You Know You Can Accept Death and Injury Causation Cases?
 Investigators - Did you know that you, too, can add Equivocal Death Investigations and Injury Causation Analysis to the list of service you offer to clients? Read this excellent article at www.PursuitMag.com and contact our agency for details! http://pursuitmag.com/the-role-of-the-private-investigator-in-equivocal-death-investigations/
Database Information, Errors and Verification
Recently the following question was posed on an association listserv (quoted):
"Can a doctor release an individual's medical records to Law Enforcement without the individual's written consent?" and if law enforcement could get around this for a criminal investigation. The investigator asked a relative, a surgeon, and was told "...it is absolutely against HIPPA [correctly is HIPAA] to release information without consent from an individual."
What do you think the answer is? Follow this link for the answer and details
How to Confirm a Person Deceased There are many reasons for the need to prove a person deceased, usually it involves probate, or the unavailability of a victim or witness, and sometimes in a civil case that a witness or party is deceased. We have also seen it when investigating identity theft and false identities. 20 years ago it was much easier to verify a death through public records, but identity theft and other personal privacy concerns changed that. Follow for complete tips and information
About Dean and Karen:
Dean is a subject matter expert in the areas of death investigation and personal injury causation. He is the only Board Certified Legal Investigator (CLI) in northern Colorado, a faculty consultant and Certified Criminal Defense Investigator (CCDI) and is also a certified Medicolegal Death Investigator. He continues to speak extensively on investigative techniques and principles and has authored multiple peer-reviewed white papers, and self-published "Professional Investigations: Individual Locates, Backgrounds and Assets & Liabilities" and recently published "Practical Methods for Legal Investigations" (CRC Press) He currently consults nationwide as an expert in criminal defense homicide and civil equivocal death investigations.
Karen has been a Legal Investigator and research specialist, since 1996. She has a Bachelor in Social Work from Colorado State University (Magna Cum Laude) and in 2011 earned the designation Certified Criminal Defense Investigator (CCDI). Together they operate Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC. In addition to her skilled interactions with troubled youths, she trained and worked as a Deputy Coroner at the Larimer County Medical Examiner's Office. This background provides essential skills and knowledge in their Personal Injury, Negligence and Death investigations and consultations in Colorado and nationally. In addition, she has written for prominent professional investigation journals and was instrumental in the revisions and contributions to both agency books, as well as the co-development of "Death Investigations for Private Investigators" for PIEducation.com
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Our Expert Forensic Affiliations
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We believe that medicolegal investigation and consultation is a team effort. Stephen Cina MD, Harold Schueler PhD, and our agency are affiliated as experts in our respective fields offering our clients comprehensive medicolegal services.
Contact our office to consult on medicolegal death and injury causation. The CVs of both Dr. Cina (Forensic Pathology services) and Dr. Schueler (Forensic Toxicology services) are available from by contacting us.
Dr. Cina is also the co-author of the non-fiction historical look at "When Doctors Kill" available at http://whendoctorskill.forensic-investigators.com
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Agency News and Updates
| ITS CHRISTMAS IN JULY!
Through the month of July - all of our eBooks at Smashwords are 1/2 price! -- Professional Investigations: Individual Locates, Backgrounds and Assets & Liabilities. at www.ProfessionalLocateInvestigations.com discount code is PU46K (please consider a better offer by purchasing and donating to Steve Brown - 'In the News' below) -- Professional Investigations: Associates in Forensic Investigations LLC Best of 2011. at http://best2011.forensic-investigators.com discount code is JY79B (associations - please contact us for rights to publish any of our articles, at no charge). -- Professional Investigations: Reviewing and Comprehending Autopsy Reports
at www.ReviewingAutopsyReports.com discount code is WS66U (associations - please contact us for rights to publish this article at no charge). From CRC Press you can order Practical Methods for Legal Investigations at www.PracticalMethodsForLegalInvestigations.com and save 20%; discount code is 083MA
Vanity Email Addresses, Books and Resources We have expanded www.PrivateInvestigations.org to include not only email and subdomains, but books and resources for investigations and business operations.
Video - Learn About Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC Associates in Forensic Investigations LLC provides Expert Consultations and Legal Investigations of Personal Injury, Negligence & Death in Civil, Criminal and Probate litigation. They are Subject Matter Experts in Equivocal Death Investigation and Analysis, and Injury Causation. We are based in Colorado and consult nationally. Learn more from this video at http://youtu.be/OgsvtbSk8fg
Video for 'Practical Methods for Legal Investigations' While visiting Mount Rushmore, one of our favorite places and an icon to our country, we made a brief video about Dean's book. The video is at http://youtu.be/nnCSNIBGW6I.
NEW Videos Posted With our expertise and experience at AFI-LLC, we receive a significant number of referrals from our clients, our professional colleagues nationwide and across multiple associations. This video shares investigative concepts of questioned deaths, traumatic injuries and the importance of related fact finding investigations. Learn more from this video at
Pending Change of Address: As a reminder ... With our house sale, some contact information is changing; the phone, fax and email contact information will remain the same. We anticipate that through July our mailing address will remain unchanged. To avoid any confusion, we will send an email as soon as our new mailing address is confirmed, and a follow-up email as soon as it is effective. At this time, please continue to use the same mailing address. |
Associations and News of Our Profession
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Congratulations to the board members that were re-elected and new board members elected (http://www.nali.com/directors.php). For details of the election results, please visit the official NALI website. Also, the current issue of NALI's official journal - The Legal Investigator - is now available online at http://www.bluetoad.com/publication?m=14458&l=1.
National Council of Investigation and Security Services (www.NCISS.org)For NCISS members - don't forget the new benefit of special discounts at Office Depot - store, online and phone orders. The savings on toner alone for our agency pays for the NCISS dues! World Association of Detectives (www.WAD.net)
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In the News
|  News happens so fast, please visit our agency blog for daily and weekly posts on news of interest - www.MedicolegalPI.com or our business Facebook page at www.facebook.com/4N6Associates
Private Investigator and Author Steve Brown Needs YOUR Help! If you do not know Steve Brown, you have likely been influenced by his generosity and experience. He is the author of the successful 'The Complete Idiot's Guide to Private Investigating'.
We were recently asked what were the best skip tracing books - and someone said any book by Steve Brown is a must - TRUE! Steve Brown's book is a must for every PI - veterans will learn a thing or two. Dean's first book on skip tracing (2006) was updated this year at www.ProfessionalLocateInvestigations.com -- but here's the deal...
Continued at http://newslettercontinued.Forensic-Investigators.com
What Legal Investigation Books Are Recommended? There are many good investigative books to choose from, with two written by us. Your choice of books is directly related to your choice of specialties, certifications and educational desires. We have put together some of the best books used in investigative certifications.
Congratulations to Rich Robertson, CLI Rich is a successful legal investigator in Mesa AZ. At the NALI conference last month he completed and passed the extensive Certified Legal Investigator examination process. As a fellow CLI, Dean extends his personal congratulations and welcome! There are currently fewer than 80 CLIs worldwide and earning the designation is both a pinnacle of their career and said to be the investigative equivalent to passing a state attorney bar examination process. It takes several months of preparation and study, as well as a white paper before sitting for the full-day examination.
Do you have a book to be reviewed or special announcement? Let us know!
If you want to send a complimentary copy, we will gladly review it for you and also provide a customized press release and distribution.
Scott Harrell's complete review for Pursuit Magazine
Burt Hodge's complete review for Florida Association of Licensed InvestigatorsBob Wall's complete review for Professional Private Investigators Association of CO Don Johnson's complete review for PI Magazine Jennifer Brown, CLI, JD, is the Editor for the quarterly newsletter of the Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado, writes "Awesome book, Dean. Should be required reading for investigators. It's helped me clean up some of my procedures." |
| The Quint-Essential Qualities of a Professional Investigator... | Skills Appropriate for the Assignment
Law firms and medical offices specialize - Professional Investigators also specialize. Their casework and continuing education should also be in your specialized areas.
Experience and Knowledge
Professional Investigators strive to maintain and further these. All professions have requirements of continuing education. The CLI program requires extensive compliance with continuing education.
Responsible and Ethical Conduct
Every component of the investigation has evidentiary considerations. Professional Investigators hold themselves to a higher standard and leaves no question as to the admissibility of their evidence. Information without ethics is not evidence.
Effective Communication
Professional Investigators maintain communication with the attorney, client, witnesses, and other key persons in the investigation. Moreover, reports are the product of an organized investigation and should reflect the work product you expect.
Keyword - 'Professional'
Honesty, Integrity & Intelligence. These define Professional Investigators and gives you the confidence that your case is in competent and skilled hands.
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In Closing...Be Safe and Please Give
| Natural disasters, or those appearing natural but with human origin, such as some wildfires, are devastating to families and businesses. The summer is often very difficult for regions all over the United States - from hurricanes on east, to tornadoes in the mid-west, wildfires in the west, earthquakes and mudslides on the west coast.
We hope you, your family and friends - our own family, friends and colleagues - are all safe, and hopefully experienced no property loss. Property can be rebuilt and replaced. From the High Park Fire there is one confirmed death and the Waldo Canyon Fire there are two confirmed deaths from the residence. The loss of life is tragic and our thoughts and prayers go out to all affected.
If there is anything we can do, please contact us. You can donate to any of the various causes that are responding to all of these disasters - locally, from jars at the gas station to food banks and shelters, and nationally: Red Cross, Salvation Army, Humane Society, etc. It is often said that if you want your donation to go to a specific incident to specify that. We ask that you don't. These disasters are being responded to by national mobilization of volunteers, personnel and resources - with funds that were donated yesterday, last week, last month and last year. Your donations now may contribute to events of right now, or the future. We ask that you let those responding make the decisions, it is what they have been doing for decades - Red Cross since the Civil War.
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Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC
 | | Dean and Karen Beers |
specializes in the Expert Consultations and Legal Investigations of Personal Injuries, Negligence and Death in Civil, Criminal and Probate litigation.
We can consult on any death or injury causation case from any location with the conveniences of modern technology. Call us today, we're glad to help!
We are the PRIDE of Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC - Professional Reliable Investigators Defining Excellence in every assignment.
Thank You. Please contact us with any questions or for additional information on these topics and our related services.
Sincerely,
Dean A. Beers, CLI, CCDI (beersda@Forensic-Investigators.com)
Karen S. Beers, BSW, CCDI (beersks@Forensic-Investigators.com)
Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC
Office: (970) 480-7793 (Dean x1 and Karen x2) ~ Fax: (970) 480-7794 |
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Newsletter and Press Release Archives from July 2010
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Download our Agency Information and Case Request Packetclick here
We directly and securely accept the following credit cards:
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Featured Articles
Dean and Karen have several articles published, some are available for reprint.
For details email:
Associates@Forensic-Investigators.com
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Find Us at:
 | | Find us and 'Like' us! |
Dean is at:
Karen is at:
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Professional Associations
Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado (PPIAC)
National Association of Legal Investigators (NALI)
National Council of Investigation and Security Services (NCISS)
World Association of Detectives (WAD) Criminal Defense Investigation Council (CDITC) National Defender Investigator Association (NDIA) Florida Association of Licensed Investigators (FALI) Texas Association of Licensed Investigators (TALI) National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) International Association for Identification (IAI) and (RMDIAI) (Rocky Mountain Division)National Association of Professional Women Mensa USA |
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