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Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC
a Rocky Mountain West Agency www.DeathCaseReview.com
Wyoming (307) 222-0136 ~ Colorado (970) 480-7793
Quaero Indicium -'To Find the Evidence'
Please distribute to others that may have an interest
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Greetings We hope you will have (or had) a great holiday in observance of our Independence Day. We have much to celebrate and be thankful for. Personally, we have freedoms that remain unequaled throughout the world. Professionally, we strive to assure those freedoms are afforded to all. Let us not forget that our freedoms are not free, many sacrifices have been made and we are each responsible for passing the flag of freedom to the next generation. National and International Private Investigators Day While attending the annual conference of the National Association of Legal Investigators in Denver, NALI unanimously adopted the resolution to recognize National Private Investigators Day on July 24th. This day has also been formerly adopted and recognized by the National Council of Investigation & Security Services and the World Association of Detectives, as well as several state associations, the Association of British Investigators and individual private investigators, as well as governing bodies. Some agencies are holding picnics and associations are recognizing members that are now deceased. We learned of this new effort from Arthur Athas - owner/director of 'Private Investigators Now' based in Melbourne-Victoria Australia. -- When? July 24th - commemorating the birth year of Eugene Francois Vidocq, the very first Private Investigator who founded the first known detective Agency in 1833.
-- What can you do? We have put some information at this link - http://www.deathcasereview.com/national-pi-day.html. This is an effort that will enhance you and our profession - several associations are participating, from the state to the international level. You can contact your elected officials from the local to national level, and host informational gatherings. The theme is 'Passionate Search for the Facts'. Please don't delay in getting support of your associations, colleagues, clients and elected officials. Our Investigators Theorem is 'As investigators, we are particularly keen to theorem that there is only one answer for the truth and multiple answers for the lies. Similarly, there is often one path to the truth and multiple paths to the lies.' National and International Private Investigators Day is July 24th, commemorating the birth year of Eugene Francois Vidocq, the very first Private Investigator who founded the first known detective Agency in 1833.
For more information about how you and your association can participate, please download this MS Word document - Sample Press Release and Resolution
For a copy of the association and media packet from our agency, please follow this link - AFI-LLC Endorses National and International Private Investigators Day Iowa Association of Private Investigators 2014 Conference
IAPI will be holding its annual conference July 24th & 25th in Des Moines. Dean will be speaking extensively on Death and Injury Causation Investigations on the 25th. This is one of the few times that such an extensive presentation will be given as part of a conference and no additional charge to attendees. Please plan to attend and visit http://iowa-investigators.com/IAPI_Conference_Brochure2014.pdf
PPIAC Death Investigation Training
Save the date - Friday 08/29/2014! Last year AFI-LLC presented 'Death Investigation for Private Investigators' to continuing education to private investigators, as well as attorneys and investigators for the Colorado Public Defenders Office. This training and fundraising event returns this year and is again sponsored by Associates in Forensic Investigations, the Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado, and the Colorado Public Defenders Office. Please contact VP of Training for PPIAC, Stason Ikenouye at stason@overwatchcolorado.com and the PPIAC website at www.PPIAC.org.
FEATURES AND NEWS YOU CAN USE:
-- Conferences - IAPI and PPIAC Death Investigation Training -- NCISS announces State Legislation Awareness Monitoring -- Agency News and Updates
-- Upcoming Conferences
-- Association News...from your state associations to our national
-- In the News...from Woodchipper fatality to Search Warrants Required
-- PI-Map from GIMG.tv
-- NALI Anthony Golec Publisher / Editor Award -- AND MORE!
Together We're Better - We Make the Difference! Associates in Forensic Investigations LLC is a Rocky Mountain Agency owned by Dean A. Beers, CLI, CCDI and Karen S. Beers, BSW, CCDI.
We provide Expert Consultations and Legal Investigations of Personal Injury, Negligence & Death in Civil, Criminal and Probate litigation. We are Subject Matter Experts in Equivocal Death Investigation and Analysis, and Injury Causation.
We are based in the Rocky Mountain West and provide expert consultations nationally. Learn details at www.DeathCaseReview.com
Here is a video explaining what we do and why - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgsvtbSk8fg
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.DeathCaseReview.com/sample-cases.html. |
Agency News and Updates
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PI Now - 'Investigating Innocence Cases with Caution'
by Karen S. Beers, BSW, CCDI
Last month we told you about Karen's latest article being published by PI Now (www.PINow.com). Here are some comments from highly respected colleagues...
-- Thomas P. Shamshak
Program Director - Boston University Certificate in Professional Investigation & President at Shamshak Investigative Services, Inc.
Karen I applaud you for an exceptionally informative and insightful article. I will pass this along to my BU PI students. Great work!
-- Mark Murnan, CLI, CFE - Complete Legal Investigations, Inc.
Well stated, Karen! Part of being an objective "fact finder" is recognizing that we are not advocates for the client. I've been "drawn in" a couple of times, but at least I recognize it sooner rather than later! Thanks much for your article.
-- J.D. Thomas - Forensic Consulting Services, LLC
Very good and very nicely written. I hope it will assist both the "newbies" coming into the profession, as well as the old timers who never learned the lesson.
-- Diane Stella O'Donnell - Bailey's Investigative Services
Great article. Been sucked in before, with experience comes wisdom.
The full article is at http://www.pinow.com/articles/1853/investigate-innocence-cases-with-caution
PI Magazine
You might want to make sure you get the next copy of PI Magazine. More next month! Global Investigators Media Group (GIMG.tv) with Facts & Forensics 
Dean's latest GIMG.tv podcast for Facts & Forensics...topics include: ** National and International Private Investigators Day ** Iowa Association of Private Investigators 2014 Conference ** PI Now - 'Investigating Innocence Cases with Caution' by Karen S. Beers, BSW, CCDI ** NCISS Legislative Alerts ** EvidenceTechnology Magazine** Conversations with Karen - Problems with North Carolina Medical Examiner System ** Forensic Files from AFI-LLC ... ** Guest - Jon Hebert, Forensic Communications Analyst Share this page and link with your friends and colleagues - http://traffic.libsyn.com/gimgtv/003_Facts__Forensics.mp3 Each Facts & Forensics opens with Dean discussing related topics from national news and updates from associations. The second segment is Conversations with Karen, in which they discuss the Facts and Forensics of highly publicized equivocal death cases and other topics in the news. The final segment is a special guest segment, Dean and a forensic expert will discuss how their expertise can help listeners.
BOOKS FOR INVESTIGATORS AFI-LLC has put together some of the best fiction and non-fiction books available from Amazon. These range from studying for certifications to best practices, and investigative fiction and non-fiction. Most of these are written by our friends and colleagues, including fellow CLIs and CCDIs. See the complete list of books at
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Our Expert Forensic Affiliations
|  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.
Dr. Cina is the Chief Medical Examiner of a large metropolitan area in the upper mid-west, and Dr. Schueler's consultation practice is Forensic Toxicology Consulting Services.
Contact our office to consult on medicolegal death and injury causation. The CVs of both Dr. Cina and Dr. Schueler are available by contacting us.
We are proud of our working relationship with Dr. Cina, since 2002 and Dr. Schueler since 2010.
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Tidbits from AFI-LLC
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NALI Anthony Golec Editor / Publisher Award
by Dean A. Beers, CLI, CCDI National Association of Legal Investigators - The Legal Investigator June 27, 2014 NALI conference - Dean's article was nominated and bestowed the prestigious Anthony Golec Editor / Publisher Award! Here is the link to the article and award - http://www.deathcasereview.com/uploads/8/7/3/8/8738199/beers_-_tli_soft_tissue_bruising_01172014.pdf
Iowa Association of Private InvestigatorsDean has been invited to give several presentations as the key speaker at the IAPI conference July 24th and July 25th. Here are the topics Dean will cover over a half-day: - Understanding Death Investigation
- Death Scene Evidence
- Forensic Autopsy
- Woodchipper Fatality
As previously mentioned, this is a rare opportunity to have this extensive introduction to Death and Injury Causation opportunity. Details of the conference are at http://www.iowa-investigators.com/conference.html and contact Dan Conroy (DConroy@permarsecurity.com). Inner Circle of Investigators Dean and Karen have been invited to attend this conference and also give their presentation of 'Forensic Autopsies and Reports for the Professional Investigator'. This will be in September in Jackson Hole, WY. Rocky Mountain Investigators Conference (www.PPIAC.org) http://ppiac.org/ai1ec_event/2014-rocky-mountain-private-investigators-conference?instance_id=122 Dean and Karen will be speaking and demonstrating hands-on death and injury causation at this conference, being held from October 3rd-4th at Ameristar Casino Resort Spa in Black Hawk, CO. Investigators of the Rocky Mountain West, don't miss out on this opportunity to take advantage of some of the most respected and experienced instructors and investigators the profession has to offer! theInvestigators - a listserv for and by professional investigators
Are you looking for a networking group via the traditional email listserves? Consider 'theInvestigators' at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/theInvestigators/join
Death Investigation for Private Investigators (Distance Learning)
We are pleased and excited to announce that this distance learning course has been adapted by several professional associations - National Defender Investigator Association, Criminal Defense Investigator Training Council, New Jersey Private Investigator Association, New Hampshire League of Investigators and several more are reviewing to offer as a benefit to their members. In addition, this is approved by the Arizona funeral directors licensing board.
These associations offer course discounts to their members and receive a donated portion of the proceeds. Please contact these associations for membership details and course discounts. If your association is interested, please have them contact us - there is no cost or obligation to add this valuable member benefit and revenue sharing opportunity. This is also available to individual investigators through a revenue sharing affiliate program. Contact our agency for details. Course details are at www.MedicolegalDeathInvestigations.com and includes an opportunity for continuing education approved in 17 states through PIEducation.com.A Survivors' Guide to Understanding Death Investigations
We are pleased to announce the release of "A Survivors' Guide to Understanding Death Investigations" - a book developed to help those who have lost a loved one to understand the maze, complexities and protocols of official death investigations.
We often hear from families, attorneys, investigators and funeral homes representing families, looking for where to turn in understanding how the death of a loved one was (or should have been) investigated. They seek closure through answers.
Learn more at www.understandingdeathinvestigations.com
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Associations and News of Our Profession
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The PI-Map from GIMG.tv
GIMG.tv has just added a new link at the top of our page called "The PI-Map". With this map you can click on the state and a window will pop up to provide you the Regulatory Body in that state if licensing is required. In addition the PI Association for the state will also be displayed if one exists. We hope you find this resource of value. Our goal is to drive people to the right information and resources with in our community. http://gimg.tv/map/
Professional Private investigations Association of Colorado (www.PPIAC.org)
Monthly meetings are the first Wednesday of each month, usually in the Denver metro area. Visit the PPIAC website for details. Please see the information in this newsletter for the PPIAC annual fall conference. National Association of Legal Investigators ( www.NALI.com)
NALI is the premier association for legal investigators for civil plaintiff and criminal defense, and oversees the prestigious Certified Legal Investigator (CLI) program. Experience is required to join and all members are subject to a background check.
NALI will be holding its annual conference and elections in Denver, CO from June 26th-28th. Stay tuned to this newsletter and www.NALI.com for conference details as they become available.
The current issue of NALI's official journal - The Legal Investigator - is now available online at http://www.nalionline.org/publications.htm
World Association of Detectives (www.WAD.net)
The registration for our 89th Annual Conference in Auckland New Zealand (October 22-26, 2014) is open. Please visit our website and conference pages for more details. Dean is presently serving his second term as Governor of the Americas (North America, Central American and South America). He has previously served as a US Ambassador and will accept a third term if nominated by the incoming WAD President.
The value of networking extends beyond your local clients, and should include statewide, nationally and internationally. This should include your state association, NALI, NCISS and of course WAD for international camaraderie.
Details are at www.wad.net/2014-wad-89th-annual-meeting-auckland-new-zealandThe WAD magazine, Beyond Global, is available online at http://www.wad.net/page/newsletter.aspx.
Additional memberships include FALI, TALI and CALI state associations
If your association has news, please send it to us for inclusion.
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In the News
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News happens 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
NCISS Legislative Alerts Legislative Watch - The most important function of NCISS is to monitor and direct federal legislation. NCISS plays an important role in acting as a conduit for state legislative information. Contact me about NCISS Membership and subscribe now!
Police Need Warrant to Search Cell Phones, Top Court Says Police usually must get a warrant before searching the mobile phone of a person being arrested, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled, saying the vast trove of information on modern devices requires broad constitutional protections. The unanimous decision comes in two cases that tested the reach of privacy rights in the digital age. More than 90 percent of American adults own mobile phones, giving the ruling broad practical significance. Continued at http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-25/mobile-phone-searches-by-police-limited-by-u-s-supreme-court.html
Wood Chipper Fatality in Florida Sadly, an arborist was killed when he was completely drawn through a commercial wood chipper. These are both rare and difficult to investigate. While in training at the local medical examiner's office, Karen assisted Dean when he was called out to one in December 2005. Also being responsible for the notification to the next-of-kin, this was also a very difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends and co-workers of the arborist. One of Dean's most requested presentations is his investigation of this case. The interest begins as morbid curiosity - but with great respect, Dean uses this unique case as an investigative training for a single-decedent mass disaster fatality investigation. The case was selected to be published in the Journal of Forensic Identification, official journal of the International Association for Identification. For those interested in the complexities of such a case, the article is available at http://www.deathcasereview.com/uploads/8/7/3/8/8738199/woodchipper_fatality_identification_-_pages_883-890_from_jfi_vol_57-6.pdf Why Proper Investigation is Important On June 18, 2014 a story was published by a Denver metro-area news outlet that contains misinformation and mischaracterizes the events that took place during a recent river incident. The incident in question was a river rescue that took place on May 26, 2014 and tragically took the lives of two males in the Cache la Poudre River northwest of Fort Collins. The news report implies that the Poudre Fire Authority (PFA) did not respond appropriately to the call in a timely manner and that impacted the outcome of this unfortunate incident. We are very saddened at the loss of life on the Poudre River. However, the facts of PFA's involvement in the incident need to be set straight. -- Read this at http://tinyurl.com/krfvn7n As personal injury and death investigators, we often review the protocols and actions of public safety agencies - to support, refute or introduce pertinent information. One thing we do not do is consider media reports -- they are 'hearsay' at best. The PFA should be commended for clearly and concisely setting this record straight. It is this type of misinformation that can cause persons to be wrongfully arrested or convicted, or sued and held liable. More importantly - this casts the exceptional agencies in bad light, and PFA is a nationally and internationally top ranked training facility and public safety agency. This also demonstrated the fast response of a volunteer agency - the Poudre Canyon Fire Department. This step by step response is what the news agency should have conducted on their own, before reporting false and damaging information. Finally, having worked at the medical examiner's office - we have been involved with all of these agencies, river rescue and recovery. The loss of a loved one (two in this incident) and in such a traumatic event is not comprehensible. It should not be exacerbated by misrepresentation of the facts. When an agency is unable to accomplish its tasks in a positive way - the live rescue of a person in this case - it is also traumatizing to those involved. PFA respectfully addressed the fallacies of the media report - which, in honesty, seemed particularly odd when reported - but then again, we are familiar with response times and mutual aid protocols. The media reports information. Facts, apparently, are another matter.
Congrats to new Certified Fraud Examiners from PPIAC Congrats to Stephanie Archer-Dickerson and Rod Gagnon in obtaining their Certified Fraud Examiner designation - a very worthy accomplishment, both personally and professionally! This is a very trying certification, highly respected and will certainly further each of you professionally. Stephanie is a past PPIAC President and is the COO of Forensic Financial Services, her husband Joe Dickerson (also a CFE) is a past PPIAC Board Chairman and CEO of Forensic Financial Services. Rod is the current PPIAC VP of Membership. Death Investigations for Private Investigators - Distance Learning We offer seminars and training for PIs and associations, from seminars and conference presentations to our Death Investigation for Private Investigators distance learning course so that PIs can help families in exactly these situations. To benefit state associations and their members, we co-brand these with the associations and offer a 15% discount to the member and donate, in the member's name, another 15% to the state association. Please contact our agency for details. |
| 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...
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Books and Resources Recommended by AFI-LLC ...
What are some of the best books and resources for professional investigators? AFI-LLC has put together some of the best fiction and non-fiction books available from Amazon. These range from studying for certifications to best practices, and investigative fiction and non-fiction. Most of these are written by our friends and colleagues, including fellow CLIs and CCDIs. See the complete list of books at
http://amazon.privateinvestigations.org
How can we help you? Together We're Better - We Make the Difference!
Don't forget to share our newsletters. If you are receiving this from a friend < subscribe here >Expert Consultants and Legal Investigators
Personal Injury, Negligence & Death in Civil, Criminal and Probate litigation.
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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 provide investigations and consultations of any death or injury causation case from any location with the conveniences of modern technology and assistance of our local professional friends and colleagues.
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
Karen S. Beers, BSW, CCDI
Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC
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Newsletter and Press Release Archives from July 2010
< Click Here >
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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) California Association of Licensed Investigators (CALI) National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) International Association for Identification (IAI) and (RMDIAI) |
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Do you want to learn death and injury causation
and accept these cases with expert consultations?
The Process of Injury Causation, Death Investigation and Autopsies!
Learn the concepts and protocols of investigating injury causation and death, and protocols of the forensic autopsy and findings of the autopsy in the final report. This will be an information packed and fast paced series of presentations. This distance learning course provides the insight necessary to understanding the importance of injury causation to the death investigation. This will transition into the reviewing and comprehending the autopsy findings presented in the final autopsy report.
If you are involved in legal investigations of civil, criminal or probate litigation, this is a valuable course.
Warning: includes graphic images
Here is what one colleague recently said about our Death Investigation for Private Investigators distance learning course:
"I just finished your medicolegal death investigations for private investigators course. I must admit it was one of the best written courses I have taken in a long time. Not sure what I got on the test but I did get a certificate of completion. I truly enjoyed the content and managed to learn quite a bit as well. As far as the usefulness of the information I have already found two of my current cases that parts of the course provided me additional information as well as different routes of investigation that I may not have thought of or been aware of. Please accept my thanks and appreciation for your course. Thanks" (Curtis Burkett - Curtis Burkett & Associates Investigations)
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