DIDM Family Conference
April - June 2012 - PNP DIDM April - June 2012 - PNP DIDM
April - June 2012Volume 1 12Issue No. 2DETECTIVEUnmasking the Potential of Facial Compositeraditional police officersmight argue that there isTno substitute for thep e n c i l - t o - p a p e r m e t h o d .stHowever, in this 21 century ofpolicing, the advancement oftechnology plays an importantrole in crime solving activities.T h e h a n d s - o n a r t i s t i s"irreplaceable," but computersoftware is the next best thingthat ever happened for the policeinvestigators. Unlike in the past,where artist or illustrators willbe invited by the investigator tosketch a suspect’s face in blackand white using a pencil and oslopaper, nowadays, the policeinvestigators can now come witha 3-D, yes three dimensionalphotos of suspect/s whichresemble the “real” facialfeatures of the suspect/s.Since the use of facialcomposite images is sometimesrelied upon as an integral part of aninvestigation, it is important tolearn more about its usage andprocedures implemented by lawenforcement authorities regardingthe use of composites. Theconstruction and distribution of afacial composite image of acriminal is a procedure that issometimes central to theb e g i n n i n g o f a p o l i c einvestigation.Based from the researchdone by The Detective, studiesshow that facial composite imagesare often used for eyewitnessTheidentification purposes when theidentity of an offender is unknownand when witnesses do not makeidentification from a line-up orcollection of mugshots or roguesgallery offered by the police. Underthese circumstances, witnesses areoften asked to participate in theprocess of constructing a facialimage of the offender.However, reliance onforensic artists for this purpose haslargely been replaced by facialcomposite systems that can be usedby police officers, and are believedto serve a similar purpose. Usingthese techniques, witnesses selectindividual facial features one at atime from sets of pictorial imagesand assemble them into a likenessof their recollection of the suspect’sface. Intuitively, constructing afacial composite seems like aprocedure that could be quiteeffective in facilitating the searchfor someone who has committed acrime. For others, a number ofFacial Compositefacial composite constructionsystems are available, bothc o m p u t e r i z e d a n d n o n -computerized like the photo fit andidentity kit.By and large, FacialComposite was previously calledComputerized Composite CriminalIllustration, Cartography orCartographic Sketch. It refers to acomputer generated image based onactual description of a witness or avictim. Facial Composite onlyrefers to criminals and notappropriate to other subjects. On theother hand, cartography orcartographic sketch is defined as thestudy and practice of making map.As the PNP changes the term usedfrom computerized compositecriminal illustration to its presentterm facial composite, the facialcomposite kit used by ourinvestigators in Crime lab alsoprogresses.At present, the PNP CrimeLab has a total of 18 laptops and 6desktops with Face Fit Kits. Tofurther enhance the forensiccapability of our investigators onthe ground through the RegionalCrime Lab Offices relative to FacialComposite, the Australian FederalPolice (AFP) donated Face Fit Kitson June 2008 with 2 kits which wasplaced at the Crime Lab office inCamp Crame and the other one inRCLO 11 (Davao City). The FaceFit Kits installed in the laptops anddesktops features a program that hasa wide compilation of differentfacial features of Filipino, Thailandand Caucasian. Accessories likePencil Sketch
DETECTIVEThe13April - June 2012Volume 1Issue No. 2beard, mustache, facial marks/deformities, eyeglasses, headwearand jewelry are also available. Asthe need arises to further expand thepotential of Facial Composite,several kits were installed in thefollowing RCLOs: RCLO 7 (CebuCity); RCLO 9 (Zamboanga City);RCLO COR (La Trinidad,Benguet); RCLO 10 (Cagayan deOro City); RCLO 4B (Calapan, OccMindoro); RCLO 5 (Legazpi City);and EPDCLO (Marikina City).Due to the increasingdemand for the institutionalizationof Facial Composite to all RCLOsnationwide, the PNP was able toobtain fund support from the PNPFoundation in December 2010 forthe acquisition of additional FaceFit Kits (laptop and desktops) andwere distributed to the following:RCLO 1 (La Union); RCLO 2S a n t i a g o C i t y ) ; P C L O 3(Zambales); RCLO 4A (Calamba,Laguna); RCLO 6 (Iloilo City);RCLO 8 (Leyte); RCLO 12(General Santos City); RCLO 13(Butuan City); RCLO ARMM(Cotabato City); QCPDCLO(Kamuning, QC); NPDCLO(Caloocan City); SPDCLO (MakatiCity); MPDCLO (UN Ave.,Manila); NHQ (Logistics &Training Sec.); and CIDG Office.As part of its capabilityenhancement, a two week facialidentification training conducted bythe AFP was attended by twoc o m p o s i t e a r t i s t s / f o r e n s i cinvestigators from PNP Crime Lab.These two trained composite artistson their part conducted training andseminar on Facial Composite toRCLOs in the region.On how the system works,anybody can avail on the services ofthe facial composite on theaforecited places for free. Only thevictim or the witness who haspersonal knowledge on the crimecommitted can provide thedescriptive details of the suspect.The describer must be accompaniedby the investigator on case. If thedescriber is of minor age he/shemust be accompanied by his parentor guardian. It has to be noted thatonly the victim or the witness canconfirm of its accuracy based onhis/her recollection.Hence, time is vital for theinvestigators and composite artistsfrom Crime Lab due to the accuracyof the witness’ recollection orthoughts. Yet, decades of empiricalstudies have demonstrated thatthere were difficulties with bothtraditional composite systems andn e w e r c o m p u t e r - b a s e dtechnologies in their ability toaccurately depict an individual,particularly when the likeness iscreated from a witness’s memory ofa face composite images are oftenrelied upon as an important sourceof evidence for locating andprosecuting a suspect.Generally, studies havefound serious limitations of thesesystems in terms of the productionof accurate representations of faces.Prior to evaluation of the accuracyof these systems however, it isuseful to identify which tools areactually used by the PNP CrimeLaboratory. Therefore, the focus ofthis special report by TheDetective is to identify thecomposite systems currentlyutilized by the PNP, as well as anumber of issues related tocomposite construction.It’s potential? Yes, TheDetective foresees the full potentialof Facial Composite in unmaskingthe suspects’ identification. One ofthe success stories and forensicbreakthroughs brought about by theHeistuse of facial composite is thepositive identification and eventualarrest of Willy Enriquez in Ilo-IloCity, one of the robbery suspects inthe Robinsons Galleria Heist onMach 29, 2012.However, it is also importantto get information about theprocedures currently implementedby the PNP in order to develop andpursue new research directions,which as of press time, the DIDM isnow crafting an SOP on FacialComposite while a proposal isunderway for the development of astandardized training programs forpolice investigators and forensicinvestigators involved in the facialcomposite construction process.The DIDM shall continue it’sefforts to research for proceduresand standards on the best ways toe l i c i t f a c i a l r e c a l l f r o meyewitnesses. In fact, other lawenforcement agencies around theworld reported having no explicitselection criteria for choosing acomposite system, no standardizedinterviewing procedures forcreating composites, and thatformalized training for creatingcomposites is often not required.On the point of view of TheDetective, these are the importantissues that need to be addresed in thefuture in view of the predominantrole of mistaken eyewitnessidentification in cases of erroneousconviction of innocent people due tothe inaccuracy of the witness’memory of a face composite image.
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April - June 2012Volume 1 12Issue No. 2DETECTIVEUnmasking the Potential of Facial Compositeraditional police officersmight argue that there isTno substitute for thep e n c i l - t o - p a p e r m e t h o d .stHowever, in this 21 century ofpolicing, the advancement oftechnology plays an importantrole in crime solving activities.T h e h a n d s - o n a r t i s t i s"irreplaceable," but computersoftware is the next best thingthat ever happened for the policeinvestigators. Unlike in the past,where artist or illustrators willbe invited by the investigator tosketch a suspect’s face in blackand white using a pencil and oslopaper, nowadays, the policeinvestigators can now come witha 3-D, yes three dimensionalphotos of suspect/s whichresemble the “real” facialfeatures of the suspect/s.Since the use of facialcomposite images is sometimesrelied upon as an integral part of aninvestigation, it is important tolearn more about its usage andprocedures implemented by lawenforcement authorities regardingthe use of composites. Theconstruction and distribution of afacial composite image of acriminal is a procedure that issometimes central to theb e g i n n i n g o f a p o l i c einvestigation.Based from the researchdone by The Detective, studiesshow that facial composite imagesare often used for eyewitnessTheidentification purposes when theidentity of an offender is unknownand when witnesses do not makeidentification from a line-up orcollection of mugshots or roguesgallery offered by the police. Underthese circumstances, witnesses areoften asked to participate in theprocess of constructing a facialimage of the offender.However, reliance onforensic artists for this purpose haslargely been replaced by facialcomposite systems that can be usedby police officers, and are believedto serve a similar purpose. Usingthese techniques, witnesses selectindividual facial features one at atime from sets of pictorial imagesand assemble them into a likenessof their recollection of the suspect’sface. Intuitively, constructing afacial composite seems like aprocedure that could be quiteeffective in facilitating the searchfor someone who has committed acrime. For others, a number ofFacial Compositefacial composite constructionsystems are available, bothc o m p u t e r i z e d a n d n o n -computerized like the photo fit andidentity kit.By and large, FacialComposite was previously calledComputerized Composite CriminalIllustration, Cartography orCartographic Sketch. It refers to acomputer generated image based onactual description of a witness or avictim. Facial Composite onlyrefers to criminals and notappropriate to other subjects. On theother hand, cartography orcartographic sketch is defined as thestudy and practice of making map.As the PNP changes the term usedfrom computerized compositecriminal illustration to its presentterm facial composite, the facialcomposite kit used by ourinvestigators in Crime lab alsoprogresses.At present, the PNP CrimeLab has a total of 18 laptops and 6desktops with Face Fit Kits. Tofurther enhance the forensiccapability of our investigators onthe ground through the RegionalCrime Lab Offices relative to FacialComposite, the Australian FederalPolice (AFP) donated Face Fit Kitson June 2008 with 2 kits which wasplaced at the Crime Lab office inCamp Crame and the other one inRCLO 11 (Davao City). The FaceFit Kits installed in the laptops anddesktops features a program that hasa wide compilation of differentfacial features of Filipino, Thailandand Caucasian. Accessories likePencil Sketch
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