Expert Details
Forensic Science: Crime Laboratory, Toxicology, Trace Evidence, Crime Scene Reconstruction, Forensic Chemistry
ID: 735838
California, USA
For 7 years, Expert supervised the Forensic Chemistry Section and Crime Scene Reconstruction Program for the San Diego Police Department. During this time, she played a key role in developing California's toughest "Spice ordinance," banning the sale, manufacture, possession, and distribution of spice and its analogs. She also led the implementation of a proactive fingerprint analysis system that tripled case output and increased latent print hits, solving property crimes quickly and assisting in solving cold case homicides.
As Crime Laboratory Manager, Expert envisioned and implemented the creation of a Forensic Technology Unit, providing highly technical analytical services for immediate crime-solving efforts. She commissioned and oversaw groundbreaking research in DNA analysis on fired cartridge cases, leading to two scientific publications and numerous presentations across the country. This work has helped the San Diego Police Department achieve one of the highest homicide clearance rates in the country.
Expert also implemented a new system to track sexual assault kits, ensuring compliance with new state regulations without additional funding. She oversaw the remodel of the laboratory space, enhancing efficiency and reducing costs for the city. Her leadership extended to co-authoring a California State law governing forensic alcohol testing.
In addition to her managerial and technical contributions, Expert has lectured across the U.S., Mexico, and England, and presented locally in various forums. A recognized forensic expert, she has been called upon over 200 times to provide testimony in criminal trials at the municipal, superior, and federal court levels. Her passion for forensic science, combined with her ability to communicate complex concepts, continues to make a significant impact on the field.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1993 | Degree: MS | Subject: Forensic Science | Institution: National University |
| Year: 1989 | Degree: BA | Subject: Biology | Institution: UCSD, Revelle |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2011 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Crime Laboratory Manager | Department: Police Department |
Responsibilities:• Responsible for managing the operation of the Crime Laboratory which includes supervising 9 direct reports and overseeing 80 people in the laboratory.• Accountable for all areas of forensics: DNA, Chemistry, Forensic Technology, Latent Prints, Firearms, Trace Evidence, Crime Scene Processing, Crime Scene Reconstruction, Questioned Documents, Polygraph, and the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory task force members. • Write and manage grants which have resulted in a technically advanced DNA Unit that is one of a few in the country able to provide this superior level of service to investigators. • Direct laboratory policy and provide the vision for the advancement of technology and customer service, while ensuring the laboratory helps set policy on a local, state, and national level. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2014 to 2017 | Employer: National University | Title: Adjunct Professor | Department: Forensic Science |
Responsibilities:• Developed curriculum and taught a Master’s Level course on Crime Scene Investigation as part of the Forensic Science Program.• Responsible for teaching students the elements of crime scene investigation and reconstruction, with an emphasis on blood stain pattern interpretation and trajectory reconstruction. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2005 to 2011 | Employer: City of San Diego | Title: Supervising Criminalist | Department: Police Department |
Responsibilities:• Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Forensic Chemistry Unit: structuring workflow, reviewing reports, setting policy, providing technical advice, and issuing performance evaluations.• Crime Scene Reconstruction Team: reviewing crime scene reports, attending scenes as a trainer, providing technical expertise and testimony, setting schedules, and responding to reconstruction requests. • Responsible for reconstructing older crime scenes from photographs and presenting that reconstruction in court as an expert. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1993 to 2005 | Employer: City of San Diego | Title: Criminalist, Trace Evidence and Crime Scene Reconstruction | Department: Police Deparment |
Responsibilities:• Responsible for the analysis of trace evidence for comparison purposes.• Areas of expertise included: hair and fiber analysis, examination and comparison of impression evidence, arson and low explosive analysis, forensic unknowns, and paint examination. • Analytical procedures required knowledge in the areas of microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, chromatography, mass spectrometry, and wet chemistry. • Other duties required proficiency testing, generation of written reports, and presentation of expert testimony in court. • Criminalist-On-Call Program: utilized expertise in the areas of crime scene reconstruction, blood spatter interpretation, bullet trajectory determination, and specialized evidence collection and documentation techniques to reconstruct how the crime occurred. • Conducted Forensic Alcohol Analysis. • Managed the Forensic Toxicology Department. • Responsible for analyzing unknown suspected narcotics for the presence of controlled substances. |
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Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
|---|
| • Member, California Association of Crime Laboratory Directors (CACLD) • Member, American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD) |
| Licenses / Certifications |
|---|
| Public Manager Certification, 2018 |
| Professional Appointments |
|---|
| • San Diego Police Dept. - Representative, Major City Chief’s Forensic Science Committee (MCCFSC) |
| Awards / Recognition |
|---|
| • San Diego Police Foundation’s Women in Blue Award for being a trailblazer in a nontraditional law enforcement career. |
Additional Experience
| Expert Witness Experience |
|---|
| Testified in over 200 trials to include: Alcohol Analysis, Toxicology, Trace Evidence, and Crime Scene Reconstruction. |