Priority Action Report

Footwear and Tire Track

Physics and Pattern SAC

G. Matt Johnson Chair

February 2017
Subcommittee Leadership

Position Name Organization Term Email

Chair G. Matt Johnson Orange County 

Sheriff's Dept. 

2014-

2019

gmj@occl.ocgov.com

Vice Chair Rodney Schenck Defense 

Forensic Science 

Center

2014-

2018

Rodney.A.Schenck2.civ

@mail.mil

Executive 

Secretary

Stephen Greene US Customs and 

Border 

Protection

2014-

2019

Stephen.D.Greene@c

bp.dhs.gov

2
Subcommittee Members

# Name Organization Term Email

1 Bohne, Sarah Colorado Springs Police Department 2014-2018 sarahebohne@gmail.com

2 Dumitra, Aurora NYPD Police Laboratory 2014-2019 aurora.dumitra@yahoo.com

3 Gorn, Michael Federal Bureau of Investigation 2014-2018 gornmichael@aol.com

4 Hamburg, Christopher Oregon State Police 2014-2017 chris.hamburg@state.or.us

5 Hilderbrand, Dwane Forensic ITC Services 2014-2017 Dwane@forensicitc.com

6 Homer, Cindy Maine State Police Crime Laboratory 2014-2018 cindy.homer@gmail.com

7 Jagmin, Jeff Washington State Patrol 2015-2019 jeff.jagmin@wsp.wa.gov

8 Kainuma, Alan Honolulu Police Department 2014-2017 akainuma@honolulu.gov

9 Kanaris, David Alaska Scientific Crime Detection Laboratory 2015-2018 david.kanaris@alaska.gov

10 Lane, Amanda Virginia Department of Forensic Science 2014-2018 amanda.lane@dfs.virginia.gov

11 Lund, Steven NIST 2015-2019 steven.lund@nist.gov

12 McVicker, Brian Federal Bureau of Investigation 2014-2017 brianmcvicker@gmail.com

13 Mueller, Ron Charlotte County Sheriff's Office 2015-2019 rmueller@ccso.org

14 Snyder, Christine Seminole County Sheriff's Office 2014-2017 csnyder@seminolesheriff.org

15 Speir Ph.D., Jacqueline West Virginia University 2015-2019 Jacqueline.Speir@mail.wvu.edu

16 Valadez, Melissa Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory 2014-2017 melissa.valadez@dps.texas.gov

3
Affiliates

# Name Organization Term Email

1 Yamashita, Brian Royal Canadian Mounted Police 2015- brian.yamashita@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

4
Footwear and Tire

Detection, documentation, recovery, 

examination and comparison of footwear 

and tire evidence

5
Summary of Priority Projects

Priority OSAC 

Process Working Title of Document

1 SDO Guideline for the Preparation of Test Impressions from Footwear and 

Tires

2 SDO Forensic Documentation and Photography of Footwear and Tire 

Impressions at the Crime Scene

3 SDO Terminology for Footwear and Tire Impressions

4 SDO Chemical Enhancements of Footwear and Tire Impressions

5 SDO Scope of Work and Minimum Qualifications and Training for Footwear 

and Tire Examiner

6
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 1 Document

Document Title: Guideline for the Preparation of Test Impressions 

from Footwear and Tires

Scope: This document is targeted for forensic science 

professionals actively engaged in the discipline of footwear and tire 

track examination. 

Objective/rationale: This document provides forensic footwear and 

tire impression examiners guidance in the preparation of two and 

three dimensional test impressions from footwear and tires

Task Group Name: Examination and Comparison Methods

Task Group Chair Name: Sarah Bohne

Task Group Chair Contact Info: fwt_examinationchair@workspace.forensicosac.org

Date of Last Task Group Meeting: July 2016

7
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 1 Document

Key Components of Standard:

• This guideline will provide practicing examiners a best practices 

reference for making test impressions from footwear and tires. 

• This guideline will provide more uniformity in the methods utilized 

in the creation of test impressions in the footwear and tire 

impression discipline.

8
Task Group/Subcommittee Action Plan

Planned Actions

OSAC Process 

Stage (e.g., 

SDO 100) 

Assignee Estimated

Completion Date

Review SWGTREAD 

terminology document. 

Created KAVI Project. 

Recommend guideline for 

SDO process.

SDO 100 Sarah Bohne 3/6/15

Subcommittee Vote of 

Approval. 

SDO 200 Sarah Bohne 10/7/16

All SDO submission forms 

completed. Ready for SAC 

consideration. 

SDO 300 Sarah Bohne 4/2017

Priority 1: Guideline for the Preparation of Test 

Impressions from Footwear and Tires

9
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 2 Document

Document Title: Forensic Documentation and Photography of 

Footwear and Tire Impressions at the Crime Scene

Scope: This standard is targeted for forensic science professionals 

actively engaged in the discipline of footwear and tire track 

examination. 

Objective/rationale: This document provides footwear and tire track 

examiners with a list of guidelines and best practices widely used 

and generally accepted in the documentation and photography of 

Footwear and Tire Impressions at the Crime Scene. 

Task Group Name: Detection and Collection Methods TG

Task Group Chair Name: Alan Kainuma

Task Group Chair Contact Information: fwt_collectionchair@workspace.forensicosac.org

Date of Last Task Group Meeting: July 2016

10
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 2 Document

Key Components of Standard: 

• This guideline will provide practicing examiners a best practices 

reference generally accepted in the documentation and 

photography of Footwear and Tire Impressions at the Crime 

Scene. 

• This guideline will provide more uniformity in the methods utilized 

in the documentation and photography of Footwear and Tire 

Impressions at the Crime Scene. 

11
Task Group/Subcommittee Action Plan

Planned Actions

OSAC Process 

Stage (e.g., 

SDO 100) 

Assignee Estimated

Completion Date

Review equivalent 

SWGTREAD document. 

Created KAVI Project. 

SDO 100 Alan Kainuma 3/6/15

Subcommittee Vote of 

Approval. 

SDO 200 Alan Kainuma 4/2017

Priority 2: Forensic Documentation and Photography 

of Footwear and Tire Impressions at the Crime Scene

12
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 3 Document

Document Title: Terminology for Footwear and Tire Impressions

Scope: This standard is targeted for forensic science professionals 

actively engaged in the discipline of footwear and tire track 

examination. It is not intended to define every term potentially 

applicable to forensic footwear and tire track examination, but 

define commonly used terms in the discipline. 

Objective/rationale: This standard provides footwear and tire track 

examiners with a comprehensive list of terms widely used and 

generally accepted in the community. These terms should be used 

in documenting and reporting forensic analysis in the field of 

footwear and tire track examination.

Task Group Name: Terminology

Task Group Chair Name: Amanda Lane

Task Group Chair Contact Information: fwt_terminologychair@workspace.forensicosac.org

Date of Last Task Group Meeting: July 2016

13
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 3 Document

Key Components of Standard: 

• This standard provides footwear and tire track examiners with a 

comprehensive list of terms widely used and generally accepted 

in the community. 

• These terms should be used in documenting and reporting 

forensic analysis in the field of footwear and tire track 

examination.

• This standard will provide more uniformity in the terminology 

utilized in the Footwear and Tire Impressions discipline.

14
Task Group/Subcommittee Action Plan

Planned Actions

OSAC Process 

Stage (e.g., 

SDO 100) 

Assignee Estimated

Completion Date

Review equivalent 

SWGTREAD document. 

Created KAVI Project. 

SDO 100 Gerry Hauptman 3/6/15

Subcommittee Vote of 

Approval. 

SDO 200 Amanda Lane 4/2017

Priority 3: Terminology for Footwear and Tire 

Impressions

15
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 4 Document

Document Title: Chemical Enhancements of Footwear and Tire 

Impressions

Scope: This standard is targeted for forensic science professionals 

actively engaged in the development of footwear and tire track 

impressions. 

Objective/rationale: This standard provides footwear and tire track 

examiners with a comprehensive list of widely used and generally 

accepted chemical enhancement techniques. 

Task Group Name: Processing/Enhancement Methods TG

Task Group Chair Name: Michael Gorn

Task Group Chair Contact Information: fwt_enhancementchair@workspace.forensicosac.org

Date of Last Task Group Meeting: July 2016

16
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 4 Document

Key Components of Standard: 

• This standard provides footwear and tire track examiners with a 

comprehensive list of validated chemical development techniques 

utilized in the footwear and tire track discipline. 

• These techniques should be used in the development of footwear 

and tire track impressions.

• This standard will provide more uniformity in the chemical 

development utilized in the Footwear and Tire Impressions 

discipline.

17
Task Group/Subcommittee Action Plan

Planned Actions

OSAC Process 

Stage (e.g., 

SDO 100) 

Assignee Estimated

Completion Date

Review equivalent 

SWGTREAD document. 

Created KAVI Project. 

SDO 100 Mike Gorn 4/2017

Priority 4: Chemical Enhancements of Footwear and 

Tire Impressions

18
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 5 Document

Document Title: Scope of Work and Minimum Qualifications and 

Training for Footwear and Tire Examiner

Scope: This standard is targeted for forensic science professionals 

actively engaged in the training/development of footwear and tire 

examiners. 

Objective/rationale: This standard provides footwear and tire track 

examiners and trainees with a minimum set of qualifications 

required to be considered competent prior to taking on the scope of 

work outlined within. 

Task Group Name: Training/Competency TG

Task Group Chair Name: David Kanaris

Task Group Chair Contact Information: fwt_trainingchair@workspace.forensicosac.org

Date of Last Task Group Meeting: July 2016

19
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 5 Document

Key Components of Standard: 

• This standard establishes the minimum qualifications and training 

an individual shall incur, or an agency shall provide, prior to the 

determination of competency. 

• This standard will provide uniformity in the minimum qualifications 

and training of examiners within the Footwear and Tire 

Impressions discipline.

20
Task Group/Subcommittee Action Plan

Planned Actions

OSAC Process 

Stage (e.g., 

SDO 100) 

Assignee Estimated

Completion Date

Review equivalent 

SWGTREAD document. 

Created KAVI Project. 

SDO 100 David Kanaris 4/2017

Priority 5: Scope of Work and Minimum Qualifications 

and Training for Footwear and Tire Examiner

21
Summary of Priority Projects

Priority OSAC 

Process Working Title of Document

1 SDO Guideline for the Preparation of Test Impressions from Footwear and 

Tires

2 SDO Forensic Documentation and Photography of Footwear and Tire 

Impressions at the Crime Scene

3 SDO Terminology for Footwear and Tire Impressions

4 SDO Chemical Enhancements of Footwear and Tire Impressions

5 SDO Scope of Work and Minimum Qualifications and Training for Footwear 

and Tire Examiner

22
Research & Development Needs Identified

23

• Examiner Reliability Study: Black/White Box Study on Footwear and Tire Examiners

• National Footwear Database/Reference Collection

• Population Frequency of Class Characteristics: Footwear in the United States

• Testing and Validation of 3D Imaging Technologies for Footwear & Tire Impression 

Evidence

• Probability Study of Randomly Acquired Characteristics (RACs). 
Additional Items of Interest

•PCAST Report

•Statistics and Philosophy

•Articulation of conclusions and testimony document

24
Priority Action Report

Footwear and Tire Track

Physics and Pattern SAC

G. Matt Johnson Chair

February 2017
26
27