Welcome to the MNIAI website!
Chartered in 1964, the Minnesota Division of the International Association for Identification (MNIAI) holds an annual educational conference devoted to continuing education for the forensic sciences, crime scene investigation and identification fields. Typically held in the fall, the conference is two-three days long.
Loss of a Legend in Forensic TrainingWith heavy hearts we report the death of a friend and mentor, Ron Smith of Ron Smith and Associates. Many MNIAI members have taken training courses through his company and that training has helped them to gain certification through the IAI and much, much more. He will be sorely missed.
Full-time employment opportunity with the Anoka County Sheriff's OfficeOpen the PDF document below for details regarding this Crime Scene Detective position. The deadline for applications is December 11, 2023.
2024 Educational Conference News
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Sponsor/Vendor participation with display booths at our
2023 MNIAI Educational Conference
(active links imbedded in images)
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We're on Facebook!
- Click the Facebook icon found in the upper right corner of this page.
- Log into Facebook and you'll be there! (The group name is MinnesotaIAI)
And now...a word from one of our Sponsors!
Purchase this ad space by clicking here. Full-page ads run for a full year. Half-page ads run for six months. Quarter-page ads run for three months.
Purchase this ad space by clicking here. Full-page ads run for a full year. Half-page ads run for six months. Quarter-page ads run for three months.
MNIAI Online Store
MNIAI Challenge Coin
Heads Tails
News and Info From the IAI
Begun in 1915, the International Association for Identification (IAI) is the oldest forensic science organization in the United States and one of the oldest in the world. The IAI is dedicated to the development of the forensic sciences and to the continued education and certification of practicing forensic scientists and crime scene investigators.
The IAI
Keeping You Informed
A Call for Presenters!
The President of the Rocky Mountain Division has asked that I share their conference call for speakers for each division to push out to their membership. Her goal is to have as much division diversity as possible! See the PDF flyer below.
I have really enjoyed watching the divisions interact and support each other...keep it up!
Kelly Ayers
IAI Division Representative
I have really enjoyed watching the divisions interact and support each other...keep it up!
Kelly Ayers
IAI Division Representative
| rmdiai_2024_annual_training_conference_presenter_request.pdf |
IAI IDNews
The current issue of the ID News is now available online. You must be an IAI member in order to access this publication.
Please go to https://theiai.org, login and go to Member Menu > Publications and click on
IDentification News - Download Current Issue -October - December 2023 link to download and read.
Thank you for reading online!!
Regards,
The IAI
Please go to https://theiai.org, login and go to Member Menu > Publications and click on
IDentification News - Download Current Issue -October - December 2023 link to download and read.
Thank you for reading online!!
Regards,
The IAI
Hello again!
Here is your initial notification that if you plan on submitting an article for the next issue of IDentifcation News, I will need your submission before December 10.
ID News is published quarterly; therefore, this next issue will be for January/February/March 2024.
For those overseeing IAI Committees or Boards, please let your respective chairs and secretaries know the importance of disseminating any developments and/or changes via ID News!
For your convenience, the following is a working schedule for each quarterly issue of ID News:
Issue 1 Jan/Feb/Mar deadline for submissions: December 10
Issue 2 Apr/May/Jun deadline for submissions: March 1
Issue 3 Jul/Aug/Sep deadline for submissions: June 1
Issue 4 Oct/Nov/Dec deadline for submissions: September 1
Technical notes: Approximately 520 of your typed words are equivalent to 1 full page within ID News. If your submission includes photos, please send each separately from your article.
As always, I greatly appreciate your continued assistance!
Regards,
Jon Stimac, Editor
Here is your initial notification that if you plan on submitting an article for the next issue of IDentifcation News, I will need your submission before December 10.
ID News is published quarterly; therefore, this next issue will be for January/February/March 2024.
For those overseeing IAI Committees or Boards, please let your respective chairs and secretaries know the importance of disseminating any developments and/or changes via ID News!
For your convenience, the following is a working schedule for each quarterly issue of ID News:
Issue 1 Jan/Feb/Mar deadline for submissions: December 10
Issue 2 Apr/May/Jun deadline for submissions: March 1
Issue 3 Jul/Aug/Sep deadline for submissions: June 1
Issue 4 Oct/Nov/Dec deadline for submissions: September 1
Technical notes: Approximately 520 of your typed words are equivalent to 1 full page within ID News. If your submission includes photos, please send each separately from your article.
As always, I greatly appreciate your continued assistance!
Regards,
Jon Stimac, Editor
Stephen Greene’s recent OSAC article
| id_news_vol_53_no_02_osac.pdf |
IAI Forms the Division Interaction and
Affairs Committee
My dear friends and fellow members of the Minnesota Division of the IAI,
The IAI has decided to make the “Division Affairs Committee” a permanent standing committee, per the By-laws:
Section 8.20 Division Interaction & Affairs Committee.
(a.) Purpose. This committee shall advise the President on the support of and advocacy with the
divisions.
(b.) Composition. The committee shall consist of an odd number of members with a minimum of three
(3) to a maximum of seven (7) members. The Chairperson shall be the Division Representative. All other
members shall be appointed by the President by October 1 after assuming office. The term of
appointment for the appointed members shall last until September 30.
(c.) Voting. All the members of the committee, to include the Chairperson, shall have the right to vote at committee meetings.
(d.) Other duties. The Committee shall perform such other duties as the President shall prescribe.
2022-2023 Appointed members
Kelly Ayers, WV, USA - Chair
Larry Stringham, FL, USA
Mike Wisniewski, OH, USA
Jason Cole, VA, USA
Brian Dew, NC, USA
Penny Dechant, AZ, USA
Kasey Gizler, PA, USA
It is my pleasure to have the Minnesota Division to be one of my appointed Divisions to provide outreach too as a member of this committee.
As you can see, the Division Representative (Kelly Ayers) has been assigned as the chairperson for this committee and appreciates your communication with her to include completing the yearly survey of your Division operations, as it is shared with the IAI Board of Directors and Officers at the yearly IAI conference. As the chairperson, Kelly is always happy to provide any communications between the IAI and your Division. Also, as your assigned committee member, I hope to add a more personal touch providing you with any assistance and being an advocate for your concerns to the IAI parent body. Please feel free to reach out to either of us at any time to assist the Minnesota Division in any way we can.
So, what’s new?
With the success of the Inaugural 5k Race/ Fun Run in Omaha, we were able to make a little bit of money to give back to the Divisions. While my initial intention was to assist some Divisions in having a representative attend the IAI Annual Conference, it was thought these funds could better assist the Divisions as their needs dictate. It maybe a few hundred dollars to bring in a special speaker to your conference, or maybe cover a loss due to unforeseen circumstances like COVID, Hurricanes or other natural disasters. Using these funds as more of a pool of money that Divisions can request similar to a Grant process to further your Division in whatever your needs. The process to get these funds is still TBD but we are hoping to have guidance before the new calendar year.
We are currently working with the Chesapeake Bay Division to plan another 5k Fundraiser at next year’s conference In National Harbor. With a more extensive planning timeframe, we are hoping to get more sponsorships and awareness. We still attempt to keep the costs down for participants and want to make sure our liabilities and required cost don’t outweigh the benefits, so this event is still tentative.
At the same time we are attempting to be creative and come up with other fundraising ideas such as “dunk your favorite/or not so favorite, IAI personality” in a dunk tank at the conference. Your input is important to us and we appreciate any constructive feedback or ideas.
So what’s been done?
Beyond monetary support, we are still interested in your concerns and ways to improve the IAI/ Division relationship. In the past year we have also taken the feedback from so many of the Divisions by adding links to how a Division can apply to host the International conference on the conference website, https://www.theiai.org/conference.php
If a Division wants to consider hosting an IAI conference in the future… https://www.theiai.org/docs/Annual_IAI_International_Educational_ConferenceR.pdf
In addition, the IAI Conference Planner, Candy Murray has offered her services to assist any divisions by reviewing any hotel/conference center contracts and provide guidance back to your division. She can be reached at: iaiconferenceplanner@theiai.org. The IAI Educational planner Heather Connor is also available to provide suggestions for your speaker program: iaiedplanner@theiai.org
Hopefully the fact that this Special Subcommittee has become a Standing Committee is also a demonstration of the IAIs dedication to improving your Division.
I look forward to continuing assisting your Division in the coming year. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with and questions, concerns or comments. I will always do whatever I can to assist your Division.
All the best,
Jason Cole
The IAI has decided to make the “Division Affairs Committee” a permanent standing committee, per the By-laws:
Section 8.20 Division Interaction & Affairs Committee.
(a.) Purpose. This committee shall advise the President on the support of and advocacy with the
divisions.
(b.) Composition. The committee shall consist of an odd number of members with a minimum of three
(3) to a maximum of seven (7) members. The Chairperson shall be the Division Representative. All other
members shall be appointed by the President by October 1 after assuming office. The term of
appointment for the appointed members shall last until September 30.
(c.) Voting. All the members of the committee, to include the Chairperson, shall have the right to vote at committee meetings.
(d.) Other duties. The Committee shall perform such other duties as the President shall prescribe.
2022-2023 Appointed members
Kelly Ayers, WV, USA - Chair
Larry Stringham, FL, USA
Mike Wisniewski, OH, USA
Jason Cole, VA, USA
Brian Dew, NC, USA
Penny Dechant, AZ, USA
Kasey Gizler, PA, USA
It is my pleasure to have the Minnesota Division to be one of my appointed Divisions to provide outreach too as a member of this committee.
As you can see, the Division Representative (Kelly Ayers) has been assigned as the chairperson for this committee and appreciates your communication with her to include completing the yearly survey of your Division operations, as it is shared with the IAI Board of Directors and Officers at the yearly IAI conference. As the chairperson, Kelly is always happy to provide any communications between the IAI and your Division. Also, as your assigned committee member, I hope to add a more personal touch providing you with any assistance and being an advocate for your concerns to the IAI parent body. Please feel free to reach out to either of us at any time to assist the Minnesota Division in any way we can.
So, what’s new?
With the success of the Inaugural 5k Race/ Fun Run in Omaha, we were able to make a little bit of money to give back to the Divisions. While my initial intention was to assist some Divisions in having a representative attend the IAI Annual Conference, it was thought these funds could better assist the Divisions as their needs dictate. It maybe a few hundred dollars to bring in a special speaker to your conference, or maybe cover a loss due to unforeseen circumstances like COVID, Hurricanes or other natural disasters. Using these funds as more of a pool of money that Divisions can request similar to a Grant process to further your Division in whatever your needs. The process to get these funds is still TBD but we are hoping to have guidance before the new calendar year.
We are currently working with the Chesapeake Bay Division to plan another 5k Fundraiser at next year’s conference In National Harbor. With a more extensive planning timeframe, we are hoping to get more sponsorships and awareness. We still attempt to keep the costs down for participants and want to make sure our liabilities and required cost don’t outweigh the benefits, so this event is still tentative.
At the same time we are attempting to be creative and come up with other fundraising ideas such as “dunk your favorite/or not so favorite, IAI personality” in a dunk tank at the conference. Your input is important to us and we appreciate any constructive feedback or ideas.
So what’s been done?
Beyond monetary support, we are still interested in your concerns and ways to improve the IAI/ Division relationship. In the past year we have also taken the feedback from so many of the Divisions by adding links to how a Division can apply to host the International conference on the conference website, https://www.theiai.org/conference.php
If a Division wants to consider hosting an IAI conference in the future… https://www.theiai.org/docs/Annual_IAI_International_Educational_ConferenceR.pdf
In addition, the IAI Conference Planner, Candy Murray has offered her services to assist any divisions by reviewing any hotel/conference center contracts and provide guidance back to your division. She can be reached at: iaiconferenceplanner@theiai.org. The IAI Educational planner Heather Connor is also available to provide suggestions for your speaker program: iaiedplanner@theiai.org
Hopefully the fact that this Special Subcommittee has become a Standing Committee is also a demonstration of the IAIs dedication to improving your Division.
I look forward to continuing assisting your Division in the coming year. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with and questions, concerns or comments. I will always do whatever I can to assist your Division.
All the best,
Jason Cole
