Independent Forensic Practitioners Institute : IFPI.org.nz

INDEPENDENT FORENSIC PRACTITIONERS INSTITUTE (Inc.)


The Independent Forensic Practitioners Institute was formed in March 2006 and was established to answer the need for an organisation of independent practitioners undertaking a wide range of forensic work in New Zealand. Members of the Institute act independently providing expert services across the spectrum of civil and criminal proceedings and are not precluded from appearing for the defence or prosecution. The Objects of The Institute are: i) To provide and promote independent forensic expertise in the public interest; ii) To recognize and promote members' qualifications, expertise and experience; iii) To foster a professional relationship and understanding among Independent practitioners; iv) To promote the services available from members to potential clients, and to educate potential clients on the best use of members' services; v) To ensure that the services provided by members meet appropriate professional and ethical standards

Next Annual General Meeting - Auckland, 25 September 2010
The 2010 IFPI AGM will be held on 25 September 2010 in Auckland. More information will be posted under News & Events once finalised.
Call for Presentations
Speakers wishing to present at the 2010 IFPI AGM are asked to register their expressions of interest with Peter Cropp (contact details are on Members List page).

2009 IFPI Brochure - Assisting the Legal Profession
A copy of the 2009 IFPI Brochure in Adobe pdf format can be found here. Printed brochures can be requested using the 'Brochure Request' option on the Contact page. Requests for a large number of brochures will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Executive Committee
President Dr Peter Cropp
After graduating from Victoria University Peter was employed by the DSIR, (later ESR) as a forensic scientist specializing in forensic biology. During this career he appeared as an expert witness in many criminal cases. He became an expert in crime scene examination and blood pattern interpretation and was scientific advisor for the first Scene of Crime Officers (SOCO’s) course for the NZ Police. In 1988 he trained at the Home Office in Britain to introduce DNA as a forensic science tool in New Zealand. In 1997 Peter became an independent forensic science consultant offering the following areas of expertise: • Crime Scene evaluation and forensic photography. • Re-examining scientific evidence – Blood spatter and DNA results. • Identification of human blood and semen stains.
Vice-President Dr Arie Geursen

Immediate Past President Professor Glynn Owens
R Glynn Owens, Professor of Psychology, University of Auckland is the Immediate Past President of the IFPI. Formerly Professor of Forensic Clinical Psychology, University of Wales, UK. Has been involved in the forensic field for over 25 years, and is a former Chair of the British Psychological Society’s Forensic Division Training Committee. Has been involved in criminal court cases in the UK and New Zealand, relating to charges ranging from shoplifting to murder. Expertise covers a range of areas including the reliability of witness/defendant statements, psychological factors in mitigation, psychological autopsy and other matters.
Secretary Dr Nick Powell
	Nicholas Powell is an industrial chemist, analyst, and court-going scientist. Nick holds a Doctorate from the University of Otago and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Forensic Science from the University of Auckland. He is a Member of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Nick has given expert evidence in Court on many occasions on topics including blood spatter, contaminant drift, failure of building materials, garment damage, and geometric reconstruction of shootings. Nick lectures on estimating drug yield, the role of the defence forensic scientist, concrete chemistry and mix design, and clandestine drugs laboratory contamination, testing, and remediation.
Treasurer Naomi Hosted
Naomi Hosted is a Forensic Consultant and clandestine drugs laboratory inspector employed by Forensic and Industrial Science Ltd, (FISL) Auckland. While working at FISL, Naomi has furthered her experience in a wide variety of areas including: • critical appraisal and review of expert scientific evidence • experimental simulations • forensic microscopy • analysis of building materials in relation to 'leaky home', WHRS (Weathertight Homes Resolution Service) cases and other civil claims • instrumental microanalysis of many different materials • inspection and testing of over 100 suspected clandestine drugs laboratories.

Committee Members
Linda Morrell
Linda Morrell is a Forensic Document Examiner previously employed by The Laboratory of the Government Chemist in London. Linda graduated in 1988 from University of Ulster with a B.Sc (Hons) in Biological Chemistry and in 1989 received an M.Sc in Forensic Science from the University of Strathclyde, Scotland. Now in private practice in New Zealand, Linda conducts in-house lectures, runs training workshops and provides expert services for various legal firms, corporations and government departments. In the course of her 17 years in the field of forensic document examination she has been continually instructed in and practiced all areas of the subject including: • Identification of handwriting, signatures, typewriting, printers and printed matter; • Distinguishing forgery from genuineness; • Analyzing inks, papers and other substances that are combined into documents; • Detection of additions and substitutions on a document; • Restoration or decipherment of erased and obliterated writing.
Dr Tim Stevenson
	Tim Stevenson is a self-employed forensic engineer based in Christchurch. He has a Bachelor of Engineering and a Ph.D., both of which are in Mechanical Engineering and from the University of Canterbury, NZ. Since 2001 Tim has provided the Crown, Government Departments, criminal litigators and Coroners with a range of services, including: • Physics analysis in criminal and civil litigation; • Failure analysis of mechanical devices & machines; • Analysis of conceptual devices & machines; • Accident investigation involving passenger cars, heavy vehicles, motorcycles, pedal cyclists and pedestrians; • Analysis of sporting fatalities.
Dr Ian Miller
Dr Ian Miller is a Registered Psychologist who was previously employed by New Zealand Police (1985-2002) and the Department of Justice (1976-1985). Ian graduated in 1971 from the University of Canterbury with a B.Sc (Hons) in Psychology and a Ph.D in 1978. Ian has worked as a consultant since 2002. His work includes provision of expert advice to government agencies, NGO’s, the private sector, legal firms, and others. He has extensive experience in – • Crisis and emergency management • Occupational stress, trauma, and health and safety • Strategic policy development • Specialist training and management of sensitive issues • Applied research. Special areas of interest are behavioural factors affecting fire safety and implications for at risk groups, management of problematic complainants, and issues affecting coronial investigations into fatalities and emergency services responses.