INVESTIGATIVE SPOTLIGHT A Case Update locked upon closing, securing the door so the occupant was trapped on a fiſth-floor balcony with no access into the building. I went to the site yesterday and removed the existing lock for forensic examina- F tion and now have it in secure storage until an order is given on next steps. There is talk of X-raying the lock body for hidden obstructions or just disassembling and photographing each component. The advantage of X-raying is that it will show ob- stacles or blockages in the lock body. What it will not show is wear of internal parts. Photographing and measuring these parts will check for tolerances and undue wear. Because this is an active case, I cannot share details, photographs, opinions and/or conclusions at this time. I have had cases in the past on padlocks, door closers, doors and frames, glazing in doors, safes, fire code violations and lock malfunctions. As I indicated, I do not do automotive forensic investigations because that is a field within itself, and I will be the first to tell you that I am not an expert in automotive locks. We have many CFL automotive experts in IAIL to whom I am more than happy to refer this type of work. New Credential and Logo Last month, I mentioned that our new CFL-Architectural is now Certified Forensic Fire Door Inspector (CFFDI) and that we will be releasing a new logo to go along with it. Let me know if you have any questions. The reason for this change is that fire door forensic inspection is the pinnacle of knowledge, and a CFLs who are also certified as a LSFDI or CFDI can be awarded the CFFDI credential if they have passed the CFL Architectural exam and either of the LSFDI or CFDI exams. There seems to be more demand for this level of inspec- tions today. Building and fire codes along with doors, frames and hardware is an in- credible amount of knowledge, and putting this all into one credential will give the hiring entity a sense of relief that they have hired the right person. To be a member of IAIL, you must also be a member of ALOA/SAVTA. Our ad- ditional dues are $50 a year, and our membership is open to any ALOA/SAVTA member. We hope to start offering our courses online soon, but we’re not there yet. Hopefully, next year will bring our annual conventions back with on-site education so you can enjoy your forensic classes once again. WWW.ALOA.ORG inally, the presidential election is here, and we will hopefully stop all this civil unrest in our great and beautiful country. As forensic locksmiths, we follow the law as part of our daily work ethic. Many of us have a law enforcement background, and I know I thank God that I’m not out on the streets dealing with this upheaval. As I indicated in my last page, I have a case involving a sliding glass door lock that “Hopefully, next year will bring our annual conventions back with on-site education so you can enjoy your forensic classes once again.” If you have any comments, suggestions or questions, please contact me at iail- [email protected] or reach out to one of our directors near you. Tom Resciniti Demont, AHC, CAI, CFDI, CFL, CMIL, CML, CMST, ICML, IFDI, LSFDI, ARL. President, In- ternational Association of Investigative Locksmiths. [email protected] Get Published! IAIL members: Submit your articles for the Investigative Spotlight department. Send your information to Ross Squire at [email protected]. NOVEMBER 2020 KEYNOTES 11
