Det. Doheny attends Composite Sketch Artist training



Det. Kevin Doheny with some of his sketches.

From October 7 through October 11, Bergenfield Police Detective Kevin Doheny attended training in Composite Artist Facial ID Recognition, hosted by the Fort Lee Police Department.The training was conducted by Stuart Parks Forensic Associates from Cataldo, Idaho.

Detective Doheny has been a forensic artist for the BPD since 2009. Since that time he has completed ten composite sketches for various criminal cases and has had four cases solved as a result of the sketches. One sketch solved a string of residential burglaries that was occurring in the borough. Through detective investigation and witness interviews, a sketch was developed of a possible female suspect. One early afternoon, while getting ready for his evening detective shift, Detective Doheny, who had taken his sketch home with him to work on, received a crime tip on a suspect in connection with the burglaries. That tip came from his wife who had looked at her husband's sketch work. She had just noticed a female walking along the street outside their home who resembled the sketch. Detective Doheny went to investigate further and followed the female who was then caught in the act of burglarizing a home just a few blocks away.

Other cases solved were a robbery case involving two suspects. The sketch drawn resulted in the identification of a suspect after a person saw the composite on a poster. One suspect was brought in for an interview. A friend came with him to the station. The "friend" also happened to match the second suspect drawing. After investigating both men, witnesses to the crime identified both suspects and they were each charged with robbery.

The success thus far of having a certified forensic artist has been worth the investment to continually train our detective in the art of forensic drawing. Most of the training was paid for with the use of available BPD Asset Forefeiture monies obtained and managed through the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office. 

Detective Doheny also attended a workshop on creating sketches of persons of various races, weights and facial features. In his third training session in October 2012, he was officially certified as a forensic artist. The training this month was specific towards learning to sketch based on using Facial ID Recognition. This is used in cases such as from surveillance videos or when a partial view of a face was the only thing obtained from a witness or crime victim. 

Special thanks to Chief Keith Bendul and Lt. Ken Porrino of the Fort Lee PD for hosting the training.

"This is my fourth class with Stuart Parks Forensic Associates," said Detective Doheny. "I didn't have any ability to draw until I went to these classes. Each class I have developed more and more to have the skill and the confidence to apply to my detective work and my sketches. I hope this helps in solving more crimes."