Course Overview:
Science plays a vital role in forensic video analysis by providing objective, evidence-based methods for examining and interpreting video recordings used in criminal investigations. The application of the scientific method ensures that conclusions are reached through systematic, unbiased, and repeatable processes, leading to sound and defensible findings.
This online course explores the science behind forensic video analysis and demonstrates how the scientific method is applied within the field. Students will engage in comparative analysis, examining images and videos of unknown objects alongside reference materials to identify distinguishing characteristics. Through a series of practical exercises, participants will follow a structured scientific workflow, gaining hands-on experience in the analysis of image and video evidence. The course also emphasizes the development of clear, accurate scientific analytical reports, preparing participants to communicate their findings confidently in professional and legal settings.
Objectives:
- Explain the role of science and the scientific method in forensic video analysis.
- Apply systematic, evidence-based procedures to the examination and interpretation of video recordings.
- Perform comparative analyses of images and videos to identify
- distinguishing characteristics between unknown and reference materials.
- Understand the boundaries for the forensic video expert in court.
- Follow a structured scientific workflow for conducting image and video evidence analysis.
- Demonstrate objectivity and repeatability in forensic video examinations.
- Prepare clear, concise, and accurate analytical reports that communicate findings effectively in professional or legal contexts.
- Develop competency with the production of comparison charts and court exhibits
- Write conclusions following current trends in the forensic video analysis science.
- Evaluate the reliability and limitations of forensic video evidence using scientific reasoning.
Instructors:
Tracy Peloquin: is a LEVA Certified Forensic Video Analyst. She retired from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in Canada in 2021 after 32 years. Tracy has been working in the field of forensic video analysis since 1992 when the OPP received their first FVA system. She has also been extensively trained in the science of comparison (video/image comparison, fingerprint, footwear, physical match) and holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminalistics. After her retirement, Tracy founded Peloquin Forensics, a forensic consulting company providing forensic video/image analysis and testimony in criminal and civil investigations across the globe. Tracy has been the LEVA Level 3 lead instructor since 2018 and is also a co-instructor in LEVA Level 4.
Jonathan Hak KC PhD: is a barrister and solicitor who served as a Crown Prosecutor in Canada for over thirty years. He has extensive experience prosecuting serious and violent crime and utilizing image-based evidence in complex cases. He is an international imagery law researcher and lecturer who teaches extensively in the UK, US, Canada, Singapore, and Europe on the legal and practical considerations involved in the effective use of image-based evidence in criminal prosecutions. Jonathan holds a Diploma in Criminal Justice (Mount Royal University, Canada), a BSc (with distinction) (California State University, US), an LLB (University of British Columbia, Canada), an LLM (University of Cambridge), and a PhD in Law (Leiden University, Netherlands). The focus of his recent PhD work is on the use of non-textual evidence in international criminal prosecutions. He is the author of Image-Based Evidence in International Criminal Prosecutions: Charting a Path Forward (Oxford University Press, 2024). Jonathan was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2006. He lectures full-time at the University of Leicester Law School (UK) and is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Lethbridge (Canada).
Software and Equipment:
Credits and Certificate:
Graduates of the course receive a LEVA certificate indicating successful completion of the 40-hour curriculum. That certificate should NOT be interpreted as a certification of any type. Registering for any LEVA class indicates they fully understand they are not receiving certification from any one LEVA course and must refer to this training as LEVA’s on their resume, CV, or any discoverable document. This class is not conducted to officially endorse any product or service.
Successful completion of this basic level course satisfies a requirement toward LEVA’s Forensic Video Analyst certification.
Additional Information:
For additional information regarding this course, contact Troy Lawrence, LEVA Deputy Executive Director, troy.lawrence@leva.org.