Resume of

Janis Seestrom Tweedy
Forensic Document Examiner
Total Security Concepts, Inc.
750 South Plaza Drive, Suite 210
Mendota Heights, Minnesota 55120
Telephone: 651/ 994-9770
Facsimile: 651/994-9778
Please E-mail tsc@skypoint.com with inquiries



Formal Education
Bachelor's Degree with a major in Chemistry from Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, May, 1970.



Certification
Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Document Examiners since April, 1995



Employment History
From October, 1970 until May, 2000 I was employed by the State of Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) Forensic Science Laboratory. I have been assigned to the Blood and Urine Alcohol, Firearm and Toolmark and Questioned Document Sections of the Laboratory.

When I retired, I held the title of Forensic Science Supervisor with the responsibility of supervising the Questioned Document, Latent Print, Firearm and Toolmark and Photography sections of the BCA Laboratory. I was also the State's Lead Document Examiner.

In September, 1980, I co-founded Total Security Concepts, Inc. I am now providing forensic services in the area of Forensic Document Examination in civil and criminal cases.


Forensic Document Training
I completed an apprenticeship-type training program within the Questioned Document Section of the BCA Laboratory which involved the identification of handwriting, hand printing, typewriting, mechanical impressions, alterations and obliterations. This training program was over two years in length. As part of the training, I attended the Secret Service Questioned Document course at Glynco, Georgia, in January, 1983, and the FBI Questioned Document Course at Quantico, Virginia in March, 1983.

Professional Memberships
  • American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS), Fellow of the Questioned Document Section
    Student Academy Representative for Questioned Documents (1993-2002)

  • American Society of Questioned Document Examiners (ASQDE)
    Editorial Review Board, Journal of the ASQDE (2005-2007)
  • Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists (MAFS)

  • Southwestern Association of Forensic Document Examiners (SWAFDE)
    Board of Directors/Regional Representative (1995-2007)

Published Articles
  • "New Guidelines for Enhanced Check Security", ASQDE Newsletter, June 1995

  • "Rubber Stamp or Hand Duplicator", International Journal of Forensic Document Examiners, Vol. 2, No. 1, Jan/Mar 1996, pp. 53-55.

  • "Insurance Fraud and the Forensic Document Examiner" FraudReport.com, February 2000

  • "A Study of Hmong Handwriting", Journal of the American Society of Questioned Document Examiners, Vol. 3, No. 1, June 2000, pp. 11-18.

  • "Class Characteristics of Counterfeit Protection System Codes of Color Laser Copiers", Journal of the American Society of Questioned Document Examiners, Vol. 4, No. 2, December 2001, pp. 53-66.

Paper Presentations
I have presented the following papers at meetings of the MAFS, the AAFS, the ASQDE, the SWAFDE and the FBI International Symposium on Questioned Documents:
"A Study of Hmong Handwriting""Alteration and Obliteration"
"Counterfeit Bank Teller Machine Marks""Sports Memorabilia: Yesterday and Today"
"ESDA and the Post-It Note""New Check Security Features"
"Rubber Stamp or Hand Duplicator?""Two Computer Signature Identification Systems"
"Class Characteristics of Counterfeit Protection System Codes of Color Laser Copiers"

Miscellaneous
I have testified on Questioned Document topics over 145 times in civil and criminal cases in State, Federal and military courts and in arbitration hearings in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota.

I have been a repeat lecturer for the following organizations:

  • Continuing Legal Education (Minnesota Bar Association)
  • Midwest Insurance Fraud Prevention Association
  • Internal Revenue Service
  • Twin Cities Chapter of Certified Fraud Examiners
  • International Association of Credit Card Investigators
  • William Mitchell College of Law
  • Minnesota BCA Training and Development Division


    • I have attended workshops and received additional technical training in the following areas:
    Artificial Aging of Documents Paper Properties
    Checkwriters Photocopier Identification
    Detection of Counterfeit Travel Documents Printing Techniques for
    Questioned Document Examiners
    Facsimile Identification Questioned Document Databases
    Image EnhancementInk Identification
    Signature IdentificationLottery Ticket Validation and Security Features
    Difficult & Complex Handwriting Problems Non-Destructive Testing of Documents
    Typewriter Identification Typography


    In addition to the training which I have received, I have conducted apprenticeship training programs for three individuals at the BCA Laboratory.

    I have the following equipment available for examinations:

  • Microscopes
  • Measuring grids
  • Light/camera systems to be used with infrared, infrared luminescent and ultraviolet light (VSC-4 and LeeTek-100)
  • ESDA (an instrument used to visualize indented writing on documents)
  • Materials for polyester encapsulation of documents
  • Chemical supplies for thin-layer chromatography of inks

    • While employed at the BCA, I was an Inspector for the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/ Laboratory Accreditation Program (ASCLD/LAB).

    I am a participant in the FBI supported Scientific Working Group for Forensic Document Examination (SWGDOC) which is establishing operating guidelines for the field of Forensic Document Examination.

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