FACES facial composite image technology is being used successfully by U.S. police agencies in criminal investigations. These are some examples of FACES front-line stories.

If your police department has FACES stories you think should be included in our website please contact us.

FACES aids in identifying culprit of armed robberies
From June 2007 through September 2007 there were a string of Armed Robberies to local cash advancing type businesses. The suspect was described as a medium build medium height black male, in his mid twenties. This was not much to work with even with the store surveillance videos. During the second to last robbery the store employee felt she had a pretty good look the suspects face. With this the victim was shown several photographic line-up's with persons whom we knew had the aptitude for this type of crime. Line-up after line-up the victim stated the suspect was not there. I then sat with the victim and the FACES software and created the suspect composite. I immediately put the composite into an intelligence bulletin and distributed it to officers within our department and surrounding agencies. Within a day I was approached by another detective who stated the composite had a strong resemblance to a suspect he was working in a grand theft auto case. I took this suspects picture and again placed it into a photographic line-up and showed it to my victim. She immediately identified him as the suspect who committed the robbery. The suspect was arrested a short time later and now recently convicted of Armed Robbery.

The FACES software was an obvious and vital piece of this investigation. I would even say if it had not been for FACES and the victim's excellent memory, we may have never linked this particular suspect to these crimes. The software is easy to use and for agencies like ours extremely affordable. With the lack of availability of actual sketch artists, this software has become an intricate part of our investigative unit.

Warren Van Vuren
Criminal Investigations Section
Titusville Police Department

Photograph and composite of suspect.

Fresno Rapist Nabbed through FACES facial composite
In the spring of 2003 the Fresno County Sheriff's Department faced a difficult investigation. They had seven reported incidents of rape involving prostitutes, but the victims were reluctant to cooperate with police in identifying the suspect.

Finally, one of the victims agreed to come forward and work with Detective Jeff Kertson who was using FACES facial composite technology for the first time in an interview. The composite they created was distributed to the Sheriff's and Police patrol units. Within two days a man was apprehended and charged with several counts of kidnap and rape.

"FACES was one of the key factors in solving these crimes," said Detective Kertson. "We had a general description of the suspect and car. With the help of FACES we were able to put a face to the suspect description. This along with communication between allied agencies was directly responsible for his arrest."

Composite and photograph of suspect.

FACES Leads to South Florida Rapist Capture
A 29-year-old suspect was arrested by Broward County, Florida police shortly after America’s Most Wanted TV show aired a FACES facial composite sketch.

The ‘South Florida Rapist’ was responsible for the brutal attack and attempted abductions of a dozen girls and young women.

Prior to the Oct. 1998 AMW broadcast, several sketches of the suspect had been hand-drawn, but provided few clues for police. Deputy John McMahon of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, working closely with young victims, utilized FACES to compose a picture quality composite of the suspect.

Soon after the FACES sketch appeared on America’s Most Wanted, a woman contacted police, saying the portrait was that of her son. A suspect was arrested within hours, and charged with sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl and attempting to abduct 10 other girls in Florida

The FACES facial composite sketch, along with solid investigative work from a number of law enforcement agencies – including the FBI, BCSO, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, North Lauderdale Department of Public Safety and North Miami Beach Police Department – helped end the assailant’s reign of terror.

Composite and photograph of suspect.

Lexington Armed Robber Nabbed through FACES facial composite
Less than eight hours after a February 1999 armed robbery, Lexington, Nebraska police had a picture of the suspect. And 13 hours later, they had the suspect behind bars.

Police Investigator Ken Schumacher credits an accurate description of the robber by the victim and media coverage for the quick arrest – as well as FACES, a computer software program police used to create a quick composite picture of the suspect.

It was that picture that led to the arrest, Schumacher said.

“This software is really something… It allows us to have an artist, something that wouldn’t ordinarily have been available to us,” Schumacher said. With FACES, law enforcement agencies can develop a high-quality graphic with unprecedented speed and ease.

After the early morning robbery in this south central Nebraska town of 10,000, Schumacher sat down with the store clerk and quickly put together the composite picture.

Police released the description and picture and a tip led to a 28-year-old man’s arrest. He was charged with robbery, use of a weapon to commit a felony and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Michigan Police use FACES to Apprehend Suspect in Realtor Attack
A Monroe, Michigan man was arrested and charged with criminal sexual conduct after a FACES facial composite sketch generated a series of public tips.

The case involved a 23-year-old Livonia realtor who was sexually assaulted in December 1998 while showing a model home. Canton township police detectives considered bringing in a skilled composite artist from the state of Michigan, but opted to use FACES after being contacted by Michigan’s Most Wanted and told about the new software.

The resulting composite was aired on Michigan’s Most Wanted, Detroit TV stations, and local daily and weekly newspapers. Tips led to the capture of the suspected rapist, a 37-year-old male, who was arraigned in February, 1999.

Canton police say use of the FACES program provided a more accurate picture of the suspect. “The first time we used FACES it was on a major case,” said Officer Leonard Schemanski, “It proved vital to the suspect’s apprehension”.

You can also view our videos of FACES in action.