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| 1. |
Contracts.
Kalagate has recently been awarded work under the Northwest Southwest Contract. The contract was drawn up by 14 police forces in the west of England and Wales. The Company has been successful in being awarded work from nine of the forces involved and is slowly building up the relationship, especially with forces which we have not worked with for some time.
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| 2. |
Organisational Changes.
Kalagate became a Limited Company on 1st March 2008. The company was founded by Geoff Oxlee who conducted business as a sole trader for the first fifteen years of its life. In 2003, a Partnership was formed and now the company has reached a level where it is appropriate for it to become a Limited Company.
As part of the restructuring, our St Neots office has become the centre focus for all aspects of company finance including, invoicing, banking and the payment of bills. Additionally, bookkeeping is now completed internally rather than by an external firm of accountants. This recent change has enabled us to monitor our budget on a more dynamic basis and will permit the Board to review up to date informnation.
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Staff Changes.
Ian Parker has recently joined us as an imagery analyst and will be working through the appropriate training and familiarisation processes towards becoming an expert witness.
We are still looking for an additional Technical Assistant. Recruitment is underway and we hope to interview aspiring candidates towards the middle of October.
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Crime Watch Solved.
Kalagate recently featured on “Crime Watch Solved” as part of an investigation by Hampshire Constabulary. The investigation centred on a series of armed robberies across several counties and the facial mapping carried out by Kalagate was pivotal in bringing one of the offenders to trial. Interestingly, Kalagate was also involved in the other two investigations shown on the programme which both involved vehicle identification.
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CRFP connection.
Geoffrey Oxlee has been selected by the Council for Registration of Forensic Practitioners [CRFP] as a lead assessor for the imaging specialisation. He is also appointed as a member of the Science and Engineering panel of CRFP. Andy Laws has recently qualified as a specialty assessor for the imagery interpretation field. Kalagate is pleased to support fully the work of CRFP, which provides courts with the names of experts who are fully examined and registered through the detailed assessment system.
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Forensic Imagery Analysis Group (FIAG).
The FIAG was formed to provide a forum for experts under the auspices of the British Association for Human Identification. The aim of the Group is to establish standards for the identification of people using imagery with the aim of moving towards CRFP accreditation. Andy Laws has recently been elected Chairman of the FIAG.
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Cooperation with universities.
KALAGATE continues to work with several universities in order advance the technology and science of imagery analysis. For further information email geoffoxlee@kalagate.co.uk
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Certification of digital imagery equipment.
Kalagate continues to be asked by leading manufacturers of digital video recorders to test both existing and new equipment. One of the most recent successful tests was the latest version of the VisiOprime IPV 5000. For further information on this equipment www.visioprime.com or tim.northwood@visioprime.com.
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Scientific Trials.
The Forensic Search Advisory Group (FSAG), and ACPO approved body have decided to affect a trial in light of the new thermal imaging cameras now being operated mid wave infrared by a number of police forces. The aim of the trial is to record the effectiveness of airborne thermal imaging systems in the locating of single buried clandestine graves. Two previous trials concentrated on long wave infrared. FSAG Chairman, David Oxlee of Kalagate, has agreement from both the Bradford and Birmingham Universities to act as scientific co-ordinators for a series of pig burials to simulate human cadavers. Kalagate will lead the interpretation of resulting imagery and details of the trial will be announced later.
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Training.
Kalagate has recently provided training days for Cambridge police officers and analysts. The presentations lasted about 75 minutes and were delivered on two days to over 100 officers. Kalagate has also provided presentations to Senior Scientific Managers and their staff of several other forces.
Kalagate has recently delivered Infrared refresher training to analysts from JARIC, the National Imagery Exploitation Centre. The training day was delivered on our premises and covered the basic principles of infrared and its interpretation with particular emphasis on how returns in the infra red part of the spectrum differ from those in the optical sector.
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For further information on training courses or presentations, please contact John Gimblett.
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| 11. |
Recruiting.
Kalagate is particularly keen to hear from:
Photogrammetrists who are prepared to give expert witness evidence in Court. Photogrammetry is playing an increasing part in the Partnership’s work and we are seeking a suitably qualified person to take on that work.
Suitably qualified graduates or ex-service personnel who would be interested in taking up employment in imagery interpretation and becoming an expert witness.
Technical staff with responsibilities for editing and enhancing imagery.
Anyone interested may apply by sending a CV and covering letter to John Gimblett at Kalagate.
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Independent Commission for the Location of Victims Remains (ICLVR).
KALAGATE analysts are playing a significant role in providing support to the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims Remains (ICLVR). The Commission, formed by the British and Irish Governments as a result of the Good Friday Agreement, is charged with trying to find the locations of the burial sites of victims of terrorism during the troubles in Northern Ireland.
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