Forensic Technology associate Joe Zorola (right) presents John G. Ward Sr. (left) the 2007 Goddard Award at AFTE 2007 in San Francisco.

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2007 Calvin H. Goddard Award for Excellence in Firearms Identification – The Winner is…Mr. John G. Ward, Sr.

MONTREAL - May 31, 2007

Mr. John G. Ward, Sr. has been an inspirational leader in the field of firearm and toolmark identification for many years. He has made quite an impact worldwide, and was rewarded tonight for his dedication and excellence by receiving the 2007 Calvin H. Goddard Award. The award was given to Mr. Ward during a special ceremony held in conjunction with AFTE’s (Association of Firearm and Toolmark Examiners) 2007 Training Seminar in San Francisco.

We at Forensic Technology are very proud of our Goddard Award as it celebrates an area of law enforcement that is as vital as ever given the proliferation of shootings and the increase in gun-related violence across the globe.

For those of us involved in the field of ballistics, the fact that the award is named after Major Calvin Hooker Goddard has major significance, as Major Goddard is credited with founding the science of firearms identification. Indeed, he first applied this science as part of the infamous 1929 St. Valentines Day Massacre case, in which seven gangsters were killed by rival Al Capone mobsters dressed as Chicago police officers.

This year’s winner, Mr. John G. Ward (Sr.), clearly represents the values established by the father of firearm and toolmark identification. Firstly, Mr. Ward has been an integral part of AFTE since its inception. He has served on and been the chair of the Standardization and Training Committee for many years now. As such, he has accomplished many tasks brilliantly, including the development, maintenance and upgrading of the AFTE Training Manual, Technical Procedure Manual, and the AFTE Glossary.

Mr. Ward served as a member and chair of the AFTE National Peer Group on Certification and Training for the Forensic Science Discipline of Firearm and Toolmark Examination. That was pivotal since it was the very first time that the certification process for Firearm and Toolmark Examiners was scrutinized.

Mr. Ward did also act as AFTE President in 1981-1982. Mr. Ward is still very present in the community, as he is a key member of the NIBIN Users Congress and the Scientific Working Group.

For all the reasons mentioned above, Forensic Technology wishes to acknowledge Mr. Ward’s dedication to firearms identification and his mentorship of other scientists around the world.

We invite you to visit the Calvin H. Goddard Award web site by clicking on the following link: goddardaward.com. You will find more detailed information regarding matters such as eligibility criteria, the scholarship awarded, and the nomination process for this annual award.

About Forensic Technology
Forensic Technology pioneered automated ballistics identification more than fifteen years ago and continues to be a leader in ballistics and firearms identification technologies that promote a safer society. We partner with hundreds of public safety agencies in over 40 countries and territories, providing cost-effective and sustainable solutions. With vast experience in scalable-networked solutions, we employ a dedicated team of engineering, forensic, and law enforcement professionals around the world.

Our IBIS technology can find the “needle in the haystack”, suggesting possible matches between pairs of spent bullets and cartridge cases at speeds well beyond human capacity in order to help forensic experts give detectives more timely information about crimes, guns, and suspects. When used independently, our products are powerful law enforcement tools.

When these components are connected to form seamless systems and networks, they can take crime fighting to new levels of performance. You can learn more about Forensic Technology at forensictechnologyinc.com.

To view numerous IBIS success stories, click here: http://www.forensictechnologyinc.com/d3.html