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Forensic Training

C.K. Hull & Associates provides a variety of quality forensic training programs for forensic practitioners and students. All courses are taught with a "hands-on" approach providing students exposure and experience in current forensic techniques and best practices used in the industry.


Interested in Joining the Forensic Training Team?

Forensic Training Galleries

Photographed by Juan Rodriguez, Associate/ Forensic Technician

Photographed by Juan Rodriguez, Associate/ Forensic Technician

 

"Donna made the subjects understandable and relatable." Student Testimonial (Advanced Crime Scene Documentation & Evidence Collection)

 

"Cindy Hull was extremely knowledgeable of the subject and emphasized the importance of documentation."
-Student Testimonial, Department Customized Department Training (Basic Latent Print Processing)

 

"Great instructor, very knowledgeable." Student Testimonial (Advanced Crime Scene Documentation & Evidence Collection)

 

"The instructor was knowledgeable, patient with individuals and took needed time to answer everyone's questions."
Student Testimonial, Department Customized Department Training (Basic Latent Print Processing)

 

"Donna has a great amount of experience and knowledge. The variety of techniques presented was fantastic." Student Testimonial (Advanced Crime Scene Documentation & Evidence Collection)

 

"Cindy Hull was very thorough and hands on. She remained focused and on topic."
Student Testimonial, Department Customized Department Training (Basic Latent Print Processing)

 

"Cindy Hull was approachable, informative, great energy, entertaining and overall a great instructor."
Student Testimonial, Department Customized Department Training (Basic Latent Print Processing)

 

"Trevor and Melissa are great and passionate about what they do."
Student Testimonial (Trace Evidence and Collection Class)

 

"Enjoyed the hands on demonstrations. The instructors were knowledgeable and easy to understand."
Student Testimonial (Trace Evidence and Collection Class)

 

"I now have a better understanding of trace evidence and how it can be used in a case."
Student Testimonial (Trace Evidence and Collection Class)

 

"The hands-on practice is good to reinforce what was being taught/explained."
Student Testimonial (Trace Evidence and Collection Class)

 

"This would be a great class for the academy/ new officers to help encourage printing. Thank you for the tips on fingerprint processing."
Student Testimonial (Basic Fingerprint/ DNA Collection & Preservation Class)

 

"The most helpful aspects of the course were the hands-on activities." Student Testimonial (Basic Fingerprint/ DNA Collection & Preservation Class)

 

"Very knowledgeable and passionate on the subject, which made teaching very understandable." Student Testimonial (Basic Fingerprint/ DNA Collection & Preservation Class)

 

"Very informative class. New, up-to-date information and techniques." Student Testimonial (Basic Fingerprint/ DNA Collection & Preservation Class)

 

"Practical exercises were key. Enjoyed the amount of materials we had available to try out." Student Testimonial (Advanced Crime Scene Documentation & Evidence Collection)

 

"The hands-on exercises helped solidify the information presented." Student Testimonial (Advanced Crime Scene Documentation & Evidence Collection)

 

"The instructor is very interactive, friendly, knowledgeable and ready to share that knowledge."
-Student Testimonial, Department Customized Department Training (Basic Latent Print Processing)

 

"Donna was great! Very approachable and open to discussion and commentary." Student Testimonial (Advanced Crime Scene Documentation & Evidence Collection)

 

"The scene photography and sketch exercises were most valuable."
Student Testimonial, Department Customized Department Training (Basic Latent Print Processing)

 

"A wealth of experience."
Student Testimonial, Department Customized Department Training (Basic Latent Print Processing)

 

"Good overview of the four main duties of a CSI investigator: photos-video-sketch-evidence." Student Testimonial (Advanced Crime Scene Documentation & Evidence Collection)

Upcoming Classes

Best Practices for Evidence Documentation and Collection
September 16-20, 2019
Hilton Concord, CA

Advanced Crime Scene Documentation and Evidence Collection
October 8-10, 2019
Hilton Concord, CA



Meet the Team

Cindy Hull


The owner, Cindy K. Hull started the business in 2012 to better serve local law enforcement and provide her expertise in civil, criminal, and private cases. Cindy is a certified latent print examiner with the International Association for Identification (IAI). She has over 20 years of fingerprint analysis experience, including her years in private practice, 14 years as a latent print examiner with the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office (ten years as the Latent Print Supervisor), and more than five years at the Division of Criminal Investigations for the State of Iowa as a Fingerprint Technician. As an active member of the forensic community, she has served as an elective member of the executive board of California State Division of the IAI for nine years, including President (2014-2015). She also served as a member of the Board of Directors for the IAI (2015-2017). She is currently serving on the American Academy of Forensic Services Standard Board (ASB)-Friction Ridge Consensus Board Member and the Coordinator of the Northern California Forensic Study Group, which provides free training to law enforcement agencies and students.

Donna Kimmel-Lake


Donna Kimmel-Lake is an Evidence Specialist with the Napa County Sheriff's Office in California. Donna started her career in Forensics in 1988 with the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office Criminalistics Laboratory as a Crime Scene Investigator. In 2000, she took a position as an Evidence Specialist with the Napa County Sheriff's Office. Donna earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice Administration in 2006. Donna is affiliated with several professional organizations, including the California State Division of the International Association for Identification, the International Association for Identification, the International Biometrics Association (formerly known as the NEC AFIS Internet User's Group), and the Northern California Forensic Study Group. Donna has served on numerous committees and advanced up several elected positions to become a president, and now past president for the California State Division of the International Association for Identification, and has also served on numerous committees and has served as Chairperson of the Board for the International Biometrics Association. Donna has been an instructor with several law enforcement training centers, and junior colleges, since 1994. Donna is a POST (Police Officer Standards and Training) certified instructor, and teaches crime scene investigation and evidence related topics for Basic Police academies, Corrections academies, and Requalification courses. Donna teaches and performs training for agency citizens' academies, agency trainings, and speaks at many schools and associations as a guest speaker. Donna has instructed varying forensic courses, including basic and advanced crime scene investigation, and reconstruction; bullet trajectory documentation and reconstruction; DNA evidence and standard collection; documentation and casting of impression evidence; use of the electrostatic dust print lifting device for the collection of shoe impressions in dust; serial number restoration; controlled substance testing using the Narcotics Identification (NIK) Kit; collection of friction ridge detail standards; specialized techniques for the recovery of difficult friction ridge detail for the identification of decedents; and the documentation and processing of living and deceased individuals (at the autopsy).

Melissa Dupée


Melissa Dupée has a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and a Masters of Science in Forensic Science with 11 years experience in forensic science. Melissa started her forensic career in Cleveland, Ohio at the Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office working in the Trace Evidence and Toxicology Units as well as the Investigations Unit as a medicolegal death investigator. She is currently working at the Santa Clara County Crime Laboratory as a Criminalist in the Trace Evidence Unit performing analysis in hairs, fibers, paint, glass, gunshot residue and miscellaneous materials. Melissa is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Science, California Association of Criminalists and American Society of Trace Evidence Examiners. In addition to her forensic casework, Melissa also provides trace evidence training to law enforcement agencies in Santa Clara County and throughout the bay area.

Trevor Gillis


Trevor Gillis has been a criminalist at the Santa Clara County Crime Laboratory since 2000 and is currently the technical leader of the Paint & Polymers, Fibers, and Miscellaneous Chemicals & Materials programs. In his over 18 years of experience in criminalistics, he has worked in disciplines including hairs, fibers, glass, paint, polymers, tape, gunshot residue, physical match, unknown chemicals, miscellaneous materials, footwear & tire impressions, latent print development, controlled substances, alcohol, and toxicology. Trevor is an active member of the forensic community and has served as a Committee Chair and Board member of the California Association of Toxicologists and the Chair of the Training & Resources Committee of the California Association of Criminalists. As a member of the Gunshot Residue Subcommittee of the Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC), he is helping set national and international standards for forensics. He is certified in General Criminalistics by the American Board of Criminalistics and is a member of its Recertification Committee. Trevor has presented and published on topics including bloodstain pattern, pepper sprays, toxicology, and trace evidence.

Juan Rodriguez

Juan Rodriguez has a degree in Administration of Justice: Law Enforcement. He has been in the forensic/law enforcement field for five years. Currently he is employed by C. K. Hull & Associates as a Forensic Technician and at the Napa County Sheriff's Office as a member of the evidence laboratory.
Juan's expertise is in forensic photography. He has provided law enforcement department training and utilizes his forensic photography skills at crime scenes, autopsies and in the processing room/evidence laboratory. As an active member of the California State Division of the International Association for Identification (CSDIAI), he had been the educational seminar event photographer and has been awarded, two years in a row, first and second place in the photography contest held at the CSDIAI seminar.
He has two published research articles in the CSDIAI Digest, "Stat-Lift v. Electrostatic Dust Print Lifter" and "Long Term Retention... (Evidence Tape).

Forensic Training Classes

(Minimum 10 students - Maximum 20 students)