Footwear Make/Model Determination

Bluestar

Bluestar's applications provides the framework for recording forensic data and the research and analysis features required to achieve effective results. The system draws on a vast array of information to link the forensic details to other aspects of ongoing case management. The system delivers extensive search and intelligence features to assist in the investigative process.

The National Footwear Reference Collection (NFRC) is the most comprehensive catalogue of footwear patterns available to date. It now handles more than 36,000 transactions a day, returning searches in typically less than a tenth of a second. The NFRC is the UK standard for coding footwear. The National Footwear Database (NFD) extends the NFRC by recording crime and custody reports supported by evidence collected at the scene.

The software encourages an accurate comparison of results by allowing images to be expanded in size and the finer details of the print to be examined. The comparison features allow users to compare as many, or as few results as needed on the same screen. These features are all designed to highlight the key matches or differences quickly.

Users can add a wealth of supplementary images, attachments, notes and other records to enhance the information available.

Everspry

Introducing the Everspry EverASM Automated Shoe Impression Matcher Software with new version 1.1. The advanced EverASM v1.1 software provides high speed accurate footwear impression recognition and matching capabilities. Crime scene shoe impressions may be entered into EverASM to determine the manufacturer and model of shoe, or the impressions may be compared to a database of existing suspects. Suspect descriptions are then developed and unsolved cases are linked as your success rate increases with each use. Available as a Standard version for installation on a single workstation, or as a Network version for use over a server based network. Expanded storage for additional impressions is available.

Foster and Freeman

SoleMate FPX is a new and improved system that combines a comprehensive footwear evidence management tool with an extensive footwear reference database for the rapid identification of shoe prints. Using combinations of shapes, patterns, text, and logos to describe the visible characteristics found on a scene of crime shoeprint, it is possible to identify matching items of footwear in a matter of minutes via the intuitive FPX search interface.

The SoleMate database contains details of more than 42,000 items of footwear including sample shoe prints. With information and images of the latest sports, work and casual footwear from all major brands, SoleMate® provides users with the ability to identify shoe prints from crime scenes.

Hobbit Imaging Solutions

Currently the process of figuring out the model and type of a shoeprint found at a crime scene can be very labor intensive. A shoeprint expert has to perform a manual search through his own archives or start a search on internet. If no match is found often the help of colleagues is requested which is still no garantuee for a satisfactory answer.  Overall this process is very time consuming, while it is important for the investigation to get the results as fast possible.

To overcome these issues HOBBIT has developed PRIDE which is an automatic shoeprint matcher. This system is build in conjuction with shoeprint experts and forensic intelligence departments from the Netherlands.  The comparison of the shoeprints is fully automated and is based on the comparison of pictures, so no manual feature marking is required unlike other comparable systems on the market.

Another unique feature of PRIDE is the possibility to create a central database with shoe references and traces. This database can be shared throughout all your departments and locations, no need to create local files which are prone to duplication of information. Maintenance of the database can be centrally controlled by the built-in authorization options.

 

Tread Typer

Tread Typer is a discussion board in the SWGTREAD Forum dedicated to assisting forensic community with identifying the make and model of the source footwear/tire based on the features in crime scene footwear/tire impressions. This board was the brainchild of the SWGTREAD membership back in 2010. Despite the disbanding of SWGTREAD as a group of professionals setting discipline-specific standards, the Forum still exists due to its perceived value by the forensic community for this resource.

This resource enables Forum users to post an image(s) of a crime scene footwear or tire impression in hopes that another Forum user will be able to identify the make/brand and model of the shoe or tire, which COULD be the source of the impression. Previously, practitioners emailed images of impressions to their colleagues, which was inefficient and didn't reach the wider footwear /tire practitioner community. Since its inception in October 2010, Tread Typer was only available to footwear practitioners. However, in March 2018, Tread Typer was made available to the wider law enforcement community.

In order to access Tread Typer, you must be a registrered as Law Enforcement or a Practitioner on the SWGTREAD Forum. Go to http://forum.swgtread.org and register. Then, access the Tread Typer board under the Law Enforcement or Practitioners boards depending on your role. 

DISCLAIMER

It is the responsibility of the practitioner posting to Tread Typer to verify the information/images included in the responses. It is recommended that you consult with the evidence contributor and remove case-related information in/from the images prior to posting on this board.

Webster Groves High School Walmart Shoe Database

NEWS - This site is up and running again!


BACKGROUND

The Forensics Department at Webster Groves High School (WGHS) in St. Louis, MO photographs footwear at local Walmart stores. This information is edited and maintained by students and staff at WGHS as a resource of the law enforcement community.

DATA

The reference collection includes images of the outsoles and uppers and attributes of the footwear items, including the make, model name, and model number.

WEBSITE

URL: http://forensicswghs.org/

Password: WGforensics2021

WGHS also welcomes search requests if you have an unknown crime scene impression that you'd like the WGHS students to search. They do not claim to be forensic footwear experts, but they enjoy the opportunity to offer their search services to the law enforcement community.

EMAIL

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