(WHITESBORO, TEX.) Oct. 20, 2020 – Officer-involved shootings, “Deep Fake” videos, and other timely topics will be addressed during more than 40 hours of training sessions at the 2020 LEVA Digital Multimedia Evidence Training Symposium.
The 31st annual symposium of the Law Enforcement and Emergency Services Video Association, VirtuaLEVA 2020, will be delivered online via Zoom Pro from Oct. 26-30, with recorded sessions accessible until April 1, 2021.
Officer-involved shootings draw a great deal of attention from the public and the media. While there is often public outcry for video of the incident, the audio stream, rather than video footage, can be the most valuable piece of evidence. Sgt. Christopher Andreacola, a LEVA Certified Forensic Video Technician and 33-year veteran of the Tucson Police Department, will present “Shots Fired: When A Picture Is NOT Worth A Thousand Words!”
The session will explore the relationship between the video and audio tracks as it relates to gunshots. Andreacola will focus on three shooting incidents – an officer-involved shooting, a possible accidental discharge, and a homicide investigation – and share information from responses to numerous cases from the last three years.
“Dealing With Deep Fakes” will provide attendees with a basic understanding of Deep Fakes, explain how to authenticate images, and show the differences between video authentication and image authentication. The session will be presented by Marco Fontani, Ph.D., who works as an R&D engineer at Amped Software.
“Deep Fakes are realistic, computer-generated videos that can be very convincing. We’ve all seen how video can be manipulated in social media feeds,” said Jan Garvin, LEVA Executive Director. “In response to these Deep Fakes, it’s no surprise that law enforcement and intelligence professionals are being asked to verify various digital media evidence.”
Over the five-day virtual conference, VirtuaLEVA 2020 will feature nearly two dozen sessions. Other topics include forensic audio enhancements, calculating vehicle speeds, and forensic multimedia evidence note taking. VirtuaLEVA is priced at $250 for LEVA members or $350 for non-members. LEVA membership is not required to attend VirtuaLEVA 2020, but classes can earn hours toward LEVA certification. For schedule details and more information, visit leva.org.
ABOUT LEVA
Established in 1989, LEVA is a nonprofit corporation committed to provide advanced training and certification to the Public Safety Community in the science of forensic video analysis. LEVA serves as a key resource providing opportunities for professional development through quality training and informational exchange. Find out more at leva.org.