We are a team of highly experienced subject matter experts with successful, practical track records who have distinguished themselves during our careers. We now want to pass on this knowledge. We collaborate to ensure that the best possible training is delivered to our students and ongoing support is offered once they leave the training environment.
We partner with our clients to make sure that the training is bespoke to fit their requirements and links to individual teams, their training needs, procedures and ISO requirements.
We are flexible and able to adapt to varying environments and demands. No two courses are the same, because no two clients are ever the same.
Meet the Team
The Board of Lead Partners
The Lead partners of the Forensic Training Partnership are keen to develop a new style of forensic training organisation that is developed around key factors of Environmental concerns, Social responsibilities and its own organisational Governance.
It is a new breed of organisation focused on people not profit, putting not only our training partners but the students we teach and the senior managers from organisations that employ staff to deliver forensic services at the heart of what we do.
Tonja Fritz-Johnson
With over 30 years of photography experience of which 22 years was spent at Thames Valley Police under her belt, Tonja has developed her skills in training too. As one of the Lead Partners in Forensic Training Partnership she is keen to develop strong relationships with clients for a sustainable business.
Martin Bloomfield
With over 45 years experience in photography, 26 years spent at Sussex Police within Crime Scene Investigation, C&G Qualified trainer, delivering a range of course from photography to exhibit handling. In the past he's been an assessor for the CRFP and Forensic Science Society (now CSFS) for crime scene investigation.
Sarah Thirkell
Started her career in 1991 as a Scenes of Crime Officer. She progressed to become a Crime Scene Coordinator for Thames Valley Police. Sarah has gone on to use her expertise as a trainer, leading many Initial and Advanced Crime Scene Investigator courses as well as Crime Scene Managers and other courses.
Forensic Training Partners
Here is a growing list of highly knowledgeable and experienced training partners. We will find the right trainers for you.
Nick Marsh MBE
Nick studied scientific and technical photography and has over 38 years’ experience working within specialist imaging for Forensic services at the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) in London.
Over his career he has photographed serious crime scenes and major incidents across London, nationally and internationally.
For the past 30 years, Nick has specialised in the detection of latent evidence using specialist light sources and advanced photographic techniques and is recognised as one of the UK’s leading experts in this field.
For the past two decades he has been the Forensic Imaging Consultant, providing critical support for complex casework, driving innovation and leading research and development to advance forensic service activities.
Nick has a broad background in education and training, having delivered talks, training and workshops both domestically and internationally. He has contributed to numerous academic papers, articles, and books. He has completed the MPS internal training course, Train the Trainer course and recently achieved the Highfields Level Three Award in Education and Training.
Nick has also been instrumental in ensuring compliance with UKAS and the Forensic Regulators’ Code. He has conducted numerous validations, including the use of UVC for detecting latent fingerprint evidence, the first implementation of its kind in a UK Police Force.
In 2022 Nick was awarded an MBE for his services to policing.
Deborah Ryder
Deborah has supported numerous police forces with forensic archaeological expertise since 2013, working on a diverse range of scenes and cases, including several mass fatality and DVI incidences.
Accredited Forensic Archaeologist at member level (MCIfA) with the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA), a member of the CIfA Forensic Archaeology Expert Panel and Register (FAEP) and a certified Forensic Anthropologist (FRAI, FA-III) with the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. She is also a member of the Chartered Society of Forensic Science (MCSFS), the British Association for Human Identification (BAHID) and the British Association for Forensic Anthropology (BAFA)
Jess Adams
Having graduated first as a Biochemistry student and then completing a Masters in Forensic Science, Jess has extensive experience of forensic investigation, having been employed with Thames Valley Police as a crime scene investigator for over 20 years. Prior to this role she was employed as a microbiologist in an environmental monitoring lab for several years. Jess has worked as a forensic training consultant for the last few years with involvement in all levels of training input from Level 1 to Crime Scene Management. She has also been involved in some of the performance aspects of crime scene investigation and has a good knowledge of the accreditation systems.
Melanie Lett
Melanie started her career within policing in 1999, moving into Crime Scene Investigation in 2001.
Over the course of a 24 year career she has acted as Crime Scene Manager and Coordinator in numerous complex serious crime cases.
- Member of Forensic Science Society
- Hold the FSS Diploma in Crime Scene Investigation and Durham Diploma
- Qualified Crime Scene Manager and Crime Scene Coordinator
- Head of Crime Scene Services and Head of Forensic Support Services for a two year period
- First member of Sussex Police Staff to become a Staff Officer (to the ACC for Operational Policing)
- Holds a BTEC Level 3 in Education & Training
- Developed and delivered training programmes for Police Officers in all aspects of forensic evidence recovery
Melanie travelled to Poland to deliver training to Ukrainian CSI’s in relation to the recovery of forensic evidence in the investigation of war crimes as a result of conflict in Ukraine.
Gary Fretwell
Gary Fretwell is a retired Police Sergeant with 30 years of frontline operational policing experience, including 20 years as a supervisor specialising in Counter Terrorist (CT) Search since 2001. His expertise spans protecting high-profile individuals and events, managing various crime scenes, and supporting missing person enquiries in the UK and abroad.
From 2015 to 2020, Gary was seconded to the UK's College of Policing (CoP) at the Police National Search Centre (PNSC) as a CT Search trainer. He continues to provide associate and trainer services to the UK PNSC and one of the UK's largest forensic providers.
Internationally, Gary has supported government and NGO projects by teaching CT and major crime search techniques. He is passionate about delivering training in all aspects of search and risk reduction to help safeguard and protect communities.
Kay Murfin
Kay has a wealth of experience in quality management, particularly within the forensic sector. As the Head of Quality Management for the Forensic Access Group, she strategically implemented and maintained quality accreditations for five forensic companies.
Prior to this role, as the Quality Manager at IntaForensics Ltd, Kay oversaw the comprehensive implementation and extension of quality management systems, including ISO 17025, ISO 14001, ISO 9001, and ISO 27001.
Her responsibilities included managing accreditation activities, validation requirements, and representing the company at regional and national quality forums. Before IntaForensics, Kay held roles such as Quality Manager at the British Transport Police, Business Change Officer at NPIA, and Forensic Laboratory Officer at Cheshire Constabulary. Her diverse background includes influencing change in policing operations, providing external quality services to other police forces, and hands-on work in forensic laboratories, focusing on chemical enhancement, DNA and trace evidence screening.
Jo Millington
Jo has extensive UK and international expertise in Blood Pattern Analysis (BPA) interpretation and training and over 20 years of experience in forensic investigation including 100s of major & critical incidents. Experienced and accomplished forensic scientist, committed to delivering high quality forensic science and presenting a robust and balanced evaluation of scientific evidence. Jo offers a range of training courses in BPA that are based on standards set by the international scientific community and support the investigation of major and critical incidents.
Specialism: Blood Pattern Analysis (BPA) - development and delivery of BPA training, including 40-hour course recognised by the IABPA and BPA Advisor, including to the Forensic Science Regulator in the development of a discipline standard.
Simon Fowler
Simon has over twenty years experience working as a Forensic Scientist for the Metropolitan Police Service, including five years working alongside Counter Terrorism. Twelve of those years he worked as a Senior Forensic Scientist. He has developed and implemented training courses for the MPS forensic scientists that attend scenes of crime. Simon was the lead trainer on these courses,
with modules that included setting forensic strategies, chemical enhancements, sexual assaults, blood pattern analysis, shoe marks, finger marks, light sourcing and scene reconstruction. At the time he was in the MPS the course also involved a court assessment with a leading QC.
Simon has given evidence at dozens of trials on blood pattern analysis, DNA, in regard to case assessment interpretation and scene reconstruction. He has had a varied career that has included designing standard operating procedures, developing new processes, attended numerous recognised national courses and validating processes. Simon has been a guest lecturer at universities and mentored MSC students from UCL and Kings College London. Before leaving the MPS Simon was the lead Scientist for Secure Operations transition to the new Forensic Science Regulator’s Code.
Forensic Response UK
FR-UK, is a not-for-profit organisation providing vital support through volunteer forensic scientific expert teams. Their mission is to respond to the pressing need for expert forensic assistance in under-resourced, ill-equipped, or inexperienced groups facing challenges in biocentric and humanitarian issues. Often, these challenges intertwine, leading to severe consequences. At FR-UK, they are committed to upholding biocentric values, preserving biodiversity, ensuring animal welfare and protecting the environment. Their research on biocentric challenges, particularly those affecting endangered wildlife, has revealed potential threats that could extend from wildlife to public health. Join them in making a positive impact on both the environment and communities in need.
Sarah Jacob
Sarah has over 20 years’ experience as a Forensic Scientist having worked at the Forensic Science Service in London and then Forensic Access Ltd as a chemistry specialist. Her particular area of expertise covers a wide range of marks and trace evidence including footwear marks, tyre marks, glass, paint, lachrymators, sexual lubricants and other chemical and particulate traces. She has worked on numerous complex murder and other serious high profile cases over the course of her career, working on behalf of both the prosecution and defence.
Sarah has a wealth of experience as a forensic trainer and has designed and delivered numerous training courses for CSIs, police, HM Armed Forces and foreign law enforcement agencies. She has worked alongside police forces to improve the quality of laboratory forensic submissions and been involved in the development of quality standards at the laboratory in line with the requirements of the Forensic Science Regulator. Sarah collaborates with a number of academic institutions to teach and support research on marks and trace evidence.
Julienne Foster
With over 22 years’ experience as a forensic practitioner, specialising in fingerprints, Julienne qualified as a fingerprint expert in 2002, developing her skills to become a qualified trainer and team manager at the College of Policing (CoP).
She has extensive experience working in the UK delivering Fingerprint Programmes to UK police and law enforcement agencies. Working overseas, Julienne has successfully delivered the Foreign & Commonwealth fingerprint initiative in Kenya and implementing a Fingerprint Programme in the Middle East, in United Arab Emirates, Oman and Bahrain. Later in 2023 she will be delivering a course in Sweden. Julienne is an accredited ILM Leadership and Management assessor.
London South Bank
Working with London South Bank University forensic science team is a fantastic opportunity for FSP. Their expertise and research prowess in forensic science align seamlessly with our training goals. Collaborating ensures access to the latest advancements, enhancing the quality of our programmes. The partnership fosters a dynamic exchange of ideas and practical insights, enriching our training modules. Furthermore, affiliating with LSBU strengthens our network within the forensic community, establishing credibility and attracting top talent. It's a strategic move that propels Forensic Training Partnership into a position of influence, shaping the future of forensic training in the UK. Exciting times ahead!
Cranfield
Cranfield University is a fantastic choice for the team at Forensic Training Partnership to collaborate with. It is renowned for its strong focus on technology and innovation. Cranfield offers cutting-edge research facilities and expert faculty. Partnering with them opens doors to advanced forensic techniques and knowledge exchange. The university's solid reputation within the forensic community, attracting high quality professionals. Plus, Cranfield's collaborative environment aligns with our not-for-profit goals, fostering a shared commitment to enhancing forensic training nationwide. It's a win-win for elevating FSP and making a substantial impact.
Mick Lynch
Mike is the founder and Company Director for Edulaw UK, a law enforcement company that specialises in improving the capability and interoperability of agencies involved in security and safety to manage significant events, serious crime, and civil emergencies worldwide. Mike himself was an experienced Senior Investigating Officer in UK Policing and has spent the last six years working with government agencies worldwide, providing training and operational support in the Middle and Far East.
Our Mission Statement
We are committed to providing top-quality forensic training services to the police and other public sectors in the UK. Our mission is to improve the skills and knowledge of law enforcement professionals, ultimately leading to safer and more just communities.
In pursuing our mission, we are also dedicated to promoting environmental sustainability, social responsibility and strong governance practices. We recognise the importance of protecting the planet and are committed to minimising our environmental impact by reducing waste, conserving resources and promoting eco-friendly practices in all aspects of our operations.
We also believe that businesses have a responsibility to give back to the communities they serve. That's why we are committed to supporting social causes and initiatives that align with our values, such as promoting diversity and inclusion, supporting education and training programs and contributing to local charities and non-profit organisations.
Finally, we recognise that strong governance is essential to achieving our mission and upholding our values. We are committed to operating with integrity, transparency, accountability and to adhering to the highest ethical standards in all our activities. We believe that by embodying these principles, we can build trust with our stakeholders and contribute to a better world for all.
Get in touch, let's have a coffee together and talk about your needs
Are you needing support for developing your teams' expertise in carrying out forensic examinations, whether that's recovery of potential exhibits or photography and video of the crime scene? Please get in touch, whether that's over the phone, Teams/Google Meet or even better face to face, let's kick things off now and contact us for an informal chat.
