FIREARMS CRIME INVESTIGATIONS & PROSECUTIONS CONFERENCE
Presenters
Presenter Bios
Ryan Anstey
Ryan is the Assistant Deputy Chief Prosecutor in Medicine Hat, and an executive member of the Alberta Firearms Working Group. Ryan’s focus is often on the logistics of prosecuting firearms offences in the areas outside of Calgary and Edmonton, which includes working with the RCMP and other municipal police agencies like Lethbridge Police Service and Medicine Hat Police Service.
Darryl Barr
Darryl is a Forensic Scientist - Firearm and Toolmark Examiner, who is independently certified by the Association of Firearm and Toolmark Examiners (AFTE). He is an active member of many associations, committees and working groups involved with creating and improving best practices for the technical and scientific investigation of shootings and gun crime.
In 2011, Darryl assisted the Calgary Police Service (CPS) in opening the first forensic firearms laboratory in Canada in over 60 years, where innovative processes are combined with the latest technologies to provide intelligence early on in an investigation. In addition to creating the firearms laboratory, he assisted in developing and implementing new service-wide policies and protocols on how CPS deals with crime guns and shooting evidence, all of which have proven highly effective in the fight against gun crime.
Darryl has assisted federal, provincial, and municipal law enforcement with shooting and firearm investigations for over 30 years, and continues to provide expert testimony in all levels of court and public inquiries across the country. His sub-specialties are shooting reconstruction, and policy and protocol development for the forensic processing of shooting evidence and crime guns.
Alex Bernard
Alex Bernard is counsel with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada in Edmonton, since 2009. He has prosecuted a wide range of matters within the federal prosecution mandate, particularly those with cross-border dimensions and the importation of a variety of contraband, including firearms and related items. He is a member of the Alberta Firearms Working Group, as well as the Public Prosecution Service of Canada’s National Firearm Committee. He is a sessional instructor at the University of Alberta, and a moot competition coach.
Det. Kristopher Bombier
Kristopher Bombier has been a member of the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) for twenty-two years, having started his career in EPS Downtown Division Patrol as a constable. Since then, he has worked in the Metro Edmonton Gang Unit, Alberta Gang Enforcement Teams, and Organized Crime and Gang Enforcement while at ALERT/CFSEU. In 2014, Kristopher became a Detective where he worked in Southeast Division, followed by a return to ALERT with the Guns and Gang team for 4 years. He is currently working in the EPS Firearms Investigation Unit, and seconded to the RCMP National Weapons Enforcement Support Team (NWEST) for the last 3.5 years, where those who know him (including Adam Garrett and S/Sgt Eric Stewart) classify him as an all-around good guy.
Michelle Booker
Michelle is the Firearms Resource Crown with Criminal Appeals and Special Prosecution (CASP) in Vancouver, British Columbia. In this role, Michelle advises both Crown and police in all areas related to firearms prosecutions. Prior to becoming Firearms Resource Crown, Michelle spent eight years prosecuting serious violent offences in both Provincial and Supreme Court. Today, in addition to providing advice and guidance, Michelle appears in court to assist with Charter, and constitutional issues related to firearms. Michelle also continues to prosecute files in the areas of firearms trafficking and manufacturing. Michelle is a frequent organizer, contributor and presenter at various criminal law workshops, seminars and conferences. She is a current faculty member with the Federation of Law Societies, National Criminal Law Program, and teaches Advanced Trial Advocacy at the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Law. Michelle is a fellow with the American College of Trial Lawyers, and a board member with the Courthouse Libraries Association of British Columbia.
Tyler Brady
Tyler Brady is an Acting Senior Firearms Technician with the Specialized Firearms Support Services from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). As a firearms inspector with a specific interest in privately manufactured firearms (PMF’s), he has physically inspected hundreds of these, as well as firearm related devices. He has instructed on the manufacturing of illicit firearms, including improvised firearms and prohibited devices, by means of conventional and improvised machining, additive manufacturing (such as 3D printing), and other illicit techniques to Canadian and International Law Enforcement Agencies.
In his role, Tyler has provided advice, guidance and detailed presentations to high-ranking officials such as Ministerial staff, RCMP policy centres and the policy centres of other Federal Government departments on the subject of PMF’s. Furthermore, he has attended countless domestic and international firearms industry trade shows and conferences related to firearms trafficking.
Tyler has been an avid hunter and firearms enthusiast for over 15 years, and began his career in the industry working in commercial firearms sales where he sold firearms, firearm related devices, ammunition, reloading components and binary explosives. He also served as a Commissioned Officer in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves where he gained extensive experience with many types of military small arms.
Tyler holds a Diploma from Algonquin College in Police Foundations, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology & Criminal Justice with a Concentration in Law from Carleton University.
In his spare time, Tyler enjoys recreational gunsmithing, welding, and teaching new firearms enthusiasts as a former executive member of the Carleton University Firearms Association.
Tom Brandon
Tom Brandon retired from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on April 30, 2019. He served just over 30 years as an ATF special agent (criminal investigator) holding federal law enforcement positions as a “street agent”, supervisor, manager, and executive. In October of 2011, he was appointed Deputy Director (Chief Operating Officer). On April 1, 2015, he was appointed Acting Director (Chief Executive Officer) and held that position until he retired.
Tom’s assignments included work in Michigan, Arizona, California, Georgia, and Washington, DC. While in Washington, Tom regularly briefed the United States Deputy Attorney General and Attorney General. He also testified before Congress on numerous occasions.
Tom graduated from Oakland University (Rochester, Michigan) in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Accounting Major). Prior to that he served in the United States Marine Corps from 1978 – 1982 and was honourably discharged as a sergeant.
Tom and his wife, Sherry, have been married for 33 years, have three adult children, and four grandchildren.
Currently, Tom works for Forensic Technology as the Director for North America Sales and Intelligence Strategy. He has been with the company since March 2020.
Cpl. Jeremy Buote
Cpl. Jeremy Buote joined the RCMP in June 2002 and was posted to Fort McMurray and spent six years in General Duty Policing and Traffic Services. During his time in Fort McMurray, Jeremy met his wife Belynda and welcomed the birth of their two children, Makenna and Brendan.
Following Fort McMurray, Jeremy was posted to Sherwood Park, and then in 2013 he joined the National Weapons Enforcement Support Team (NWEST) program and was posted to Edmonton. It was during this time with NWEST, that Jeremy further developed his passion for all things firearms and firearms investigations. In 2021, Jeremy was transferred to K Division Criminal Operations (CrOps) and tasked with the development and management of K Division Firearm Support Services (FSS). Jeremy has remained with FSS since it’s inception, and will be speaking about FSS program here today.
Kenneth Chan
Born and raised in the Greater Vancouver area. Ken attended the University of British Columbia and graduated with a Bachelor of Science, a Bachelor of Education, and Master of Science.
He was hired by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police forensic lab, National Forensic Laboratory Services in 2008, starting as a Search Technologist in the Evidence Recovery Unit, examining exhibits for biological and non-biological trace evidence. In 2014, Ken transferred over to the Firearms & Toolmark Identification section, and was trained as a Forensic Firearm Specialist. Ken became the Program Technical Leader of the section in 2021.
Ted Chomchuk
Ted Chomchuk has been working with the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) since 1993. He joined the Crime Scenes Investigation Unit in 2004, and worked many different roles including CBRNE, Post Blast and served as a Squad Supervisor. In 2018 he became the S/Sgt in the Major Collision Investigation Section, and then as an Inspector, worked in Traffic Services, Human Resources-Promotion Process and Court services.
Ted Retired in 2022 to take the Provincial Forensic Services Manager position within EPS where he has helped to establish the Firearms Examination Unit. Since 2014, he has also spent time as a sessional instructor of physical evidence with MacEwan University.
Det. Donna Cole
Donna joined the Edmonton Police Service in 1995. She spent the first five years of her career as a general duty patrol officer. She then applied for a four-month secondment position in the Drug and Gang Unit that turned into almost thirteen years. During that time, she was promoted to Detective. Having developed a passion for investigative work, Donna then transferred to Homicide Section in 2013 where she stayed for the next 10 years. Donna was involved in over 150 homicide and suspicious death investigations during her tenure in Homicide. In May of 2023, after maxing out her tenure in the Homicide Section she transferred to the Historical Homicide Unit. She still loves the challenge and complexity of the investigations, but is now ready to have whole nights of sleep and weekends off while still pursuing investigative excellence.
Baltej Dhillon Hon. LLD, C.Dir.
Baltej is a retired member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) ,where he served with distinction, retiring in 2019 at the rank of Inspector. Baltej continues to serve as a member of the Organised Crime Agency of BC as the Program Manager responsible for the Crime Guns Intelligence and Investigations Group, which consists of firearms enforcement, intelligence and Forensic Firearms Lab services.
Baltej served in a variety of roles during his time in the RCMP which included serving as an investigator on the Air India Task Force and the Pickton Serial Killer Investigation. Baltej also developed the Sikh Leadership and Police Committee on Gang Violence and led the project for two years to fight against youth criminalization.
Baltej’ commitment to community service saw him receive The Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Award in 2003 and The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. Baltej is also the recipient of two honorary doctorates from Kwantlen Polytechnic University and McMaster University for his contributions to diversity and inclusion as the first RCMP officer to be allowed to wear a turban on duty.
Cpl. Jason Dussault
Jason Dussault has been a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for 20 years, fourteen of which have been with the National Weapons Enforcement Support Team (NWEST). He assists and trains other police officers on Part III of the Criminal code, how to establish elements of the offense to support charges, public safety / evidentiary search warrant authorities, training on characteristics of an armed person, and various other firearm related aspects. Within NWEST, Jason has also specialized in firearms trafficking and the sourcing of crime guns.
Jason has worked closely with various municipal, provincial, federal and international agencies targeting both domestically and internationally sourced illicit firearms. Recently, Jason has focussed on 3D printing of firearms and prohibited weapons / devices. This work has led to Jason providing affidavit evidence to the Courts on 3D printing as it relates to Privately Manufactured Firearms, the steps required, and the public safety concerns associated to weapons produced through this method.
Mylène S. Falardeau, M.Sc.
Mylène S. Falardeau is a graduate student with a Bachelor in Chemistry (Criminalistics Profile) from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. She completed her Master in Chemistry at the same university, focusing on chemical analysis of polymers used for 3D printing of firearms.
At the beginning of her master degree, she joined the Laboratoire de sciences judiciaires et de médecine légale of Montréal, as a ballistics student to carry out several research and development projects. In April 2021, she was proud to be promoted to Forensic Ballistics Specialist (firearms examiner).
Throughout her academic studies, she has been involved in numerous research projects in forensic science and continues to integrate scientific research into her professional career. She has six scientific publications to her name and has given more than ten presentations at scientific conferences in Canada, United States and Europe.
Finally, in addition to her academic and professional career, she had the honour of serving her country as an Artillery Officer in the 62nd Field Artillery Regiment of Shawinigan, Canadian Armed Forces Reserve artillery unit (2017-2021).
Scott Gagnon
Scott Gagnon is a seasoned IT professional with over a decade of experience in the industry. He started as a programmer at ALERT in 2010, and is currently the Manager of Application Development and IT Services. Although he no longer writes code on a daily basis, Scott remains a computer nerd at heart.
Scott and his team helped with the development of a new dynamic PDF form: The Provincial Firearms Certificate of Analyst. The form has over 1,500 lines of code. It is used to record exhibit details, capture test fire results, and to automatically generate a standardized Certificate of Analyst from that information.
Vanessa Gama
Vanessa Gama is a senior Crown attorney and the Firearms Coordinator of the Firearms and Gang Unit with Manitoba Prosecution Service. Her role as the Firearms Coordinator involves providing education and training to crown attorneys, police and other agencies within Manitoba. The types of prosecutions she mainly handles involve firearms, particularly privately made firearms, gang violence and homicides. Vanessa chairs the 3D printed firearms working group for Manitoba. She is a member of the National Firearms Committee comprised of Crowns from each province. In addition, Vanessa acts as an advisory crown to police conducting complex firearm investigations.
Adam Garrett, BA., MBA., LLB.
Adam became Alberta’s inaugural Firearms Prosecutions Counsel in December 2019. In this position, Adam has worked vigorously with the (also newly created) Alberta Prosecutors Firearms Working Group (FWG) to create a comprehensive education program on firearms for prosecutors and police in Alberta. The main focal point of that work is the Firearms Prosecutions Guidebook, now in it’s 3rd Edition.
Adam first joined the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service (ACPS) in 2010, spending six years in Edmonton Prosecutions. He then moved to the Organized Crime Unit of the Appeals and Specialized Prosecutions Branch, before entering his current position. Since first becoming a prosecutor, Adam has had an interest in firearms prosecutions.
Adam has extensive prosecution experience including the first commercial straw purchasers and 3-D printed firearms investigations in Alberta. He also has prosecuted multiple-shooting homicides, automatic weapons manufacturing, and cross-border and domestic firearms trafficking. As a designated agent, Adam has worked on many wiretap files, including cross-border international terrorism and homicides. Adam continues to prosecute firearms files while researching, teaching, mentoring, and providing advice to police and prosecutors across western Canada.
Adam is a perennial guest lecturer at the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Law, and has presented on firearms law many times to police and prosecutors in many provinces and territories throughout Canada.
From Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, Adam holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Western Ontario (London, ON, 2004) including one year of studies in international relations at St. Andrew’s University (Scotland, 2003) where he completed an internship examining political violence in South America with The Handa Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence. He graduated with a joint Masters in Business Administration and Bachelors in Law (M.B.A./LL.B.) from Dalhousie University (Halifax, NS, 2008) before articling at a national law firm (Calgary, 2009).
Adam is a proud father and in his spare time Adam enjoys golf, hockey, biking and is a founding and executive member of the Crown vs. Defence Charity Hockey Game in Support of Right to Play, which has raised over $135,000 for youth sports programs in Indigenous communities in Alberta since its inception in 2015.
Cpl. Gage Heathcote
Gage Heathcote has been a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police since early 2014. Gage has worked in multiple policing settings which included northern isolated posts. Since being posted to Alberta in 2014, Gage has pursued a personal interest in the outdoors, hunting and firearms. This personal and professional interest has lead to Gage being promoted to the rank of Corporal within the National Weapons Enforcement Support Team (NWEST) in the summer of 2021. Since joining NWEST Gage has been gaining expertise in firearms, firearms investigations and has focused on the subject of illicit 3D printed and privately manufactured firearms.
Steven Holmes
Steve Holmes has 20 years’ experience in UK Law Enforcement, spanning local, national and international roles. Starting his career as an intelligence analyst, Steve transitioned to the role of a powered Officer in 2008. During his career Steve has been the senior investigating officer on a number of high-profile investigations across a range of threat areas including Human Trafficking, Child Sexual Abuse, Drugs and Firearms. In 2019, Steve was posted to Washington DC as a Liaison Officer for the NCA with responsibility for bi-lateral engagement with both US and Canadian Law Enforcement partners. Steve holds the lead engagement role for the firearms portfolio in the USA and Canada, coordinating several covert investigations against US-based firearms traffickers.
Insp. Dave Knibbs
Insp. Dave Knibbs is the OIC of the National Weapons Enforcement Support Team for Western Canada. He has served in four provinces, and as an international liaison officer in 23 years with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Dave’s law enforcement background is in drug enforcement, organized crime, and major crime. He is a Vice President of the National Police Commissioned Officers Professional Association, sits on the Investigative Operations Committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and is a regular instructor at the Canadian Police College.
Edwin Labori
Edwin Labori has been involved in the firearms industry both commercially and privately for over thirty years. His career in the firearms field started at an early age in the United States. Since that time, he has worked with multiple commercial and privately-owned companies. He has been involved in every facet of the industry including marketing, sales, shipping and handling, gunsmithing, demilitarization, deactivation, as well as theatrical, manufacturing and instructional activities.
The Ministry of Transportation recognised his mechanical aptitude by allowing him to challenge the Automotive Technicians test, where he scored in the highest percentile, acquiring an Inter-Provincial Red seal as an Automotive Technician.
His background in manufacturing and fabrication came from his involvement in his family’s private business, where he built and tuned race cars, fabricated custom force induction kits and racing brake kits and components for the automotive industry. During this period, he taught himself the skills to machine using a three-axis CNC milling machine, CNC programing, metal fabrication, M.I.G, T.I.G, Acetylene and ARC welding.
During that time, his interest was also towards the firearms communities where he closely followed topics on the development of privately manufactured firearms. This interest further developed with the introduction of inexpensive consumer grade 3D printers.
While employed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), as a member of the Specialized Firearms Support Services (SFSS), Law Enforcement Inspections Team, he was instrumental in leading the involvement of the RCMP on the subject of privately manufactured firearms and prohibited devices using additive manufacturing practices (also known as 3D printing) and other methods of manufacturing.
Edwin has provided training on a regular basis to law enforcement agencies throughout Canada and the United States on topics such as Illicit Manufacturing of Firearms and Prohibited Devices (3D printing and other methods), and Illicit Airsoft Adaptability. He has conducted countless physical inspections of illicitly manufactured firearms and prohibited devices and has represented the RCMP as an expert witness on multiple criminal court cases.
A/S/Sgt. Ben Lawson
Ben Lawson is the Acting Staff Sergeant of the Firearms Investigative Unit for the Calgary Police Service(CPS). As such, Ben leads the Firearms Support Team, the Firearms Investigative Team and the newly formed Crime Gun Intelligence Group. These three teams support and augment all firearms working coming from and to areas including Patrol, Homicide, Organized Crime and Forensic groups including the Forensic Firearms and Toolmark Lab and the Forensic Crime Scenes Unit. Ben has been with the CPS for 16 years and has worked in many different areas since leaving patrol in 2013, including Operations Teams, special project team, Airport intelligence and the Real Time Operations Centre. Ben started the operational Firearms Investigative Team in April 2020 as a pilot team. In 2022, this team was extended to a full-time and confirmed Unit, which completed the final piece of a full-service firearms group for the CPS.
The Firearm Support Team is responsible for all technical and administrative oversight of seized firearms. This includes Sec II Certificate of Analysis, disposition of all seized firearms, and public compliance with firearm administration both through PAL compliance and discharge and production permit applications. The Firearms Investigative Team conducts firearms trafficking investigations and is a resource for all crime gun investigations for CPS. The Crime Gun Intelligence Group works with the Canadian National Firearms Tracing Center, US ATF and all internal CPS working groups on determining the source of every crime gun recovered by CPS. This data allows CPS to intelligently lead initiatives and investigations that are focused and have direct impact to the gun violence strategies.
Danny Lemieux
Me Lemieux has been practicing law as a Crown prosecutor since his accession to the Québec Bar in 2001. In 2008 he joined the provincial proceeds of crime unit Bureau de Lutte aux Produits de la Criminalité, where he was assigned to organized crime, money laundering and the proceeds of crime cases. Since 2016 he has been in charge of two teams of prosecutors as Deputy Chief Prosecutor. In 2022, he was appointed as operational coordinator for the Directeur des Poursuites Criminelles et Pénales (DPCP)’s Centaure strategy.
Jean-Philippe MacKay
Jean-Philippe MacKay is a prosecutor with the Québec Director of Penal and Criminal Prosecutions (DPCP). Based in Montreal, he specializes in firearms prosecutions and appellate proceedings. He has prosecuted and argued firearm cases at all court levels and regularly advises police agencies on various firearm-related issues. Jean-Philippe has also taught criminal procedure at McGill University.
Kevin Mark
Kevin has been a Crown Prosecutor with the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service Division of Justice and Solicitor General since 2010. In 2017, Kevin was named Team Lead of the Edmonton office’s Firearms Unit, where he prosecutes firearms offenses from possession to shootings and murders. He also provides advice to the Chief Firearms Officer as well as police agencies across Alberta. He is also a firearms owner and enthusiast and is a board member on the Edmonton Gun Club.
Carly Maurizio
Carly Maurizio is the manager of Special Investigations & Integrated Operations for the Alberta Chief Firearms Office (CFO). This unit works closely with law enforcement to reduce firearms related crime, and the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service, while working to improve public safety. Carly earned two honours degrees from the University of Windsor, in Criminology and Psychology. She brings nearly 6 years experience working for the Canadian Firearms Program. Prior to this, she enjoyed a 16-year career as a Border Services Officer with Canadian Border Services Agency, where she worked at various locations across Canada. She is a mom to two very active young boys. Carly looks forward to continuing to advance public safety in her role with the Alberta CFO, while providing exceptional service to clients of the program.
S/Sgt. Jon Morrison
Detective Jon Morrison is in his 21st year with the Edmonton Police Service (EPS), and has worked in a variety of areas including Patrol both as a Sergeant (Supervisor) and a Constable, the Criminal Investigation Section, the Legal Application Support Unit, the Electronic Surveillance Detail, the ALERT Guns and Gangs Team, and the Edmonton Police Firearms Investigation Unit. During his time in the ALERT Guns and Gangs Team and the EPS Firearms Investigation Unit Jon was responsible for investigating firearms related offences with emphasis on public safety such as firearms trafficking, illegal manufacturing of firearms and devices, importation of firearms, and shooting events. Currently Jon is the Staff Sergeant in charge of the ALERT Northern Alberta Internet Child Exploitation Unit (ICE) and oversees a team of investigators and digital forensic technicians conducting technical internet-based investigations, with nearly every file requiring search and seizure considerations in relation to electronic devices. During his career, Jon has been involved in providing direction and instruction to members of EPS and other police agencies across Canada, including in relation to search & seizure, drafting information to obtain including wiretap affidavits, and police authorities as it relates to arrest and detention.
Tom O’Leary
Thomas is a Crown Prosecutor assigned to the Appeals and Specialized Prosecutions branch of the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service (ACPS) in Edmonton. Thomas obtained a Bachelor of Commerce (B. Comm) from the University of Alberta before completing his Juris Doctor (J.D.) at Dalhousie University in 2011. Thomas was called to the bar in 2012 and joined the Crown’s office in 2016. Thomas has experience in a range of prosecution areas, including serious and violent crime. He is a member of the ACPS’ Firearms Working Group and sits on its executive committee. Thomas lives with his wife, daughter, and two huskies and enjoys cycling and watching the Oilers.
Vincent Paris
Vincent graduated from Dalhousie Law School and articled for Cooper, Sandler & West in 1996-1997. He was a researcher for Commissioner Fred Kaufman at “The Commission on Proceedings Involving Guy Paul Morin.” He joined the downtown Toronto Crown Attorney’s Office in 1998. In 2004, he was tasked with providing legal advice to the Toronto Police Service Criminal Intelligence and Organized Crime Enforcement branches. That later became the MAG Guns and Gangs initiative. In 2007, continuing his role with the Ministry, he was also named counsel to the Firearm Investigation and Enforcement Services Directorate of the Canadian Firearm Program administered by the RCMP. He was promoted to General Counsel in 2017. He is now the team leader of the Gun and Gang Support Unit, a group tasked with assisting police agencies across Ontario tackling organized crime.
He has lectured extensively to police forces throughout Canada, the United States, and Mexico, as well as Judges, Crown Attorneys, and defence counsel on firearms, organized crime, search and seizure, and police use of force. He is recognized as a Subject Matter Expert on organized crime and firearms by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). He was the keynote speaker in Vienna at a meeting of the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) discussing the importance of tracing firearms. He is presently working with the UNODC and Interpol on some training initiatives to counter firearm trafficking in Africa and South America. He is also engaged in a project with the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute to counter the involvement of organized crime and terrorist groups in the trafficking of precious metals.
Insp. Michel Patenaude
Inspector Michel Patenaude began his duties as a police officer in 1999 as a patrol officer. In 2005, he joined criminal investigations as an investigator, where he worked on the proceeds of crime files. In 2010, he continued his career in organized crime investigations, where he rose through the ranks to the rank of Inspector in 2021.
He is currently in charge of several investigative units targeting organized crime, but also the new Firearms Violence Investigation Service (SEVAF), which includes the deployment of the Centaur strategy.
Matthew Perfect
Matt Perfect began his UK policing career in 1996 within the West Midlands Police whereby he initially served as a uniform constable. During that time, he served in various specialised policing units including the criminal justice department, murder investigation units and force crime units. In 2005, Matt took a secondment to the National Crime Squad as a Senior Investigating Officer for a number of high-profile covert operations. In 2006, Matt transferred to the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and upon promotion conducted the role of Senior Investigating Officer across agency operations. Within SOCA, he was responsible for the obtaining of the first ever Serious Crime Prevention Orders under new government legislation. In 2013, Matt transferred to the National Crime Agency (NCA) taking up the role of International Liaison Officer in Rome. In 2015, he led the UK response under Operation INVIGOR (Organised Immigration Crime), managing the European Union Regional Taskforce in Sicily whilst on secondment to Europol. In 2016, a cross- posting took Matt to Afghanistan whereby he conducted the role of the NCA liaison officer again specialising in human trafficking. Whilst deployed in Afghanistan, he remained as a critical member of staff following the reduction of UK resources post the green-zone bomb of the 31st May 2017. In 2018, he accepted the role of Senior Manager within the UK National Firearms Targeting Centre, designing and implementing a new working model, incorporating delivery of both strategic and tactical operations.
Kane Richards
Kane Richards has been a Crown Prosecutor since being called to the bar in 2011. Before that he summered and articled with Alberta Justice. Kane completed his law degree at the University of Calgary and his undergraduate degree at the University of Guelph Ontario.
While with the Crown, Kane has dealt with a variety of charges. He began his career in the Youth Unit in Calgary and then moved to the Rural and Regional Response Office (CaRRRO). He was there for around 2 years before moving back to the Calgary office and was prosecuting in the domestic violence unit. It was in this unit that Kane began to develop an interest and specialization in firearm prosecutions. He has since moved to the general litigation unit in Calgary and continues to have a practice heavy in firearms prosecutions. Kane has also presented numerous times on the topic of firearms prosecutions.
Kane is an executive member of the Firearms Working Group and has contributed heavily to the Firearms Guidebook.
Jeff Russell
After 32 years of law enforcement experience, Jeff retired from Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) in July of 2022, and joined Ultra Forensic Technology as a North American Forensic Intelligence Strategy Manager that same month. Jeff served ATF as a criminal investigator, intelligence officer, Crime Gun Intelligence subject matter expert, group supervisor and program manager in the Firearms Operations Division. Jeff has extensive experience with the holistic National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) rooted violent crime prevention program. He was involved with its creation, implementation, sustainability, and expansion. He was also pivotal in developing ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Centers.
Jeff was instrumental in the formation of the nationally recognized Regional Anti-Violence Enforcement Network (RAVEN). This cross functional 40-member task force exclusively uses NIBIN in conjunction with Crime Gun Tracing to launch investigations to identify and disrupt violent offenders and their sources of crime guns.
Prior to ATF, Jeff was an officer for the Los Angeles, California and Aurora, Colorado police departments. Here he was assigned to units tasked with preventing, investigating, and arresting violent offenders. Jeff earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from Colorado Mesa University and a Master of Arts in Cultural Anthropology from Regis University in Denver.
Commandant Simon-Luc Tanguay
Commandant Simon-Luc Tanguay has been working for the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (Montréal Police/SPVM) for the past 20 years. Currently in charge of the south-west organised crime section, he is supervising teams that fight crimes related to gun violence and drug trafficking. He is also the representative of the SPVM for the overdose prevention strategy.
He joined the SPVM in 2003 as a constable. He was quickly appointed as a detective for different units: narcotics squad (4 years), street-gang unit (6 years), sexual assaults and major crimes unit (3 years). He then proceeded to become a lieutenant-detective and supervised teams that investigated general crimes and special projects. From there, he was assigned for a year to the Sûreté du Québec (Québec Provincial Police/SQ) as a team leader and supervisor for the National Anti-Organised Crime Unit (ENRCO), followed by his return to the SPVM in his actual functions. Commandant Tanguay will be presenting the Montréal crime gun strategy and explaining the gun violence situation of Montréal.
Chris Taylor
Mr. Chris Taylor is the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Attaché at the United States Embassy in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The ATF Attaché in Canada serves as a strategic advisor to the U.S. Ambassador and Canadian government in matters relating to firearms and explosives enforcement, international trafficking activities, enforcement strategies, and operational practices for all matters within ATF jurisdiction. The mission of the office is to enhance cooperation between U.S. and Canadian law enforcement and to attempt to neutralize the illicit movement of U.S. sourced firearms, explosives and ammunition by criminals and international organized crime groups.
During his career tenure with the ATF, he served as the ASAC in Philadelphia, PA (2015 – 2019), Chief for International Affairs at ATF HQ (2012-2015), Group Supervisor (Arson & Explosives) in Baltimore, MD (2010-2012), Chief of the ATF HQ National Operations Center (2007-2010) and Special Agent in Seattle, WA (2001-2007).
Prior to ATF, Mr. Taylor was a Special Agent with the Immigration & Naturalization Service (1999-2001). He was also a Customs Inspector in Los Angeles and New York City (1996-1999), and served as a Non-Commissioned Officer in the United Stated Marine Corps Infantry (1989-1991 active, 1991-1996 reserve). From the time of his enlistment in the Marine Corps in 1989, Mr. Taylor has over 30 years’ experience working for the U.S. Government.
Mr. Taylor holds a Master of Science degree in Management & Leadership from Johns Hopkins University (2011) and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science & History from the University of Washington (1996). He has taught arson, explosives, and criminal investigations classes at numerous police academies domestically as well as in Asia, Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. He has supervised international covert undercover operations and supervised the training to over 1,000 foreign police and military from over 30 countries across five continents. He also served as a guest lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Criminal Justice and Marymount University Graduate School of Forensic Psychology. He is married to Christy, a retired Real Estate Agent and native of British Columbia, and has two grown children.
in Colorado on policy issues, and he has conducted a number of independent investigations including one involving the Colorado Supreme Court and two into the history of Catholic clergy child sex abuse in Colorado. Bob currently serves on Colorado’s PSN Board. Before he went to law school, Bob was a high-school English teacher and a commercial fisherman in Alaska.
Elizabeth Tickle
Lizzie is the Firearms Threat Lead for the National Crime Agency where she has responsibility for leading the thematic response to the threat from firearms in the UK. This includes projects targeting 3D Printed firearms, converted blank-firing weapons and the purchase of firearms and mass casualty weapons on the Dark Web. Prior to her current role, Lizzie led the establishment of the Organised Crime Partnership, a tactical drugs and firearms operations unit which combines NCA and Merseyside Police Officers. For the majority of her career with the NCA Lizzie worked in Intelligence Collection where she delivered against high profile drugs, firearms and money laundering operations.
Bob Troyer
Bob Troyer was the United States Attorney in Colorado from 2016 to 2018. He was the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for six years before that, and in the early 2000s he was a line criminal prosecutor in that office’s drug and violent-crime units. Bob spent the other 15 years of his legal career in private practice conducting internal investigations and litigating civil cases. While U.S. Attorney Bob received the PSN Outstanding Contribution Award from the U.S. Attorney General for helping develop and deploy an innovative, forensic-intelligence violent crime prevention strategy in Colorado. Bob also served from 2016 to 2018 as a member of the National Crime Gun Intelligence Governing Board. He has conducted countless trainings for law enforcement, prosecutors, community leaders, and public officials on the use of forensic intelligence to prevent gun violence. Over the last four years, Bob has worked with numerous policing agencies.
Daisy Wong
Daisy Wong became the first Lab Manager for the CFSEU-BC’s Crime Guns Intelligence and Investigations Group in 2020. As part of a multi-pronged approach to rebuilding depleted firearms examination services, she opened operations at the newly established BC Provincial Forensic Firearms Laboratory in January 2021. The lab supports the administration of justice, aims to provide timely investigative leads, and enhances intelligence with comprehensive data collection. She also leads a national Firearms Analyst working group that guides the work of the BC Firearms Analyst Program. To date, over 100 field analysts have been qualified within the program to complete lower-severity cases.
Daisy started her forensic career in 2002 as an RCMP-employed Excavation Technician searching for human remains at the farm site of convicted serial killer Robert Pickton. Soon after, she worked as a Forensic Firearms Specialist for the RCMP National Forensic Laboratory where she completed numerous gang conflict files and examined mass shooting scenes. These include the 2005 fatal shooting of four RCMP constables and a suspect in Mayerthorpe, Alberta; the 2011 homicide of Red Scorpion member - Jonathan Bacon in Kelowna, BC; and the 2014 Western Forest Products sawmill shooting in Nanaimo, BC. She has toured over 20 firearm, ammunition, and tool manufacturing plants and testified in BC, Alberta, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories, and Ontario. Additionally, she has authored scientific journal articles - on tool mark examination (2007) and inertial discharge of 1911 pistols (2020) and conducted research in wound ballistics using FBI protocols at the American CCI/Speer/Federal ammunition facility (2012, unpublished).
