michael Kessler, PSM-FS, MCSFS

Michael (Kess) Kessler is an internationally recognized subject matter expert in Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) with nearly 20 years of experience. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice with Forensics Concentration from American Public University and Professional Science Master’s Degree in Forensic Science from Florida International University (FIU).

 

Since 2003, Kess has performed crime scene/field investigations supporting law enforcement and intelligence operations in the United States and around the world. Throughout that time, he has been recognized as an expert in CSI in international, Federal, and State courts. These investigations have included high-profile, international terrorism investigations, crimes against persons (homicide, suicide, unattended death, accidental death, death investigations, sexual violence, assault, robbery), financial crimes, internal affairs, and volume/property crimes (theft, burglary, criminal mischief). Michael has worked crime scene/field investigations in collaboration with numerous prestigious investigative and intelligence agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA); Texas Rangers;  Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID); Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS); Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI); Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP); Metropolitan Police, London (MetPol/Scotland Yard) Counter Terrorism Command (SO15); U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM); Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA); United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF); Australian Special Operations Command (SOCOMD); Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM); and the United Nations Human Rights Division (UNHRD).

 

Michael recently led and managed a complex multi-national project that required evaluating multiple forensic intelligence and investigation programs to formalize an overall, unified framework and best practices foundation. The project resulted in the publication of a handbook and aide memoire now utilized by law enforcement and intelligence entities across the globe as the foundation to inform policy, doctrine, training, and operations in forensic science.

 

Michael has developed and delivered basic, intermediate, and advanced crime scene/field investigation courses to law enforcement and intelligence professionals throughout the world since 2007, including serving as an invited instructor for the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command advanced CSI courses. He has served domestically and internationally in assess-advise-train-and-assist roles scoping, developing, and delivering policy, training, and operational support.

 

Since 2007, Michael has been certified as a Crime Scene Analyst by the International Association for Identification (IAI) - the oldest forensic science organization in the world and premier professional forensic association for crime scene investigators. He continues to maintain the certification, earning recertifications in 2012 and 2017. This accredited certification program is sought after and recognized around the world. Since 2017, Michael has been a Member of the IAI’s Crime Scene Investigation Science and Practice Subcommittee providing subject matter expertise to the IAI Board of Directors and Officers on discipline-specific matters including evaluation of presentation and abstracts for the annual educational conference.

 

Michael was appointed as an original Member of the National Institute of Standard’s and Technology’s (NIST) Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Subcommittee in 2016 and served as the Subcommittee Chair from November 2018 until October 2020 when he was appointed as Vice Chair of the Scene Examination Scientific Area Committee (SAC) overseeing the Crime Scene Investigation and Reconstruction, Fire and Explosion Investigation, and Dogs and Sensors Subcommittees . The mission of the OSAC for Forensic Science is to strengthen the nation’s use of forensic science by facilitating the development of scientifically sound forensic science standards, and by promoting the adoption of those standards by the forensic science community. This work is critically important to the crime scene investigation segment of the forensic science community as, prior to OSAC, there were no standards for crime scene investigation. Despite OSAC being a U.S.-centric organization, its standards work has quickly garnered attention from the international community as the premier authority for standards in forensic science. As Vice Chair of the Scene Examination SAC, Michael is responsible for leading, directing, and managing the adoption, coordination, and development of standards that have scientific and technical merit under a framework of representative, consensus-based standards development. Also, Michael serves as the founding Chair of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences Standards Board (ASB) Crime Scene Investigation Consensus Body (CSI CB).  Michael has become recognized as an expert in standards in forensic science and regularly lectures at symposiums, conferences, and scientific meetings.

Kess has been a consultant and advisor to FVI since 2018, and we are delighted to bring his expertise formally on board with Forensic Veterinary Investigations, LLC as our Director of Crime Scene Investigation and Reconstruction.

 

We consider for consultation requests or referrals from: law enforcement in cases suspected of criminal abuse; animal control officers in cases of unknown cause of harm or death; veterinarians seeking second opinions; and attorneys who have accepted cases for potential civil litigation.

Unfortunately, we do not have the capacity to accept the volume of case inquiries that come in from individuals. Your local veterinarian or veterinary school department of pathology should be able to assist in many cases and your local humane society, animal welfare organization or animal control officer may be able to make a referral to an appropriate resource.

If you are an animal control officer, peace officer, DPW worker or veterinarian seeking examination of an "Animal Doe" with injuries of unknown origins, please contact us by clicking here.