Donna Thomas is a newly retired Forensic Identification Specialist ll of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. She has worked in the forensic science discipline since 2007, documenting and processing basic crime scenes. In 2014, she was promoted to Forensic Identification Specialist, which entailed the processing and documentation of major crime scenes as well as conducting latent print comparisons. Donna was responsible for training new employees assigned to the Identification section of the Scientific Services Bureau in both Basic Latent Print Investigation and Friction Ridge Comparison. She was employed with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for 36-plus years, starting her career as a Sheriff’s Communication Operator and 911 Dispatcher.
Donna holds a Master of Arts degree in Legal Studies and a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Forensics from American Military University. Additionally, she holds two Associates degrees, one in Administration to Justice and the other in Social Behavior, from Citrus Community College. She also worked as a technical assessor for the ANAB accreditation board and is a member of the California Division of the International Association of Identification. Donna has presented workshops at the International Association of Identification yearly conference in 2021 and the California Division conference in 2022 in Friction Ridge Analysis and Comparison and Low Light Forensic Photography.