Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners

The Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE) is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of firearm and tool mark identification, which is one of the forensic sciences. Organizational history Prior to 1969, police and civilian firearm and tool mark examiners regularly met during annual meetings of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) to discuss concerns specific to their field. In 1969, 35 examiners from the United States and Canada met at the Chicago Police Department Crime Laboratory and formed the Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners. The first official Association publication was AFTE Newsletter Number 1, published on May 15, 1969. In 1972, the title of the publication was changed to AFTE Journal.