The Wisconsin Association for Identification (WAI) held its first organizational meeting on October 5, 1966.  The WAI is a chartered division of the International Association for Identification and was incorporated in the State of Wisconsin as a non-profit organization on May 5, 1967.

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The Association was formed to accomplish the following objectives: To associate persons who are actively engaged in the profession of forensic identification, investigation and scientific crime detection in an organized body, so that the profession, in all of its branches may be standardized and effectively and scientifically practiced. To encourage the enlargement and improvement of the science of forensic identification and other branches of scientific crime detection. Encourage research in scientific crime detection. To keep its members appraised of the latest techniques and discoveries in forensic identification and scientific crime detection. To continue to improve the high professional standards of law enforcement officials at all levels of government who have charge of crime scene units, and/or forensic laboratories. The WAI provides the opportunity to employ the collective wisdom of the profession to advance the scientific techniques of forensic identification and scientific crime detection. The WAI shall do everything possible to improve the high professional standards of law enforcement officials at all levels of government who have charge of crime scene units, and/or forensic laboratories. The members of the WAI shall employ the collective wisdom of the profession to advance the scientific techniques of forensic identification and scientific crime detection. The WAI shall inform legislative bodies of the importance of general laws making it mandatory to fingerprint every person who is arrested. The WAI shall provide training, education, and the publication of information related to forensic identification and scientific crime detection.

The Association has taken several actions to accomplish these goals. There is a 3-day annual educational conference with both lectures and hands-on workshops. The topics covered at these conferences range from an update on the criminal history records and changes in the state AFIS system to the latest techniques in crime scene processing and laboratory examinations of physical evidence. All members receive a quarterly newsletter that includes professional articles in addition to Association news. The AFIS-CIB Technology Committee is unique in that this committee provides a direct line of communication between the Wisconsin State Criminal Information Bureau and law enforcement agencies at all levels of government within the state. The Association has been the co-host division for two annual IAI International Educational Conferences (1972 and 1999). The WAI worked together with six other Midwest divisions of the IAI in 1998 to bring to the Midwest the highly successful Mid-States Educational Conference in Davenport, Iowa. The WAI is now expanding its web site to meet the growing needs of its membership.

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