Sketchy Work: Police artists still nab bad guys with pencil, paper
In an age of ubiquitous cellphones and surveillance cameras, New York City police forensic artist Matthew Klein is one of a dying breed of crime fighters who helps catch bad guys with a pencil and paper.
He is one of only about 100 full-time forensic artists in the U.S., plying a throwback trade that relies on the skill of getting often-traumatized people to open up and talk about a horrific crime.
“It’s all about the witness,” Klein said. “You have to be able to communicate with them. I try to put them at ease, give them sympathy, and then we get to work.”