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Someone San Diego Should Know: Gary Bowen

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Gary Bowen, a former marine, is well trained at using a gun but his most powerful weapon for the past six years has been a pencil. The 20-year veteran police officer is one of only two police sketch artists in San Diego County. His sketches, instrumental in identifying perpetrators in some 100 cases, can often be seen on Crime Stoppers.

From an early age, Bowen’s passions were drawing and police. “As a kid, I had a police scanner. We would hear a dispatcher’s call, get on our bikes and travel to the scene. We would be the kids behind the yellow tape watching,” Bowen said.

At home, he would love to draw. “I’ve been drawing my whole life,” he said, noting that he has drawn portraits, pets and cartoons over the years.

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He never imagined his passions would someday intersect.

About six years ago, Bowen decided he could do better than the police computers that were producing composite sketches. Some poorly done computer sketches inhibited investigations by misleading detectives and the public and, in effect, providing perpetrators with disguises. Since the department had no funds for training a human police sketch artist, Bowen put himself through 120 hours of training at his own expense, became certified and was accepted by SDPD. He became the rare example of a human replacing a computer.

Bowen is an artist. He even signs his sketches. But police sketch artistry is different than portraits where the subject is present or photographed. Bowen never sees the subject and the sketch is drawn entirely from someone else’s memory. “It’s like playing Mr. Potato Head, putting on eyes, ears, lips, nose, one step at a time,” he explains. “I need some basic information to get it right as I can only draw what they tell me.”

A person witnessing a crime should try to identify basic information about the shape of the head, nose, eyes, lips and ears.

But, even without all of that information, a distinguishing mark or characteristic of the subject or clothing will help. For example, one suspect had a tattooed ear lobe. Another had blotches on the face. Those were successful sketches even without all the other identifying information.

Normally, Bowen’s work begins with contact from an investigating detective followed by a meeting with the victim or witness. These are not typical police interrogations, but are cognitive interviews designed to stimulate memory of facial features. They are conversations seeking to bring the person back to certain portions of the incident to help describe facial expressions and details. He often deals with victims who are distraught, angry, sobbing or yelling.

During the typical 3-hour interview, Bowen remains patient, listens, asks a few questions and will begin to draw the “Potato Head”. As the person describes more, he draws more and periodically shows the evolving sketch, asking for critique and suggested changes. He may use a book showing different shapes of eyes, noses, faces and lips to help the person through recollection.

The interviews are remarkable in achieving accurate sketches from traumatized victims who had short encounters with the perpetrators. Some victims only see the suspect for a few seconds, as was the case of a 13-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted. The young girl was able to provide sufficient detail for Bowen to produce a composite sketch nearly identical to one produced with help from a second victim, a 17-year-old girl. It was as if both girls took photographs. The case is ongoing.

When not working on sketches, Bowen is assigned to an investigative unit that collects evidence and interviews witnesses. He carries a gun. He also carries a pencil. In his work, they are both potent weapons.

About this feature:
Goldsmith is a member of the U-T Community Advisory Board. People San Diego Should Know is a weekly column about local people who are interesting and noteworthy because of their experiences, achievements, creativity or credentials. If you know of someone you believe San Diego should know, please send your idea to advisoryboard@sduniontribune.com

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