Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Michael W. Streed. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Michael W. , thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I was lucky to have parents who worked hard. They led by example and made several sacrifices to ensure we never did without. The lessons they taught me about the value of hard work early in life were reinforced by those who mentored me during my career.
These accomplished professionals gained the respect of their peers through groundbreaking work on several high-profile crimes and historical events. They, too, never undervalued hard work and encouraged me to continue moving forward regardless of the difficulties I might experience. So, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work, and I haven’t looked back since.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
After abandoning my career aspiration of becoming a Disney artist, my law enforcement career filled the void. I retired as a police sergeant in 2008 after a 31-year law enforcement career. I loved being a public servant and helping people, primarily because I policed the city where I grew up and attended school.
Not long after I became a police officer, I discovered an opportunity to turn my art skills into an investigative tool. Soon, I was traveling around the country, learning from those considered to be the best police sketch artists. Before long, I was helping investigators solve high-profile murders and cases involving serial sexual predators.
Upon my retirement, I went to work for the Baltimore City Police Department as their first-ever full-time police sketch artist. Three years later, I was back in California. I continued my work as a forensic facial imaging expert, expanding my consulting business and lecturing at universities and forensic conferences worldwide.
The art I create is unusual because it is not creative in the same sense as art created by a fine artist. Mine is more scientific and involves interpersonal communication skills. When I can be creative, it’s because information might be missing that requires my intuitive skills to help fill in the blanks.
The most interesting part of my job is that every day is different and brings a new challenge. For example, one day, I might be interviewing the victim of a sexual assault, and the next, accepting the skulls of unidentified murder victims. Later in the week, I’m analyzing and comparing questioned photos to those of known historical figures to determine if they are the same persons and ending the week by creating an age-progressed photo of a deceased child for a grieving family or a violent fugitive police have been hunting for decades.
Following that, I’m sometimes called upon by the entertainment industry to create a prop or appear as myself in a police procedural television program. One thing is for sure: it’s never dull. It leaves me with the sense that I’m contributing to the betterment of society.
To further my goal of making an impact on the safety of communities worldwide, I created my SketchCop® brand to increase the use of facial identification tools during criminal investigations. I have worked hard to create one of the most well-equipped facial identification laboratories in the United States. This is consistent with my brand’s mission statement – SketchCop® Solutions, Inc. is committed to providing “best-in-class” forensic facial imaging software products, services & training to an audience of law enforcement, military, intelligence, related government agencies, select private security/investigators, and academics. I think I’ve achieved that, but there’s always more work.
Media is an important part of my business. I’m currently finishing an update of my book – SketchCop-Drawing A Line Against Crime, a non-fiction true crime book based upon my experiences as a police sketch artist and some of the headline-making cases where I’ve had the privilege of working with law enforcement. There are also two more books in the works and a series of short stories.
I’m also working on a podcast highlighting current and past cases and others where police sketches and forensic art made an impact. Some of the cases are those you may be familiar with; we’ll just be looking at the case from a different angle. Stay tuned!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
There are several I can think of, but I think those that have made the biggest impact on my journey and contributed greatly to my success are – hard work, humility, and respect for others.
I think it’s also helpful for people to manage their own expectations by becoming self-aware. It helps to have a mentor, someone willing to coach you and call you on your own B.S. when you’re headed towards failure. Listening to feedback from your mentor or other industry experts and respecting them and their opinions keeps you from failing before you have the opportunity to succeed.
It’s important to remember that there is no shortcut to success. Those most talented and intelligent don’t always get the job or the promotions. You must work hard and be willing to make sacrifices that others are not willing to make. Attitude is everything. This is especially important to those in niche industries or those that appear overcrowded. Success in those areas requires finding a way to set yourself apart from others.
But, if you’re willing to put in the work, be patient, and surround yourself with successful people, you will be all right.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
My parents were always supportive. They provided us with a safe haven to experience life and make mistakes.
As a police officer, father, and husband, and now as an entrepreneur, I’ve had to make many critical and sometimes life-changing decisions. I credit my father with my ability to process information and make good decisions.
You see, my father was a Police Chief who was respected throughout the community. He had no tolerance for people who could or would not make decisions. He always said that making a bad decision was worse than making no decision, which I think he saw as cowardly.
As a leader, those around you look to you for courage and stability. Making sound, well-reasoned decisions while not being afraid to admit your mistakes places you well ahead of others and destined for success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.SketchCop.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesketchcopofficial/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSketchCopOfficial
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesketchcop/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesketchcop
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SketchCop
Image Credits
Michael W. Streed
