German Government and UNDP provided modern forensic equipment for the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia

December 29, 2020

Procured equipment: Open case file room, with standardized metal lockers with storage drawers; Microscopes; Forensic Kit; Camera.

Belgrade, 30 December – With the support of the German Government and in partnership with UNDP SEESAC, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) provided the National Forensics Centre (NFC) and police directorates across Serbia with equipment for crime scene investigations and forensic and ballistic examination in the total value of $500,000.

The procurement of this equipment, along with the training of police officers for its use and the standardization of work methods, is part of the preparation of the Forensics Centre and the ballistic laboratory in Belgrade for accreditation according to international ISO standards.

In addition, this will contribute to police officers’ speed and efficiency in investigating crime scenes, collecting and analysing evidence, examining and storing exhibits in accordance with international standards.

The equipment delivered to the National Forensics Centre in Belgrade includes 3D scanners with animation and reconstruction software, which are used to record the complete situation on the ground when the police are investigating a crime scene. 3D scanners significantly reduce the time needed for examination and collection of data on the crime scene, while also minimizing the possibility of omission due to human error.

Operational forensic teams in 27 police directorates across Serbia received equipment for collecting, analysing and examining evidence, which includes laptop computers, special forensic light sources for detection of invisible biological and other traces, aerial recording devices (drones), cameras, as well as specialized forensic equipment (forensic kits) containing protective equipment, powders, chemicals and other accessories for fingerprints and gunshot residue analysis, as well as other standard equipment for identifying and collecting forensic evidence.

Mobile container with a water tank for test firing and projectile recovery for examination

Mobile container with a water tank for test firing and projectile recovery for examination

A mobile container with a water tank for test firing and projectile recovery for examination was provided for precise ballistic analysis, in order to examine the firing marks on parts of the ammunition and identify the weapons used in a crime. Water as a medium ensures slowing down and recovery of fired projectiles without any damage, so test firing requires only a small space, while putting the complete equipment in a container ensures soundproofing and a high level of safety.

The Evidence Reception Room in the central ballistic laboratory of the NFC was also adapted. It is now equipped with special lockers for the storage of exhibits, which are in line with international procedures and standards, in order to adequately record and monitor each case in the custody chain. The room being equipped in this way eliminates the possibility of contact and direct handover of evidence between police officers who collect evidence in the field and police experts who analyse it, which contributes to the objectivity of the police investigation.

Another room, the Open Case File room, was equipped with microscopes, standardized metal lockers with storage drawers, security locks with access control, as well as equipment for ballistic examination, which enables adequate storage of such evidence, as well as its further analysis without interference with other evidence collected by the police, in accordance with the appropriate ISO standard for forensics.

3D scanner with animation and reconstruction software

The Evidence Reception Room in the Central ballistic laboratory of the NFC (1)

The Evidence Reception Room in the Central ballistic laboratory of the NFC (2)

The modern forensic equipment was provided within the project “Advancing the Capacities of the Ministry of Interior in the Field of Custody Chain, Crime Scene Investigations and the Ballistic Laboratory in the Field of Operations and Investigations in Trafficking of Firearms and Firearms Criminality”, implemented by UNDP in partnership with SEESAC, with the support of the German Government. The objective of the project is to strengthen the capacities of the Ministry of Interior in the entire investigative cycle of the custody chain in order to improve investigations and achieve regular convictions.