Email

Print

It's part of their effort to reduce illicit armed trafficking and armed violence in the region and now they're offering training in Forensic Ballistics. That one day session entitled 'Overview of Forensic Ballistics for Decision-Makers and Policy-Makers' opened today and we found out more:

William Godnick - Public Security Programme Coordinator, UNLIREC
"They requested of the Government in the United Kingdom High Commission. They asked us to help on works in the forensic ballistics, and for that reason, we contracted one of the premier world experts in the subject matter."

Phillip Boyce - Forensic Scientist
"What I'm actually providing is general standard operating procedures, to give people an idea of all the procedures that they have to cover, in order that they don't miss any examination, and that they can actually cover all the evidence."

Jules Vasquez
"Now, what level of expertise is required in order to effectively use this information for a criminal prosecution?"

Phillip Boyce
"Normally, a ballistics expert needs about 5 years training."

Marisol Amaya - Krem News
"Can you expand a little bit more, if you can, on the assessment of existing capabilities in Belize, and then where you want to take them after this course? Where they will be?"

Phillip Boyce
"Well yes, what I'll actually be doing is that I'm going to the forensic ballistic laboratory, talking to their personnel, looking at the equipment, and their facilities that they've got, so that I may recommend improvements. What I've actually drawn up is a set of 4 team's standard operating procedures which give very good general guide lines on the approach to the investigation of forensic ballistics."

According to the director of the forensic services department, they are presently building their database in IBIS.