Abstract
Criminal cases require the services of forensic investigations to help get proof of the cases. The military police in Qatar will require establishing an Advanced Forensic Evidence Lab to give clear evidence of various criminal activities and aid in prosecution and judgement. The organizational structure for the Forensic Lab to be established will require thirty employees working in different departments. Among the aims targeted is investigating the different types of crimes such as theft, drugs, fighting, stabbing with sensitive materials, homosexuality, fire, and use of weapons. Therefore, this paper explores the set-up of various departments in Advanced Forensic Evidence Lab and explains the equipment needed. In addition, the paper gives the organizational structure and the Lab system for security. In conclusion, the military police in Qatar require to establish the Advanced Forensic Evidence Lab to help investigate crimes nationally and internationally.
Introduction
Criminal investigations typically involve forensic evidence. However, with the present forensic evidence labs among military police in Qatar, the evidence collected at crime scenes constantly goes unanalyzed. In addition, forensic evidence has little to offer in the investigation process and is more frequently employed in court cases than prosecution (Menaker et al ., 2017). In contrast, laboratory representatives claim that forensic evidence helps verify suspect engagement in crimes and is only somewhat essential in prosecutions’ decisions. Establishing Advanced Forensic Evidence Lab for the military police would effectively help deal with crimes in Qatar. The Advanced Forensic Evidence Laboratory (AFEL) is a research and development facility that analyses advanced forensic evidence. The AFL is dedicated to improving the quality and accuracy of forensic evidence and making it more reliable. The AFL’s research focuses on developing new and improved methods for analyzing advanced forensic evidence, such as DNA, fingerprints, and trace evidence (Elkins, 2018). The AFL also develops new and improved forensic science technologies, such as DNA sequencing and fingerprint analysis. This paper proposes the need for the military police in Qatar to establish an Advanced Forensic Evidence Laboratory (AFEL) to help offer justice in criminal cases in Qatar.
Aims
- To foster international and national cooperation with local and military police forces.
- To support neighbourhood countries to benefit from military police expertise in Qatar in fighting crimes.
- To increase and develop human resources in the military police.
- To aid in investigating the different types of crimes such as theft, drugs, fighting, stabbing with sensitive materials, homosexuality, fire, and use of weapons.
- To take part with mobile hospitals during natural disasters.
Set up the Departments of the Advanced Forensic Evidence Lab
DNA analysis department
The DNA analysis department within a forensic evidence laboratory is responsible for the analysis of DNA samples collected from crime scenes. The lab tests may include the analysis of blood, semen, saliva, and hair samples (Tibbetts, 2020). The set up of the Department by the military police may use a variety of techniques to analyze DNA samples, including PCR polymerase chain reaction (PCR), fragment length polymorphism (FLP) as well as short tandem repeat (STR) analysis (Almohammed and Hadi, 2019). According to Tibbetts (2020), DNA samples are typically compared to reference samples, such as samples from known offenders or family members of missing persons, to determine if there is a match.
Drug Chemistry Department
The Drug Chemistry Department of the Forensic Evidence Laboratory is responsible for identifying and quantifying controlled substances and other drugs of abuse in biological and non-biological samples. The Department provides scientific and technical support to law enforcement and other agencies in analyzing illegal drugs and precursors and developing new and innovative forensic analytical methods. Amankwaa et al. (2019) reveal that the Department is responsible for developing and implementing quality assurance and quality control procedures for analyzing controlled substances. Harper-Leatherman and Huang (2019) establish that the Department consists of the Analysis Section and the Method Development Section. The Analysis Section analyses samples, while the Method Development Section is responsible for developing and validating new and innovative analytical methods.
Forensic Toxicology Department in Forensic Evidence Lab
The Forensic Toxicology Department is responsible for analyzing samples to determine the presence and concentration of toxic substances. The samples can come from various sources, including human and animal tissues, environmental samples, and manufactured products (Dinis-Oliveira et al., 2016). The results of the analyses help determine the main cause of the demise or injury and aid in identifying the source of exposure to a toxic substance. In addition, Dinis-Oliveira et al. (2016) establish that analyses performed by the Department are typically divided into two categories: screening tests and confirmatory tests. The military police in Qatar may use screening tests to identify the presence of toxic substances in a sample. In contrast, confirmatory tests are used to determine the identity and concentration of the toxic substance.
Firearms/Tool Marks Department
The firearms/tool marks Department is responsible for examining firearms and tool marks left at crime scenes. Firearms and tool marks can provide investigators in the military police in Qatar with valuable information about a crime, such as the type of weapon used, the direction of fire, and the distance from which the weapon was fired (Mnookin, 2018). In some cases, investigators may also be able to determine the identity of the person who fired the weapon or used the tool based on comparisons of the marks left at the crime scene with those on file in databases of known firearms and tools. The firearms examiners may use microscopes to examine bullets and cartridge cases, X-ray machines to examine firearms, and chemical tests to identify the type of firearm or ammunition. Firearms examiners may also use ballistic tests to determine the trajectory of a bullet and the type of firearm used.
Latent Prints Department in Forensic Evidence Lab
The latent Prints Department is responsible for developing, analyzing, and comparing latent prints. The primary goals of the latent print discipline are eliminating subjects from consideration and positively identifying subjects. “latent print” generally refers to any impression of friction ridge skin left behind at a crime scene (Cao and Jain, 2018). Latent prints may be located on various surfaces, which include and are not limited to: skin, paper, glass, metal, plastic, wood, fabric, and paint. The most common type of latent print recovered from crime scenes is a latent print left behind on a smooth, non-porous surface, such as a doorknob or a windowpane. To develop a latent print, the latent print examiner must have a high-quality photograph or scan of the latent print. The photograph or scan is then used to create a three-dimensional (3D) image of the latent print, which can be viewed from any angle. Once the 3D image of the latent print has been created, the latent print examiner will use various chemical and physical processes to develop the latent print.
Trace Evidence Analysis Department in a Forensic Evidence Laboratory
The Trace Evidence Analysis Department is responsible for analyzing various physical evidence types, including hair, fibres, glass, paint, soil, and other trace evidence. The Department’s primary focus is on analyzing physical evidence recovered from crime scenes (Maxwell, 2016). The Department is responsible for the examination of evidence, the development of analytical methods, the interpretation of results, and the preparation of reports and testimony. The Department works closely with other units, including the Crime Scene Unit, the latent fingerprint unit, the DNA analysis unit, law enforcement agencies and prosecutors.
Footwear/Tire Track Department
The Forensic Evidence Footwear/Tire Track Department is responsible for identifying, comparing, and individualizing footwear and tire impressions. The military police in the Department may use a variety of methods and techniques to develop, document, and preserve footwear and tire impressions (Bodziak, 2017). In many cases, footwear and tire impressions are the only physical evidence recovered from a crime scene. Bodziak (2017) states that interpreting footwear and tire impressions requires combining scientific knowledge and experience. The Department provides training and consultation services to law enforcement and other agencies.
Cyber Security Department
The Cyber Security Department is responsible for identifying, analyzing, and interpreting digital evidence. The Department is also responsible for developing and implementing policies and procedures for handling digital evidence and training personnel in the proper handling and analysis of digital evidence. The Department is divided into two main sections: the Cyber Security Analysis Section and the Cyber Security Training Section (Vincze, 2016). The Cyber Security Analysis Section is responsible for analyzing digital evidence and producing reports detailing the analysis’s findings. The Cyber Security Training Section will be responsible for training military personnel in Qatar in the proper handling and analysis of digital evidence.
Forensic Laboratory Equipment
Each Department of the Forensic Lab carries out various tasks; therefore, the military police in Qatar will require specific lab equipment. DNA analysis departments have databases to store known offenders’ DNA profiles (Tibbetts, 2020). The forensic toxicology Department is equipped with various analytical equipment such as mass spectrometers and gas and liquid chromatography. Firearms examiners among the military police may use X-ray machines and microscopes in the firearms department. Experts in the latent prints department may use a magnifying glass or microscope to take a closer look at the prints. The experiment results are then presented using latent fingerprint databases (Chugh et al., 2017). The Trace Evidence Analysis Department is equipped with various analytical instruments, including microscopes, spectrophotometers, chromatographs, and mass spectrometers (Buzzini and Suzuki, 2018). The footwear/Tire Track Department has a state-of-the-art laboratory and a comprehensive reference collection (Bodziak, 2017). The Cyber Security department has the latest computer, mobile devices, and digital storage media technology.
Organizational Structure of Forensic Laboratory
There are different departments in the Forensic Lab carrying out different jobs; therefore, military police in Qatar require specific expertise in each Department. First, the DNA analysis department is typically staffed by forensic scientists with specialized training in DNA analysis (Almohammed and Hadi, 2019). Secondly, the Analysis section in Drug Chemistry Department also has a team of certified forensic analysts responsible for interpreting data and developing analytical reports. The Method Development section needs a team of scientists responsible for developing new analytical methods (Leatherman and Huang, 2019). Third, the forensic toxicology Department is staffed by forensic toxicologists trained in analyzing toxic substances and interpreting toxicological data. The Firearms department is staffed by forensic scientists with specialized training in firearms. The trace Evidence Analysis Department is typically staffed by forensic scientists with specialized training in trace evidence analysis. The Forensic Evidence Footwear/Tire Track Department is staffed by four full-time forensic scientists and one part-time administrative assistant. The figure below is a typical Advanced Forensic Evidence Lab organizational structure.
The military police will have to work on staffing and management of the Advanced Forensic Evidence Lab set up in Qatar. The Lab will have a director and the deputy director. The Forensic Lab consists of eight departments, each with an assistant director. The Department will have teams of Junior Scientific Officers (JSO) distributed depending on the degree of work in each Department. In the DNA Analysis, three Junior Scientific Officers will be similar to the Analysis and Method Development section. The forensic Toxicology department will have one with Trace Analysis Section having two and four employees in the Footwear Track Department. Both Cyber Security and Latent Prints Departments will have two employees each. In total, the number of employees that the military police in Qatar may hire for the Forensic Lab is thirty.
Staff Training and Development
The military police in Qatar need to engage in proper staff training and development to ensure the quality of the Lab’s work and the accuracy of results. There are some general principles that the proposed forensic Lab should follow regarding staff training and development. First is ensuring that all staff members are properly trained in using the Lab’s equipment and facilities. Formal training may be provided by the equipment manufacturer, and informal training by experienced staff members. In addition, all staff members should be familiar with the Lab’s safety procedures and procedures for handling evidence. The staff members need to be familiar with the latest developments in forensic science, which may be accomplished through conferences and seminars, reading professional journals, and participating in online forums and discussion groups. In addition, the forensic Lab needs to provide its staff members with opportunities for personal and professional development, such as mentorship programs and supporting the Junior Scientists Officers to pursue their education careers further.
Forensic Evidence Lab Security system
The security system of the Forensic Evidence Lab is designed to protect the evidence and facilities from unauthorized access and to prevent the loss or destruction of evidence. The security system includes physical security, electronic security, and administrative controls. Physical security measures are designed to physically protect the evidence and facilities from unauthorized access (Weeks and Zhou, 2021). The measures that military police may employ are locks, alarms, and security cameras. Electronic security measures are designed to prevent unauthorized access to evidence and facilities through electronic means. Military police in Qatar may employ measures such as security badges, access control systems, and video surveillance. Administrative controls are designed to prevent the unauthorized access, use, or disclosure of evidence and information. Some measures used by military police are security policies and procedures, training, and background checks.
Benefits of Establishing the Forensic Evidence Lab
The forensic evidence lab will benefit the military police department and the community. The ability to process and store evidence properly will help to ensure that cases are solved quickly and efficiently (Garrett, 2019). In addition, the Lab will allow for sharing of information and resources between the police department and other law enforcement agencies. The Lab will also help educate the public about the importance of preserving evidence and its role in the criminal justice system. The Forensic Lab will enhance and support the operations at Qatar’s ministry of interior affairs due to improved technology. In addition, the specialized Lab in the ministry of defence will be an asset to the military police department. Typically, the Lab will aid in investigating interior and internationally crime scenes.
Conclusion
An Advanced Forensic Evidence Lab is a more elaborate system to use in the investigation of crimes. The Lab has several departments which Qatar Authorities need to equip for military police to be efficient. There are benefits to establishing the forensic evidence lab in that the Lab supports the ministry of interior affairs and helps in investigating any crimes interior and internationally. However, adapting to the Advanced level Forensic lab may be challenging due to a lack of vital information and technical know-how in developing the Forensic Lab. The military police will therefore be required to combine resources, including know-how on the lab departments, their employee capacity, and equipment for the respective lab departments to aid in establishing the Advanced Forensic Evidence Lab in Qatar.
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