Archive for the ‘Crime Scenes’ Category

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Thanks from Kuils River CPF

Thu, Apr 21st, 2016

We recently received a wonderful thank you email from the Kuils River CPF following a DNA and crime scene awareness workshop we presented for them on the 12th of March 2016 that we wish to share…

“Good day Ms Moodley

I must share this with you.

The neighborhood watch members whom attended the DNA course. Had an opportunity to attend a crime scene before the police or any armed response companies and could secure and preserve the crime properly and done an excellent hand over of the scene to SAPS.

Thank you for the workshop the neighborhood watch members are now talking highly of the course and are encouraging other members to attend the next course.

Well done to DNA Project.

Kind Regards
Wesley Prinsloo“

Well done to the Kuils River CPF members on successfully securing their crime scene for the SAPS!

Kuils River CPF workshop presented by DNAP trainer Renate on 12 March 2016

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How dead pigs can help nail killers

Mon, Feb 29th, 2016

A pig’s carcass lies in a cage at a secret ­location on the Cape Flats. Weather-monitoring equipment is attached to the cage. (Devin Finaughty)

It is surprisingly difficult to find a place in Cape Town to leave a 60kg pig to rot. It cannot be close to water, in a residential area or anywhere near agricultural land – there are certain biohazard requirements.

It also has to be secure, so that none of the accompanying R46 000-worth of weather-monitoring equipment is stolen.

“This has been the most difficult part of my project,” says Devin Finaughty, a PhD candidate at the University of Cape Town (UCT).

Finaughty is investigating how human bodies decompose in the Cape, and a pig’s body is the closest to an actual human body when the latter can’t be used. He is quick to point out that his project has undergone rigorous ethical clearance.

We are sitting at the Rhodes Memorial Tea Garden, and overhead the mercurial Cape weather cannot decide whether it wants to rain.

Behind us, an eavesdropping elderly couple is torn between curiosity and disgust as we talk about dead bodies washing up on beaches, the life cycle of maggots and the bloating of corpses in a vlei.

Belinda Speed, another UCT PhD candidate investigating human decomposition, stirs her tea and pulls her cardigan closer around her.

“When we get bodies [in forensic pathology laboratories] that are decomposing, the main questions are: Who is it and how long have they been dead?” she says.

This is what Speed and Finaughty have set out to investigate: Finaughty on land and Speed in the turbulent Cape seas.

Environmental factors

Bodies decompose differently, depending on the environment that they are in, and this information is necessary to determine a time of death and, if foul play is suspected, to find the person responsible.

“The decomposition process is extremely varied and there are various factors that influence how a body decomposes,” says Dr Jolandie Myburgh, a senior technical assistant and lecturer at the University of Pretoria’s Forensic Anthropology Research Centre.

These factors include the humidity of the region, and the types of insects and animal scavengers in the area, among others.

From our vantage point at the Rhodes Memorial, we have a panoramic view from the Cape Flats through to the Helderberg and Hottentots-Holland mountains. The landscape is vivid under the heavy grey clouds. In the distance, the Indian and Atlantic oceans crash into each other.

Right now, somewhere in that landscape, there are four dead pigs spread over 10 acres in “a secure, private location on the Cape Flats”. Their carcasses are lying inside galvanised steel cages and Finaughty goes out to the sites daily to weigh them.

Weight loss over time is an indicator of the rate of decomposition, and he uses this information, in conjunction with the weather data, to model how the bodies decompose.

This is particularly important for an area like the Cape, which is a unique biome with endemic animals and plants.

“Because of the mountain, Cape Town has seven biogeoclimatic zones, so a body found on Table Mountain will decompose at a different rate to one in a forested kloof or the Cape Flats,” he says.

Red romans

In False Bay, Speed’s pig is suspended in a stainless steel cage and a camera light flashes periodically in the murky water. She chuckles: “red romans seem to love flashing lights, so there are lots of photos of red romans.”

Unlike Finaughty’s cage, which is a metal mesh, Speed’s looks more like a 1.7m x 1.6m x 1m prison cell. She starts off explaining the cage with her hands, but soon takes out her cellphone to show me pictures of it and a photo of a red roman.

It is blurry in murky water. “Mine has large bars, so that sharks can’t take a bite of it [the pig].”

Known as “pig lady” and sometimes “Babe” by the research diving unit, Speed says: “Because of the different bays and coastlines, we’ve had cases where pieces of human bodies and bones wash up on the beach.”

Her research aims to fill in many of the blanks about what happens to human bodies after they drown or are thrown or fall into the seas ­surrounding the Cape.

The area is unique because of the meeting of the two oceans. This affects what happens to a body, from the temperature of the water, its oxygen levels and salt content to how deep it is and how far the body is from the shore.

Knowing the extent to which these factors determine body decomposition will help forensic services and the police determine how long the person has been in the water.

“I will be overjoyed if I can fit a pig into a wet suit,” Speed says. She laughs at my surprise. “That is the kind of cases we’re getting – and a wet suit preserves the body in an amazing way. Animals can’t get into the wet suit and small fish can’t chew through.”

Pivotal insects

These small animals – both on land and in water – are pivotal to the decomposition process.

Finaughty’s work focuses on the insects that drive putrefaction.

There are internal decomposers, principally the bacteria in the digestive gut, as well as external insects and scavengers.

“[We] often talk about how the climate influences the rate of decomposition, but climate does it indirectly … [for example in terms of] the timing of flies depositing new eggs and the amount of bacteria growth,” Finaughty says.

“Yes, you can pull out individual variables, but if you want to make inferences about the system as a whole, you need to look at the whole system.”

Finaughty and Speed’s research adds to the work that has already been done on human body decomposition in the Cape.

“Currently, we only have data on decomposition patterns in Gauteng and the Cape,” says the University of Pretoria’s Myburgh, whose master’s thesis was on postmortem intervals in South Africa.

There are many different climates and environments in South Africa. “Ideally,” she says, “we would like to have data from all the various regions in South Africa so we can compare the body found to local data, which will minimise the degree of error from using decomposition data from a region with a completely different type of environment.”

SOURCE: This article was first published by the Mail & Guardian on 19 February 2016.

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Fingerprint brushes could transfer touch DNA, study says

Mon, Feb 15th, 2016

Locard’s Principle of Exchange has been an absolute fundamental in criminal forensics for a century. The concept that the perpetrator will always take traces of the victim and the scene with them, while leaving traces of themselves in exchange, is the basis of all modern investigation.

However, the principle has gotten a little more complex with how sensitive DNA tests have become in recent years. Secondary transfer of human DNA has been demonstrated through handshakes. Now, a study has found that fingerprint brushes used at crime scenes to find latent prints could actually be picking up and then dropping genetic material in different locations.

The DNA was found in low-copy number techniques, according to the Journal of Forensic Sciences study, authored by forensic scientists at Florida International University.

“The dusting of latent prints may dislodge cellular debris from the latent print or substrate. That debris then adheres to the brush,” they write. “This brush is then used on another item of evidence, or at another crime scene, where it is subject to the same mechanical maneuvering and where it can dislodge cellular debris, leaving traces of biological evidence not pertinent to the evidence being handled.”

The more-exacting polymerase chain reaction process of amplification led to detection of DNA transfer: in 5 of the 12 samples in the 28-cycle process, and a startling 10 of 12 tests using a post-PCR cleanup process.

But the risk of false associations based on the contaminated DNA was only “moderate,” considering their laboratory conditions and analytic procedures, they conclude.

Since the possibility exists, however, standard protocols to handling latent prints before DNA testing needs to be established to eliminate the possibility of false results.

“Under LCN conditions, it may be possible to obtain DNA results that are not relevant to the case due to a secondary transfer by fingerprint brush contamination,” they conclude. “Comparisons to these results may lead to matches or inclusions thereby potentially producing false associations between the evidence and crime scene.

“Improper procedures may lead to false exclusions or false association between evidence and crime scene,” they add.

Bruce McCord, the lead author of the study, and his team at Florida International University were the recipients of the most National Institute of Justice awards during 2015, totaling $1.5 million – partly for their DNA analysis work, and also for studies into forensic chemistry and other topics.

McCord told a university publication that he was working on a DNA analysis method for on-scene results within six minutes.

SOURCE: This article was first published online by Forensic Magazine on 12 February 2016 – http://www.forensicmag.com/articles/2016/02/fingerprint-brushes-could-transfer-touch-dna-study-says

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4 Critical CSI Techniques Used in Terror Investigations

Wed, Nov 18th, 2015

The evening of November 13, 2015, may have begun as unremarkably as any other. By the early hours of the morning, however, a night of revelry had turned into an unconscionable tragedy — and the catastrophic loss of 129 lives.

Whilst a terrorist attack is designed to provoke panic through calculated chaos, the events that unfolded were unfortunately an echo of those that have occurred prior (and simultaneously) — by a common, real enemy.

These events engender a full-scale, comprehensive criminal investigation — especially in the event that there are suspects still at large, or insiders with prior knowledge.

Here, we recount the techniques — proven critical to gathering intelligence in the Paris attacks (November 2015) — that are used in the course of processing these scenes.

1. Severed fingers: DNA technology.

Rather remarkably, a severed finger recovered at the site of the Bataclan theatre — the seat of violence in this particular incident — led French authorities to identify the first of seven terrorists involved in the attacks.

So how does the process of identifying an attack from a mutilated body part work? Unlike a trace of bodily fluid recovered from a cleaner scene, a whole severed finger provides a copious amount of deoxyribonucleic acid, or the human body’s “blueprint” molecule. This is highly variable among a group of unrelated individuals.

The assigned technician would not, however, sequence the entirety of the genome isolated from the finger. This would be expensive, and an altogether wasteful endeavour.

DNA contains repeated sequences, with regions containing short, repeating units or STRs. For a variety of reasons — including lower mutation rates and their considerably smaller size — these shorter sequences are used to genetically differentiate people.

2. The smoking gun: ballistics testing.

The terrorists were armed with high-powered automatic weapons, thought to be Kalashnikov assault rifles. Military-class firearms, like these rifles, are prohibited across most of Europe — which raises the question: where did these individuals purchase these weapons?

The obvious answer is the black market (purchase from an illegal weapons broker) or smuggling the rifles in from abroad. Various countries in Europe have different customs regulations, which may have made it difficult to curtail the import of these weapons.

To determine precisely what firearm was fired that evening (assuming they are all the same type) — and perhaps trace the origin of this weapons to aid the investigation — ballistics analysts must examine everything from the bullet trajectory to shell casings.

Surprisingly, each type of military bullet also has a separate wound profile. By looking closely at the injuries sustained by the victims, examiners may be able to develop a more complete picture of what weapon was used.

3. Very loud noises: explosives.

The detonation of explosives outside the 80,000 capacity Stade de France was perhaps the first sign of impending danger. At this point we know that these attacks were well-coordinated: all of the suicide bombers wore nearly identical explosive devices.

The waistcoats and belts used an explosive called TATP, and contained identical batteries and push-button detonators. Triacetate tiperoxide can be produced cheaply, and using certain household ingredients.

Most likely, it took a highly-specialised and trained group of fire and explosive analysts to examine the chemical traces, or explosive residue, left behind in the debris. Samples from the surrounding areas would be tested using a variety of methods to determine precisely what compounds were utilised in the attacks.

4. Cell chatter: cybersecurity.

Digital forensics and cybersecurity — both to prevent attacks like these, and to ensure that digital infrastructure is protected — have come to the fore.

To start, an intelligence “tip-off” in this realm often begins with detection of higher “chatter” or the sheer volume of intercepted communications. However, there is evidence that the NSA has created a supercomputer (alongside its listening posts) that goes several steps farther: it looks for patterns and reveals codes in this chatter to make better sense of it.

In this case, officials in the US and Europe did pick up chatter in September about these attacks.

SOURCE: This article was first published by Forensic Outreach

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DNA by the numbers

Thu, Nov 5th, 2015

Nowadays increasing numbers of evidentiary traces are collected at crime scenes and submitted for DNA analysis at the forensic laboratories. However, almost 50% of the analyzed DNA samples do not result in valuable DNA typing information (1) and a few studies show that the possibility to actually obtain usable DNA profiles can depend on the trace type (2,3). Evaluating the DNA results obtained for various sampled traces can provide us information on which traces are most promising to select for DNA analysis. Such information can guide crime scene investigators in decision-making.

The study

Six European forensic laboratories1 from the EUROFRGEN network, gathered DNA yields from over 24,466 crime-related samples that were categorized based on biological source or sampled item.  The category ‘sample type’ includes various biological sources such as bodily fluids and tissues and the category ‘sampled item’ includes several items sampled for either saliva or contact traces.

DNA yield was used to predict the DNA profiling result.  Four categories were chosen based on in-house experience: 1) full profile, 2) usable partial or full profile, 3) partial profile possibly useful, and 4) no informative profile. Details on this categorization can be found in Table 1. These four categories inform us which are the most promising samples to select for DNA analysis.

Observations and conclusions

A total of 44 categories were made for the overall categories ‘sample type’ and ‘sampled item’. The number of samples in each category varies from 18 to 7104 and the results represent trends. In Figure 1 for each sample category, the percentages of samples with an expected type of profile are shown: dark and middle green bars indicate full and usable profiles; a light bar represents possibly useful profiles and a brown bar marks the category no profile. Within the overall categories, the sample categories are ranked from lowest to highest percentage no profile expected.

When comparing sample types, we see for instance that for blood samples in 93% of the cases a full profile and in 4% no profiles may be obtained. For feaces samples, on the other hand, the percentage no profile is much higher namely 24%. This variation is also observed when comparing various sampled items likely to carry saliva or contact traces: the percentage in the ‘no profile’ category is 2% for balaclavas and 29% for bottle lids and 0% for coat collars and 44% for plastic bags.

The proximity, intensity and duration of contact seem to contribute to profiling success as saliva items balaclava, cigarette end, chewing gum and toothbrush and contact items such as collars and headwear give high percentages of full profiles.

When regarding all categories, the five most promising samples to select are muscles, blood, coat collars, cigarette ends and balaclavas. On the other end of the spectrum, the five least promising samples are hairs, plastic bags, bullets, touch traces various and grip traces various. Importantly, for all categories full and usable profiles are obtained. For the sampled item bag plastic for instance 44% of the samples categorize into ‘no  profile’ while 43% may result in a full profile.

The category ‘partial profile possibly useful’ presents uncertainty as at least a partial profile is expected but it is difficult to predict whether DNA results will be usable for comparison studies. Aspects such as the number of contributors to a profile and mixture ratios will have a role here. Notwithstanding, this collaborative study gives insight in the DNA results of the several traces and may assist crime scene investigators in their decision-making in which many other aspects such as the context of an item in to crime are relevant too.

… To continue reading the full article by Anna A. Mapes, please click here.

SOURCE: This article was first published by Forensic Magazine on 20 October 2015.

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Can you determine race from a fingerprint?

Wed, Sep 30th, 2015

For years, forensic scientists have studied differences between latent fingerprints and have used this information to identify unique patterns. Now, a new study takes a closer look at the minutiae of fingerprints and has come to an astounding conclusion: latent prints can provide clues to a person’s race.

The study in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology takes a new anthropological angle on a key identification method which may hold promise for law enforcement – and which has already attracted attention from several agencies, according to the researchers from North Carolina State University.

“By studying variation between groups, such as sexes and ancestry groups, on the basis of minutiae, this study provides information that is useful to latent fingerprint examiners,” said Nichole Fournier, lead author of the study, in an email to Forensic Magazine. “The results show that minutiae can tell us the probable ancestry of a person who leaves behind a latent fingerprint.”

The right index fingers of 243 individuals – split equally by gender, and between African-American and European-American backgrounds – were analyzed in the study. Level 1 details are pattern types and ridge counts.

But researchers focused on the Level 2 differences, which include bifurcations, where the ridge splits. These more-detailed factors were cross-referenced against the group’s identities. Gender did not result in significant differences in the prints – but race did, the scientists found.

“This is the first study to look at this issue at this level of detail, and the findings are extremely promising,” said Ann Ross, a North Carolina State professor of anthropology and the senior author of the study.

“But more work needs to be done,” Ross added. “We need to look at a much-larger sample size and evaluate individuals from more diverse ancestral backgrounds.”

The work, in part, answers the call of a scathing 2009 National Academy of Sciences report which called for further scientific research into forensic evidence collection and analysis, Fournier said. Fingerprints were one of the disciplines which were singled out in that report.

“Our study was in response to that call to action,” said Fournier.

Previous work by anthropologists had not been relevant to forensics because pattern type is not a trait used in fingerprint comparisons to identify latent prints at crime scenes, she added.

But now a more-complete picture of fingerprints could be coming into focus, Fournier said.

“This information is valuable evidence to corroborate the conclusion of a match based on a point-by-point comparison by a latent fingerprint examiner,” she said.

Other recent fingerprint advances have used mass spectrometry to hone in on trace amounts of material on the fingerprint, including narcotics, or hormones which could indicate gender. But they have not focused on the print pattern itself.

SOURCE: This article was first published by Forensic Magazine on 29 September 2015

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DNA Detective Prof Valerie Corfield explaining DNA technology

Wed, Sep 16th, 2015

Our very own and the original ‘DNA Detective’ Prof Valerie Corfield explains how applications of DNA technology are used to solve crimes in the following video created by the Public Understanding of Biotechnology (PUB) as part of a series on basic biotechnology.

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SAPS Forensic Services: Available Posts – August 2015

Mon, Aug 24th, 2015

New posts within the South African Police Service (SAPS) Forensic Services Division, under the Public Service Act, have been added to their website and are currently being advertised for August 2015 – http://www.saps.gov.za/careers/careers.php.

CLOSING DATE for all applications: 04 September 2015

PUBLIC SERVICE ACT POSTS

Click here to read the application process in terms of the Public Service Act.

Please download the full advertisement for all the new Public Service Act posts, including full requirements, core responsibilities, salary level and how to apply (PDF).

Download the official application form from the SAPS website.

The following posts are available:

FORENSIC SCIENCE LABORATORY

1. Post Title: Warrant Officer
Discipline: Case Reception and Registration
Component: Forensic Science Laboratory
Location of the post: Silverton: Pretoria (3 Posts) (Ref FS 700/2015)

2. Post Title: Warrant Officer
Discipline: Exhibit Management
Component: Forensic Science Laboratory
Location of the post: Silverton: Pretoria (2 Posts) (Ref FS 701/2015)

3. Post: Warrant Officer
Discipline: Case Management
Component: Forensic Science Laboratory
Location of the post:

  • Ballistics Section: Pretoria (2 Posts) (Ref FS 702/2015)
  • Scientific Analysis Section: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 703/2015)
  • Chemistry Section: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 704/2015)
  • Amanzimtoti: Kwazulu-Natal (3 Posts) (Ref FS 705/2015)
  • Plattekloof: Western Cape (6 Posts) (Ref FS 706/2015)

4. Post: Warrant Officer
Discipline: CCTV Operators: Supply Chain Management
Section: Nodal Support
Component: Forensic Science Laboratory
Location of the post:

  • Silverton: Pretoria (4 Posts) (Ref FS 707/2015)
  • Arcadia: Pretoria (4 Posts) (Ref FS 708/2015)
  • Piet Joubert Building: Pretoria (3 Posts) (Ref FS 709/2015)
  • Amanzimtoti: Kwazulu-Natal (6 Posts) (Ref FS 710/2015)
  • Port Elizabeth: Eastern Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 711/2015)
  • Plattekloof: Western Cape (4 Posts) (Ref FS 712/2015)

Component: Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management
Location of the post:

  • Bothongo Plaza: Pretoria (4 Posts) (Ref FS 713/2015)
  • Local Criminal Record Centre: Witbank (2 Posts) (Ref FS 714/2015)

5. Post: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Discipline: IBIS
Section: Ballistics
Component: Forensic Science Laboratory
Location of the post: Silverton: Pretoria (2 Posts) (Ref FS 715/2015)

6. Post Title: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Discipline: Ballistics Analysis
Component: Forensic Science Laboratory
Location of the post:

  • Silverton: Pretoria (5 Posts) (Ref FS 716/2015)
  • Port Elizabeth: Eastern Cape (2 Posts) (Ref FS 717/2015)
  • Amanzimtoti: Kwazulu-Natal (6 Posts) (Ref FS 718/2015)
  • Plattekloof: Western Cape (2 Posts) (Ref FS 719/2015)

7. Post Title: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Sub-Section: Mechanical & Metallurgical Engineering
Section: Regional Laboratory: Western Cape
Component: Forensic Science Laboratory
Location of the post: Plattekloof: Western Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 720/2015)

8. Post Title: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Discipline: DNA Analysis
Component: Forensic Science Laboratory
Location of the post:

  • Arcadia: Pretoria (30 Posts) (Ref FS 721/2015)
  • Port Elizabeth: Eastern Cape (10 Posts) (Ref FS 722/2015)
  • Amanzimtoti: Kwazulu-Natal (5 Posts) (Ref FS 723/2015)
  • Plattekloof: Western Cape (2 Posts) (Ref FS 724/2015)

9. Post Title: Warrant Officer
Discipline: Archiving: Archives and Disposals
Section: Chemistry
Component: Forensic Science Laboratory
Location of the post: Silverton: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 725/2015)

10.  Post Title: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Sub-Section: Drugs General: Chemical Analysis
Section: Chemistry
Component: Forensic Science Laboratory
Location of the post:

  • Silverton: Pretoria (3 Posts) (Ref FS 726/2015)
  • Port Elizabeth: Eastern Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 727/2015)
  • Plattekloof: Western Cape (11 Posts) (Ref FS 728/2015)

11. Post Title: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Discipline: Fire Investigation: Chemistry Investigation
Component: Forensic Science Laboratory
Location of the post:

  • Silverton: Pretoria (4 Posts) (Ref FS 729/2015)
  • Port Elizabeth: Eastern Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 730/2015)

12. Post Title: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Sub Section: Environmental Crimes: Material Analysis
Section: Scientific Analysis
Component: Forensic Science Laboratory
Location of the post: Silverton: Pretoria (6 Posts) (Ref FS 731/2015)

13. Post Title: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Sub Section: Image Analysis: Scientific Analysis
Section: Regional Laboratory: Western Cape
Component: Forensic Science Laboratory
Location of the post: Plattekloof: Western Cape (2 Posts) (Ref FS 732/2015)

14. Post Title: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Discipline: Questioned Document Analysis
Component: Forensic Science Laboratory
Location of the post:

  • Piet Joubert Building: Pretoria (3 Posts) (Ref FS 733/2015)
  • Port Elizabeth: Eastern Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 734/2015)
  • Amanzimtoti: Kwazulu-Natal (1 Post) (Ref FS 735/2015)
  • Plattekloof: Western Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 736/2015)

15. Post Title: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Sub-Section: Ante Mortem Facilitation
Section: Victim Identification Centre
Component: Forensic Science Laboratory
Location of the post:

  • Pretoria (4 Posts) (Ref FS 737/2015)
  • Plattekloof: Western Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 738/2015)

16. Post: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Sub Section: Post Mortem Facilitation: Crime Scene & Victim Recovery
Section: Victim Identification Centre
Component: Forensic Science Laboratory
Location of the post:

  • Pretoria (4 Posts) (Ref FS 739/2015)
  • Plattekloof: Western Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 740/2015)

17. Post: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Discipline: Forensic Anthropology: Specialized Identification Services
Component: Forensic Science Laboratory
Location of the post:

  • Pretoria (2 Posts) (Ref FS 741/2015)
  • Plattekloof: Western Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 742/2015)

18. Post: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Sub Section: Facial Reconstruction: Specialized Identification Services
Section: Victim Identification Centre
Component: Forensic Science Laboratory
Location of the post: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 743/2015)

19. Post: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Sub Section: Forensic Entomology: Specialized Identification Services
Section: Victim Identification Centre
Component: Forensic Science Laboratory
Location of the post: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 744/2015)

CRIMINAL RECORD & CRIME SCENE MANAGEMENT:

20. Post Title: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Discipline: Crime Scene Laboratory
Component: Criminal Record & Crime Scene Management
Location of the post:

  • Makhado: Limpopo (2 Posts) (Ref FS 745/2015)
  • Ermelo: Mpumalanga (1 Post) (Ref FS 746/2015)
  • Bellville: Western Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 747/2015)
  • Cape Town: Western Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 748/2015)
  • Mitchells Plain: Western Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 749/2015)
  • Oudtshoorn: Western Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 750/2015)
  • Jeffreysbay: Eastern Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 751/2015)
  • King Williamstown: Eastern Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 752/2015)
  • Mthatha: Eastern Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 753/2015)
  • Mount Road: Eastern Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 754/2015)

21. Post Title: Warrant Officer
Sub-Section: Police Clearance: Criminal Information Centre
Section: Centralized CRC
Component: Criminal Record & Crime Scene Management
Location of the post: National Office: Pretoria (4 Posts) (Ref FS 755/2015)

22. Post Title: Warrant Officer
Sub-Section: Record Tracing
Section: Centralized CRC
Component: Criminal Record & Crime Scene Management
Location of the post: National Office: Pretoria (4 Posts) (Ref FS 756/2015)

23. Post Title: Warrant Officer
Sub-Section: Electronic Archiving: Archives
Section: Criminalistic Bureau
Component: Criminal Record & Crime Scene Management
Location of the post: National Office: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 757/2015)

24. Post Title: Warrant Officer
Sub-Section: AFIS Coordination: Fingerprint Database Management
Section: Criminalistic Bureau
Component: Criminal Record & Crime Scene Management
Location of the post: National Office: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 758/2015)

25. Post Title: Warrant Officer
Sub-Section: FIPS Coordination: Adjudication & Expungement
Section: Criminalistic Bureau
Component: Criminal Record & Crime Scene Management
Location of the post: National Office:: Pretoria (2 Posts) (Ref FS 759/2015)

26. Post Title: Warrant Officer
Discipline: Crime Scene Investigation
Component: Criminal Record & Crime Scene Management
Location of the post:  Provincial CR & CSM:

  • Bloemfontein: Free State (2 Posts) (Ref FS 760/2015)
  • Johannesburg: Gauteng (1 Post) (Ref FS 761/2015)
  • Potchefstroom: North West (2 Posts) (Ref FS 762/2015)

27. Post Title: Warrant Officer
Sub-Section: Priority Crime Investigation
Discipline: Crime Scene Investigation
Component: Criminal Record & Crime Scene Management
Location of the post: National Office: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 763/2015)

28. Post Title: Warrant Officer
Sub-Section: Priority Crime Investigation
Discipline: Crime Scene Investigation
Component: Criminal Record & Crime Scene Management
Location of the post: National Office: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 764/2015)

29. Post Title: Warrant Officer
Discipline: Crime Scene Investigation
Component: Criminal Record & Crime Scene Management
Location of the post:
National Office:

  • Pretoria (2 posts) (Ref FS 765/2015)

Eastern Cape Province:

  • Cradock (1 Post) (Ref FS 766/2015)
  • East London (3 Posts) (Ref FS 767/2015)
  • Grahamstown (2 Posts) (Ref FS 768/2015)
  • Uitenhage (3 Posts) (Ref FS 769/2015)
  • Mthatha (3 Posts) (Ref FS 770/2015)
  • Mount Road (3 Posts) (Ref FS 771/2015)

Free State Province:

  • Park Road (5 Posts) (Ref FS 772/2015)
  • Welkom (3 Posts) (Ref FS 773/2015)
  • Selosesha (1 Post) (Ref FS 774/2015)
  • Kroonstad (1 Post) (Ref FS 775/2015)

Gauteng Province:

  • Ga-Rankuwa (6 Posts) (Ref FS 776/2015)
  • Kempton Park (4 Posts) (Ref FS 777/2015)
  • Pretoria North (2 Posts) (Ref FS 778/2015)
  • Vereeniging (2 Posts) (Ref FS 779/2015)
  • Johannesburg (2 Posts) (Ref FS 780/2015)
  • Krugersdorp (2 Posts) (Ref FS 781/2015)

KwaZulu Natal Province:

  • Durban (4 Posts) (Ref FS 782/2015)
  • Kokstad (2 Posts) (Ref FS 783/2015)
  • Ladysmith (3 Posts) (Ref FS 784/2015)
  • Mtubatuba (1 Post) (Ref FS 785/2015)
  • Newcastle (1 Post) (Ref FS 786/2015)
  • Nqutu (2 Posts) (Ref FS 787/2015)
  • Pietermaritzburg (2 Posts) (Ref FS 788/2015)
  • Port Shepstone (1 Post) (Ref FS 789/2015)
  • Richards Bay (1 Post) (Ref FS 790/2015)
  • Ulundi (2 Posts) (Ref FS 791/2015)
  • Vryheid (1 Post) (Ref FS 792/2015)

Limpopo Province:

  • Groblersdal (2 Posts) (Ref FS 793/2015)
  • Lebowakgomo (2 Posts) (Ref FS 794/2015)
  • Lephalale (1 Post) (Ref FS 795/2015)
  • Modimolle (1 Post) (Ref FS 796/2015)
  • Musina (2 Posts) (Ref FS 797/2015)
  • Thohoyandou (2 Posts) (Ref FS 798/2015)
  • Tzaneen (4 Posts) (Ref FS 799/2015)

Mpumalanga Province:

  • Nelspruit (2 Posts) (Ref FS 800/2015)
  • Witbank (3 Posts) (Ref FS 801/2015)
  • Secunda (1 Post) (Ref FS 802/2015)
  • Ermelo (2 Posts) (Ref FS 803/2015)
  • Lydenburg (2 Posts) (Ref FS 804/2015)
  • Acornhoek (1 Post) (Ref FS 805/2015)
  • Elukwatini (2 Posts) (Ref FS 806/2015)

North West Province:

  • Rustenburg (5 Posts) (Ref FS 807/2015)
  • Brits (4 Posts) (Ref FS 808/2015)
  • Vryburg (1 Post) (Ref FS 809/2015)
  • Mmabatho (3 Posts) (Ref FS 812/2015)
  • Potchefstroom (2 Posts) (Ref FS 813/2015)
  • Klerksdorp (2 Posts) (Ref FS 810/2015)
  • Lichtenburg (2 Posts) (Ref FS 811/2015)

Northern Cape Province:

  • Kimberley (2 Posts) (Ref FS 814/2015)
  • Upington (4 Posts) (Ref FS 815/2015)
  • Kuruman (2 Posts) (Ref FS 816/2015)
  • Kakamas (2 Posts) (Ref FS 817/2015)
  • Calvinia (1 Post) (Ref FS 818/2015)

Western Cape Province:

  • Bellville (2 Posts) (Ref FS 819/2015)
  • Cape Town (2 Posts) (Ref FS 820/2015)
  • Mitchells Plain (2 Posts) (Ref FS 821/2015)
  • George (1 Post) (Ref FS 822/2015)
  • Paarl (1 Post) (Ref FS 823/2015)
  • Somerset West (1 Post) (Ref FS 824/2015)
  • Vredenburg (1 Post) (Ref FS 825/2015)
  • Worcester (1 Post) (Ref FS 826/2015)
  • Oudtshoorn (1 Post) (Ref FS 827/2015)
  • Vredendal (1 Post) (Ref FS 828/2015)

30. Post Title: Warrant Officer
Discipline: Criminalistic Bureau
Component: Criminal Record & Crime Scene Management
Location of the post:
Eastern Cape Province:

  • Aliwal North (1 Post) (Ref FS 829/2015)
  • Cradock (1 Post) (Ref FS 830/2015)
  • East London (1 Post) (Ref FS 831/2015)
  • Graaff-Reinet (1 Post) (Ref FS 832/2015)
  • Grahamstown (1 Post) (Ref FS 833/2015)
  • Jeffreysbay (1 Post) (Ref FS 834/2015)
  • King William’s Town (1 Post) (Ref FS 835/2015)
  • Middelburg (1 Post) (Ref FS 836/2015)
  • Queenstown (1 Post) (Ref FS 837/2015)
  • Uitenhage (1 Post) (Ref FS 838/2015)
  • Mthatha (1 Post) (Ref FS 839/2015)
  • Mount Road (1 Post) (Ref FS 840/2015)

Free State Province:

  • Park Road (1 Post) (Ref FS 841/2015)
  • Welkom (1 Post) (Ref FS 842/2015)
  • Kroonstad (1 Post) (Ref FS 843/2015)
  • Bethlehem (1 Post) (Ref FS 844/2015)
  • Phudatjithaba (1 Post) (Ref FS 845/2015)
  • Zamdela (1 Post) (Ref FS 846/2015)
  • Selosesha (1 Post) (Ref FS 847/2015)

KwaZulu Natal Province:

  • Durban (2 Posts) (Ref FS 848/2015)
  • Kokstad (1 Post) (Ref FS 849/2015)
  • Ladysmith (2 Posts) (Ref FS 850/2015)
  • Newcastle (1 Post) (Ref FS 851/2015)
  • Pietermaritzburg (1 Post) (Ref FS 852/2015)
  • Port Shepstone (1 Post) (Ref FS 853/2015)
  • Richards Bay (1 Post) (Ref FS 854/2015)
  • Vryheid (1 Post) (Ref FS 855/2015)

Limpopo Province:

  • Polokwane (1 Post) (Ref FS 856/2015)
  • Giyani (1 Post) (Ref FS 857/2015)
  • Lebowakgomo (1 Post) (Ref FS 858/2015)
  • Lephalale (1 Post) (Ref FS 859/2015)
  • Makhado (1 Post) (Ref FS 860/2015)
  • Modimolle (1 Post) (Ref FS 861/2015)
  • Mokopane (1 Post) (Ref FS 862/2015)
  • Musina (1 Post) (Ref FS 863/2015)
  • Phalalborwa (1 Post) (Ref FS 864/2015)
  • Thabazimbi (1 Post) (Ref FS 865/2015)
  • Thohoyandou (1 Post) (Ref FS 866/2015)
  • Tzaneen (1 Post) (Ref FS 867/2015)

Mpumalanga Province:

  • Middelburg (1 Post) (Ref FS 868/2015)
  • Nelspruit (1 Post) (Ref FS 869/2015)
  • Witbank (1 Post) (Ref FS 870/2015)
  • Kwamahlanga (1 Post) (Ref FS 871/2015)
  • Secunda (1 Post) (Ref FS 872/2015)
  • Ermelo (1 Post) (Ref FS 873/2015)

North West Province:

  • Potchefstroom (1 Post) (Ref FS 874/2015)
  • Pudimoe (1 Post) (Ref FS 875/2015)
  • Brits (1 Post) (Ref FS 876/2015)
  • Vryburg (1 Post) (Ref FS 877/2015)
  • Klerksdorp (1 Post) (Ref FS 878/2015)
  • Lichtenburg (1 Post) (Ref FS 879/2015)
  • Mmabatho (1 Post) (Ref FS 880/2015)
  • Provincial CR & CSM: Potchefstroom (1 Post) (Ref FS 881/2015)

Northern Cape Province:

  • Provincial CR & CSM: Kimberley (2 Posts) (Ref FS 882/2015)
  • Kimberley (2 Posts) (Ref FS 883/2015)
  • Upington (2 Posts) (Ref FS 884/2015)
  • Kuruman (2 Posts) (Ref FS 885/2015)

Western Cape Province:

  • Provincial CR & CSM: Cape Town (2 Posts) (Ref FS 886/2015)
  • Bellville (1 Post) (Ref FS 887/2015)
  • Cape Town (1 Post) (Ref FS 888/2015)
  • Mitchells Plain (1 Post) (Ref FS 889/2015)
  • George (1 Post) (Ref FS 890/2015)
  • Paarl (1 Post) (Ref FS 891/2015)
  • Somerset West (1 Post) (Ref FS 892/2015)
  • Vredenburg (1 Post) (Ref FS 893/2015)
  • Worcester (1 Post) (Ref FS 894/2015)
  • Beaufort West (1 Post) (Ref FS 895/2015)

31. Post: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Sub-Section: Facial Identification: Crime Scene Investigation
Component: Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management
Location of the post:

  • Modimolle: Limpopo (1 Post) (Ref FS 896/2015)
  • Thohoyandou: Limpopo (1 Post) (Ref FS 897/2015)

32. Post: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Discipline: Environmental Compliance
Component: Quality Management
Location of the post:

  • Questioned Documents: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 898/2015)
  • Chemistry: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 899/2015)
  • Ballistics: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 900/2015)
  • Crime Scene Management: National Office: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 901/2015)

33. Post: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Discipline: Quality Assurance
Component: Quality Management
Location of the post:

  • Arcadia: Pretoria (2 Posts) (Ref FS 902/2015)
  • Ballistics: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 903/2015)
  • Criminalistic Bureau: National Office: Pretoria (2 Posts) (Ref FS 904/2015)
  • Crime Scene Management: National Office: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 905/2015)
  • Explosives: National Office: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 906/2015)

Provincial Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management:

  • King William’s Town: Eastern Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 907/2015)
  • Bloemfontein: Free State (1 Post) (Ref FS 908/2015)
  • Johannesburg: Gauteng (1 Post) (Ref FS 909/2015)
  • Durban: KwaZulu Natal (1 Post) (Ref FS 910/2015)
  • Polokwane: Limpopo (1 Post) (Ref FS 911/2015)
  • Middelburg: Mpumalanga (1 Post) (Ref FS 912/2015)
  • Potchefstroom: North West (1 Post) (Ref FS 913/2015)
  • Cape Town: Western Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 914/2015)

34. Post: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Discipline: Quality Control
Component: Quality Management
Location of the post:

  • Crime Scene Laboratories: National Office: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 915/2015)
  • Crime Scene Management: National Office: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 916/2015)

Provincial Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management:

  • King William’s Town: Eastern Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 917/2015)
  • Bloemfontein: Free State (1 Post) (Ref FS 918/2015)
  • Johannesburg: Gauteng (1 Post) (Ref FS 919/2015)
  • Durban: KwaZulu Natal (1 Post) (Ref FS 920/2015)
  • Polokwane: Limpopo (1 Post) (Ref FS 921/2015)
  • Middelburg: Mpumalanga (1 Post) (Ref FS 922/2015)
  • Kimberly: Northern Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 923/2015)
  • Potchefstroom: North West (1 Post) (Ref FS 924/2015)
  • Cape Town: Western Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 925/2015)

Regional Laboratory:

  • Biology: Amanzimtoti: KwaZulu Natal (1 Post) (Ref FS 926/2015)
  • Chemistry: Amanzimtoti: KwaZulu Natal (1 Post) (Ref FS 927/2015)
  • Ballistics: Amanzimtoti: KwaZulu Natal (1 Post) (Ref FS 928/2015)
  • Questioned Documents: Amanzimtoti: KwaZulu Natal (1 Post) (Ref FS 929/2015)
  • Biology: Port Elizabeth: Eastern Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 930/2015)
  • Chemistry: Port Elizabeth: Eastern Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 931/2015)
  • Biology: Plattekloof: Western Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 932/2015)
  • Chemistry: Plattekloof: Western Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 933/2015)
  • Ballistics: Plattekloof: Western Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 934/2015)
  • Questioned Documents: Plattekloof: Western Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 935/2015)

35. Post: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Discipline: Technical Management
Component: Quality Management
Location of the post:

  • Chemistry: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 936/2015)
  • Biology: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 937/2015)
  • Ballistics: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 938/2015)
  • Scientific Analysis: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 939/2015)

Regional Laboratory:

  • Biology: Port Elizabeth: Eastern Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 940/2015)
  • Chemistry: Port Elizabeth: Eastern Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 941/2015)
  • Ballistics: Port Elizabeth: Eastern Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 942/2015)
  • Questioned Documents: Port Elizabeth: Eastern Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 943/2015)
  • Ballistics: Amanzimtoti: KwaZulu Natal (2 Posts) (Ref FS 944/2015)
  • Questioned Documents: Amanzimtoti: KwaZulu Natal (1 Post) (Ref FS 947/2015)
  • Ballistics: Plattekloof: Western Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 948/2015)
  • Chemistry: Plattekloof: Western Cape (2 Posts) (Ref FS 949/2015)
  • Biology: Plattekloof: Western Cape (2 Posts) (Ref FS 950/2015)
  • Questioned Documents: Plattekloof: Western Cape (1Post) (Ref FS 951/2015)
  • Chemistry: Amanzimtoti: KwaZulu Natal (2 Posts) (Ref FS 945/2015)
  • Biology: Amanzimtoti: KwaZulu Natal (1 Post) (Ref FS 946/2015)

Provincial Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management:

  • King William’s Town: Eastern Cape (2 Posts) (Ref FS 952/2015)
  • Bloemfontein: Free State (2 Posts) (Ref FS 953/2015)
  • Johannesburg: Gauteng (2 Posts) (Ref FS 954/2015)
  • Durban: KwaZulu Natal (2 Posts) (Ref FS 955/2015)
  • Polokwane: Limpopo (2 Posts) (Ref FS 956/2015)
  • Middelburg: Mpumalanga (2 Posts) (Ref FS 957/2015)
  • Kimberly: Northern Cape (2 Posts) (Ref FS 958/2015)
  • Potchefstroom: North West (2 Posts) (Ref FS 959/2015)
  • Cape Town: Western Cape (2 Posts) (Ref FS 960/2015)

36. Post: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Discipline: Forensic Awareness
Section: Development Facilitation
Component: Quality Management
Location of the post:

  • Scientific Analysis: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 961/2015)
  • Victim Identification Centre: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 962/2015)

Regional Laboratory:

  • Ballistics: Port Elizabeth: Eastern Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 963/2015)
  • Chemistry: Port Elizabeth: Eastern Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 964/2015)
  • Questioned Documents: Port Elizabeth: Eastern Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 965/2015)
  • Chemistry: Amanzimtoti: KwaZulu Natal (1 Post) (Ref FS 966/2015)
  • Biology: Amanzimtoti: KwaZulu Natal (1 Post) (Ref FS 967/2015)
  • Chemistry: Plattekloof: Western Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 968/2015)
  • Ballistics: Plattekloof: Western Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 969/2015)
  • Questioned Documents: Plattekloof: Western Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 970/2015)

Provincial Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management:

  • Kimberly: Northern Cape (1 Post) (Ref FS 971/2015)

37. Post: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Discipline: Lead Investigation
Section: Forensic Database Management
Component: Quality Management
Location of the post: Arcadia: Pretoria (7 Posts) (Ref FS 972/2015)

38. Post: Forensic Analyst (Warrant Officer)
Sub-Section: Client Notification Services: Reporting & Liaison
Section: Forensic Database Management
Component: Quality Management
Location of the post: Arcadia: Pretoria (2 Posts) (Ref FS 973/2015)

SUPPORT SERVICES:

39. Post Title: Assistant Administration Officer (Sergeant)
Section: Support Services
Location of the post: Arcadia: Pretoria (1 Post) (Ref FS 974/2015)

GENERAL:

  • Only the official application form (available on the SAPS website and at SAPS recruitment offices) will be accepted. The Z83 previously utilized will no longer be accepted. All instructions on the application form must be adhered to and all previous/pending criminal/disciplinary convictions must be declared. Failure to do so may result in the rejection of the application.
  • The post particulars and reference number of the post must be correctly specified on the application form. A separate application form must be completed for each post.
  • A comprehensive Curriculum Vitae must be submitted together with the application form.
  • Certified copies (certification preferably by Police Officers) of an applicant’s ID document, motor vehicle driver’s license (Police Act appointments), Senior Certificate and all educational qualifications obtained together with the academic record (statement of results) thereof and service certificates of previous employers stating the occupation and the period, must also be submitted and attached to every application. The copies must be correctly certified on the copy itself, not at the back. The certification must not be older than three months. All qualifications and driver’s licenses submitted will be subjected to verification checking with the relevant institutions.
  • CANDIDATES ARE REQUESTED TO INITIAL EACH AND EVERY PAGE OF THE APPLICATION FORM, CV AND ALL ANNEXURES.
  • The closing date for the applications is 2015-09-04. Applications must be mailed timeously. Late applications will not be accepted or considered.
  • Appointments will be made in terms of the SAPS Act or Public Service Act as applicable to the post environment.
  • If a candidate is short-listed, it can be expected of him/her to undergo a personal interview.
  • Successful applicants to be appointed in terms of the South African Police Service Act, 1995 (Act no 68 of 1995) and applicants not yet appointed in terms of the South African Police Service Act, 1995 (Act no 68 of 1995) will have to undergo a medical examination and found to be medically fit. They will further have to comply with the prescripts on the SAPS Dress Order, whereby tattoos may not be visible when wearing uniform, must be willing to undergo the prescribed Introductory Police Development Learning Programme and are expected to work flexi hours or shifts in the execution of their duties.
  • The Criminal Law (Forensic Procedures) Amendment Act, Act 37 of 2013 requires that all new recruits (appointments) in the South African Police Service as from 31st of January 2015 provide a buccal sample in order to determine their forensic DNA profile. The forensic DNA profile derived from the sample will be loaded to the National Forensic DNA Database.
  • Short-listed candidates for appointment to certain identified posts, will be vetted in terms of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, 2007 (Act No 32 of 2007) and the Children’s Act, 2005 (Act No 38 of 2005). A candidate, whose particulars appear in either the National Register for Sex Offenders or Part B of the Child Protection Register, will be disqualified from appointment to that post.
  • All short-listed candidates will be subjected to fingerprint screening. Candidates will be subjected to a vetting process which will include security screening and fingerprint verification.
  • Correspondence will be conducted with successful candidates only. If you have not been contacted within three (3) months after the closing date of this advertisement, please accept that your application was unsuccessful.
  • The South African Police Service is under no obligation to fill a post after the advertisement thereof.
  • The South African Police Service is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and it is the intention to promote representivity in the Public Service through the filling of these posts. Persons whose transfer/appointment/promotion will promote representivity will therefore receive preference.

Applications and enquiries can be directed to:
Lt Colonel Klopper / Lt Moonsamy
Tel: (012) 421-0194
Tel: (012) 421-0584

Postal Address:
Private Bag X 322
PRETORIA
0001

Hand Delivery:
Cnr Beckett and Pretorius Street
Strelitzia Building
Arcadia

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Posted in Crime Scenes, Forensic Career, Latest News, Press | 5 Comments »

Identifying the Dead: Forensic Science and Human Identification online course

Wed, Aug 12th, 2015

Uncover a grave, examine remains and reveal the victim’s identity in this free online course, linked to a new Val McDermid story, that is being offered through FutureLearn.com by the University of Dundee.

Starting date: 7th of September 2015
Duration of course: 6-weeks
To register: Please visit https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/identifying-the-dead/

About the course

The first step in any investigation involving a death is to determine the identity of the deceased. This free online course will take you on a journey through the world of forensic anthropology, unveiling the tools that will allow you to reveal that identity.

Join forensic experts to identify the dead

In the shadow of Dundee’s Law Hill, a grim discovery demands the attention of forensic experts. Unidentified human remains have been found and the police need to identify the victim to move forward with their investigation.

After a meticulous recovery of the remains, it will be your job to:

  • document and attempt to explain any evidence of trauma;
  • identify the victim through biological profiling;
  • and undertake a facial reconstruction.

Experts from the University of Dundee’s award-winning Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification (CAHId) will guide you through the process of human identification.

They will introduce you to the fields of human identification; forensic anthropology and archaeology; craniofacial identification; and the study of the human body.

Evaluate evidence as the case unfolds

Week-by-week, the case will unfold, providing you with more information about the victim. You will be presented with theoretical material and hands-on learning opportunities, to evaluate the case information and use what you have learned, to piece together clues to the victim’s identity.

You will be able to discuss, with educators and others learners, your thoughts on the identity of the deceased, based on your evaluation of the evidence.

Get your own copy of the murder mystery

After you submit your evaluation of the victim’s identity, all will be revealed at the end of the final week. You can continue your journey into the life and death of our victim in your very own ebook copy of a specially-written murder mystery by international best-selling crime novelist Val McDermid.

Requirements

No special knowledge or previous experience of studying is required.

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Posted in Crime Scenes | 3 Comments »

Specialist police sniffer dogs lead to 215 arrests

Mon, Jun 29th, 2015

As long as crime has been fought, dogs have been used in the battle to keep lawlessness at bay. But mention a police dog and thoughts inevitably turn to that of a dog with its teeth bared, chasing down a criminal or keeping angry protesters at bay during riot control.

However, there is an elite group of 30 dogs in South Africa that never bare their teeth, and are usually friendly Border Collies or Labradors.

These are the dogs known as the biological, body fluid detection canines. They are specialised in detecting blood and semen. It is this ability that helps detectives solve crimes or gather vital evidence, especially in murder and rape cases.

National police spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo said in the year ended March 2015, these specialist canines were involved in almost 2 300 searches with 706 samples of blood or semen found and 215 suspects arrested.

There is one such dog at the Umzinto Dog Unit on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast. Paris loves nothing more than to chase down a tennis ball and bring it back to her handler, Warrant Officer Jason Reddy. However, the moment he puts her harness on, it is time to work seeking out blood or semen that is not readily visible.

K9 unit

What kind of dog is recruited to help the detectives?

“It has to be a dog with a friendly disposition. It also needs to be a dog that can get into small areas,” says Reddy, a 20-year veteran of the police. At least 18 of those years have been with the police dogs, or the K9 unit, as it is more commonly known.

Border Collies, Labradors and on occasion German Shepherd dogs are used. Paris is a black and white Border Collie with a little more than five years of service and, according to Reddy, has been the crucial link in a number of cases that have resulted in convictions.

In one case in which two girls were raped in Hibberdene on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast, Paris found a drop of blood that was not seen by the naked eye. The sample was taken and tested. The DNA from that small drop matched the DNA of a suspect already on the police’s database.

“That suspect had a previous conviction and we had his DNA on our database. He got 25 years,” said Reddy.

Paris has been trained to differentiate between human and animal samples. She can smell a pinprick-size sample of blood that is not visible to the human eye and can smell blood even if it has been washed away.

In a case where three people were killed in a hit-and-run accident, it was Paris’s sharp smelling ability that picked up the trace of blood inside a hole that would normally contain a screw holding the mud flap of the car that clinched the case. The driver, whom police suspected, had washed the car. The blood found by Paris was tested and found to belong to one of the three dead girls. Her sharp nose saw to it that the driver was convicted of culpable homicide.

Training

The dogs like Paris are picked once they are at least 14 months old and then undergo training at the police’s K9 Dog Training Academy in Roodeplaat in Pretoria.

Captain Cliffie Pillay, who is responsible for the police’s canines in KwaZulu-Natal, said the handlers of biological, body fluid detection canines must have had at least two years of experience as a dog handler.

Reddy was previously the handler of a dog trained to seek out explosives. And before he was teamed up with Paris, he too had to undergo training.

Reddy and Paris get called out once a day by detectives for murder cases or by the Family, Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit for rape cases.

In fact it was such a dog that was called out to help police last week in the hunt for two men who are alleged to have raped an American tourist in the Tsitsikamma National Park.

In one case where a couple was arrested for stabbing Umzinto grandmother Sushila Pillay, Paris located the alleged murder weapon – a knife – in the Umzinto River a week after the murder.

In Durban’s western suburb of Malvern, police had caught the suspect who had told them where he had thrown the knife used to stab a man. Officers could not find it in the open patch of land, but Paris found it still with the victim’s blood on it. While not necessary for the conviction, it solidified the case the police had against the man.

99% success rate

A quiet “Soek” from Reddy sends Paris looking for blood or semen, depending on what is required. When she finds it, she sits down at the spot. And that is when the forensics experts move in to confirm her good work and extract samples required for DNA testing.

In another case a woman who was raped repeatedly in a forest in Dududu near Umzinto was so distraught that she could not recall where in the forest the crime had occurred.

Reddy and Paris were called in and five different crime scenes in the forest were located by Paris.

Paris is expected to work for another five years at least, but even she is tested annually by Pillay to ensure that she is up to scratch.

According to Pillay, Paris will find that sample of blood or semen more than 99% of the time.

There are currently only two biological, body fluid detection canines working in KwaZulu-Natal, but according to Pillay there are plans to bring more of dogs like Paris to KwaZulu-Natal, so criminals beware.

This article was first published by News24.com on 21 June 2015

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