Crime scene investigation and the trial process of criminal cases are likely to enter a new era at the end of next year when the police department expects to be geared up with state-of-the-art forensic laboratories and a comprehensive national database of criminals.

The long overdue modern forensic labs and the centralised criminal database to some extent will ease dependency on the present testimony-based trial process that leaves room for a relatively large margin of error in identifying offenders or innocent people, said experts.

With this end in view, the police headquarters have already been working on several projects that include installing of a brand-new modern forensic laboratory in Chittagong and modernisation of the existing onelocated at Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters at Malibagh in the capital city, said CID officials.

The chemical laboratory of CID

at Mohaldiall where crime related physiological examinations are conducted will also be equipped with high-tech equipment to ensure accuracy, they added

Saiful Alam, deputy inspector general (DIG) of CID, told The Daily Star, "Work is underway to install the modern forensic laboratory in Chittagong, scheduled to be open in December next year."

An initiative has also been taken to bring the country's lone DNA lab at Dhaka Medical College Hospital under the direct administration of the police headquarters, said sources at the police headquarters adding that the lab is currently under women and children affairs ministry.

Explaining the present state of the CID, that handles only a handful of the country's most critical cases, DIG Saiful said, "The department only has some ordinary equipment for fingerprinting, foot printing, ballistics testing, detecting counterfeit bank notes and coins and matching handwritings through micro analysis -- which are

considered to be technologies of the 60s."

The situation is quite pitiful at other departments of police. Although most police stations in the country are provided with fingerprinting kits, the kits mostly lay unused as only a few police officials have the proper training on how’to collect fingerprints or footprints.

As opposed to the CID s requirement of 10 evidence collection vans, it presently has only one such vehicle. As part of the modernisation project, the CID will purchase three such vans for the Chittagong forensic lab and one each for six of its divisional offices, said sources at the CID.

Once the modernisation is complete, latest technologies such as Automated Finger Print Identification System (AFIS) and Integrated Ballistic Identification System (ABIS) will be introduced in the country for the first time, said Saiful Alam adding, "A modern computer laboratory will also be

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installed at the CID head office in Malibagh to check cyber crime."

Acknowledging that the absence of a comprehensive criminal database is a major drawback of crime investigation in the country, the DIG said a national database consisting details of around 1 lakh criminals including the hardcore ones will be developed soon.

The database will enable field investigators access and verify vital information of offenders or suspects promptly, he added.

Lack of comprehensive information of a criminal can lead to failure on a law enforcer's part to promptly identify an offender, said a number of CID officials.

Even if a criminal walks down the 'hallway of a police station right this mortient. it is highly probable that no law enforcer will be able to identify the criminal, they added.

Prosecutors with the help of biometric and other evidences analysed at the modem forensic labs will be able to put together airtight cases against rapists, murderers and arsonists, said the CID officials adding that many of these criminals are repeat offenders and sometimes walk away without being convicted as the law enforcers presently lack modem took and facilities to tie them to the crimes the)' had committed.

The CID officials also said criminals almost always leave a trail of their handiwork and evidence on the crime scene - blood, semen, hair, skin, nail scrapings, fingerprints, footprints, bite marks on the victims' body, etc

Other forms of evidence left on the crime scene may include tool marks, fabric impressions, tyre

marks, gunshot residues, arson accelerant, paint, glass, etc, they said.

Upon the modernisation of the forensic lab in Dhaka and installing of the new forensic lab in Chittagong and the computer lab at CID headquarters, the CID will have the capac -ity to track down offenders by examining the evidence and samples collected from a crime scene.

"Although it's like finding a needle in a haystack, the search for such crucial evidence is a routine procedure in modem crime scene investigation. Once the evidence is gathered. it is analysed by forensic experts and put through DNA (deoxyribonu -cleic acid) tests that can provide precise evidence against criminals,” said a top CID official.

However, "it's crucial that the first officer reaching the crime scene properly protect the area to restrict access and prevent contamination of evidence. The entire investigation hinges on that first person being able to properly identify, isolate and secure the scene by establishing a restneted perimeter, mainly with a rope, tape or barriers."

"But most of our police personnel do not even know how to secure a scene to prevent evidence from being tampered with or destroyed inadvertently," said another official.

Hubert Staberhofer, Programme Manager of Police Reform Programme (PRP) of the government, said under the PRE case investigators will receive training so that they can properly identify, isolate and spri irp thp «rpnp