dr simon walsh, australian federal police - maximising the benefits of forensics to law enforcement
DESCRIPTION
Dr Simon Walsh, Chief Scientist Forensics, Australian Federal Police delivered the presentation at the 2014 Police Technology Forum. The Police Technology Forum 2014 seeks to address technology innovation, evolution and development within Australia’s law enforcement industry. In two days, a panel of experts gather to examine opportunities, initiatives and issues facing organisations both in front line policing as well as in wider law enforcement industry, including transport, border protection and surveillance. For more information about the event, please visit: http://www.informa.com.au/policetechforumTRANSCRIPT
UNCLASSIFIED
Maximising the Benefits of
Forensics to Law Enforcement
Simon Walsh PhD
Chief Scientist, Forensics
UNCLASSIFIED
Forensics
• Effective management of forensics must proceed out of a system-
wide awareness of its role and impact
This leads to a range of areas that forensic and law enforcement
professionals must comprehend and confront
• The relevant context is typified by distinct…
Technological,
Operational and
Socio-legal complexities
• The relevant context is investigative…
Seeking to provide answers to operational and legal enquiries
UNCLASSIFIED
Forensics
POLICE JUSTICE
FORENSIC SCIENCE
Walsh SJ. (2007) Current and future
trends in forensic molecular biology. In:
Rapely, R. and Whitehouse, D. (Ed).
Molecular Forensics. John Wiley & Sons:
London, pp. 1-20
UNCLASSIFIED
Forensics
POLICE JUSTICE
FORENSIC SCIENCE
Operational context:
• Mature users
• Mature technology
• Service driven (TATs)
• Outcome driven
Socio-Legal context:
• Expert Opinion
• Impartial
• Conclusive
• Address legal issues
Scientific context:
• Technology
• Scientific method
UNCLASSIFIED
Forensics
POLICE JUSTICE
FORENSIC SCIENCE
Operational context:
• Mature users
• Mature technology
• Service driven (TATs)
• Outcome driven
Socio-Legal context:
• Expert Opinion
• Impartial
• Conclusive
• Address legal issues
UNCLASSIFIED
“Forensics”: Pendulum Swing
POLICE SCIENCE SPECIALISED SCIENCE
FORENSIC SCIENCE
UNCLASSIFIED
Another Way to Think About it?
• Evidence items moving through multiple disciplines
• Repetition of core evidence examination steps
Segregated
• Disciplines operating separately in siloes
• Independent consideration of evidence
Independent
• Specialised skills dedicated to single discipline only
• Extensive quality assurance framework covering disciplines independently
Inflexible
• Stepwise analysis led to long turn-around times and backlogs
• Complicated customer interface frustrating for clients (investigators and courts)
Time Consuming
• Objective to produce sworn expert report and testimony
• Independent reports – multiple reports and experts in every case
Evidence-focussed
Traditional Forensic Business Model
UNCLASSIFIED
• Evidence items remain within a single laboratory precinct
• Core evidence examination steps executed once within 24 hours of submission
Integrated
• Default analysis involves multi-disciplinary expert teams working simultaneously
• Collective consideration of items facilitating knowledge-transfer and situational awareness
Collaborative
• Mandatory generic skills identified for all members
• Streamlined quality assurance framework eliminating duplication
Flexible
• Evidence recovery commences upon receipt or within initial 24 hours
• Single customer interface allowing clients direct access to experts
Responsive
• Collection and analysis of items uses potential intelligence value as first order consideration
• Intelligence officers embed with forensics producing forensic intelligence product
Intelligence-led
New Forensic Business Model
UNCLASSIFIED
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO DELIVER THIS
REFORM?
WORKFLOW AND WORK PRACTICES (INTEGRATED, COLLABORATIVE, RESPONSIVE)
Exhibit Registry
Fingerprints Exhibit
Registry Biology
Exhibit Registry
Check seals
Unseal
Record Examine
Re-seal and
re-lodge
Check seals
Unseal
Record Examine
Re-seal and
re-lodge
Check seals
Record Store and
Issue
Investigator Investigator
Check seals
Record Store and
Issue
Check seals
Record Store and
Issue
Previous AFP Exhibit Workflow
Current AFP Exhibit Workflow
Check seals
Unseal
Record Triage
Exam
Rapid Lab Exhibit Team
Rapid Lab Triage and Search
Team CSI/Investigator
Forensic Intel Cell
Other Discipline
s
Biology Finger prints
Previous Workforce Organisation
Current Workforce Organisation
Current Work Practices
• Mapping resources to demand within existing resources
• Attendance at 100% of ACT burglaries within the hour of reporting during rostered shifts
• Adoption by CSIs of a broader investigative mindset with an equal focus on evidence and intelligence collection
Increased recovery of evidence and
intelligence
Forensic Initiators:
• Fingerprints (NAFIS)
• DNA (NCIDD)
• Shoe marks (SICAR)
• Toolmarks
• Glass
• Handwriting (FISH)
• Chemical composition of physical evidence
• Fibres
• The ‘fluff’
Other Initiators:
• MO
• Geographical location
• Target type
• Time of day
• Number of offenders
Current Work Practices
• Improved communication within forensics
• Greater interaction with ACTP with an Intelligence Officer embedded within forensics
• Enhanced relationships with DPP and ACT Magistrates
Enhanced internal and external relationships
Operational Impact (ACT Region)
Reactive to ACTP targets and priorities
>5,000 cases triaged in Rapid
Lab
>15,000 items processed in
Rapid Lab
Conducted
‘Drive Through forensics’
Significantly reduced
Turnaround times
Intelligence Products produced for ACTP
Reduction in property crime rates
Discovery of unintended benefits
Positive feedback from ACTP
Burglary Rates Per Capita 2010-2011
Australian Bureau of Statistics, “Crime Victimisation, Australia”, 2010-11 (cat no.4530.0),
http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/[email protected]/Lookup/4530.0Main+Features12010-11?OpenDocument
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NSW Vic Qld SA WA Tas NT ACT Australia
Australian Bureau of Statistics, “Crime Victimisation, Australia”, 2011-12 (cat no.4530.0),
http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/[email protected]/ProductsbyReleaseDate/371CB1F33E24E682CA2579AA000F2C7F?OpenDo
cument
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NSW Vic Qld SA WA Tas NT ACT Australia
Burglary Rates Per Capita 2011-2012
Burglary rates per capita 2008-2012
Australian Bureau of Statistics, “Crime Victimisation, Australia”, 2011-12 (cat no.4530.0),
http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/[email protected]/ProductsbyReleaseDate/371CB1F33E24E682CA2579AA000F2C7F?OpenDo
cument
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO DELIVER THIS
REFORM?
CONSULTANCY (FLEXIBLE & ADAPTIVE, INTELLIGENCE-LED)
Consultancy Model
“Operations support capability owners should be
consulted early during the planning stage to determine
how each can be best utilised. Through the consultative
process the investigator should nominate objectives
required and operations support will determine the most
suitable approaches for achieving those objectives”
AFP Investigations Doctrine
Consultancy Model
•Borrowing from Dr Maria (CIO, ACC)…
“Speak English”
−Clear understanding of outcomes sought, priorities,
considerations and constraints
“Know where you want to end up”
−What does success look like?
−Very important for scientists!
−Fit-for-purpose vs. Fully evolved
“The importance of agility”
−Rapid prototyping
−Culture of innovation, action-oriented leadership, try-fail
Capability Management
•Well-understood notion of capability
Team Leaders as capability advisors
−Gateway to services
•Well-targeted investment in S&T, R&D, skills &
competencies
Drivers for R&D
−Increased value to operations
−Increased efficiency of operations
−Intelligence-oriented
−Field-deployable
−Innovative
Example: National Forensic Rapid Lab (NFRL)
•National Forensic Rapid Lab (NFRL) processes seizures
from parcel post for drug identification
•NFRL aims to:
Provide actionable intelligence to investigators
Produce operational actions to prevent, disrupt and detect
importation and distribution of illicit and novel drugs.
NFRL
SIG 4 Example Handwriting Example
National Forensic Rapid Lab (NFRL)
• 350-500 items seized p/w
• Examinations consist of:
Record/Image
− Packaging/concealment method (digitise)
− Consignor/consignee details
− Country of origin & destination State
Scan & compare handwriting
− ‘FISH’ handwriting comparison software – 1 day TAT
Enhance and record latent Fingerprints
− Stand-alone ULP-ULP comparison - rapid TAT
Drug Identification & record drug net weight
DNA Collection (for Intell. confirmation only)
First 6 months
• Seized over 500kg drugs
• Same day examinations and
turnaround (~100 items)
• DHI >$125 million
• Novel Drugs average 1 p/w
Fingerprints and Intelligence
• The database contains latent prints that are:
Only collected from parcels post seizures
Unidentified and likely from overseas perpetrators (no NAFIS comparison)
• Between 30 March and 30 Oct 2013
1667 latent impressions added to database
• Simplified examination and search procedure
Able to process 100 latent fingerprints within a few hours
• Images undergo minimal processing by specialists
Vertically aligned, cropped and rotated (max. 1000 dpi)
Identifier number added
Fingerprints and Intelligence
• Searching on Fingerprint DB
No search parameters entered i.e. pattern type, code minutiae
Search algorithm produces a prioritised list of match candidates
• Confirmation of match
Single fingerprint expert examines the reported match
Intelligence link between seizures are reported to NFRL
− Not for court purposes
• 40% link rate for ULP-ULP comparisons
Second highest link rate behind package morphology
− 60% link rate overall
• Future state
Upgrade to automatic latent processing
− NFRL technical officers can upload
Apply to other scenarios (crime types)
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO DELIVER THIS
REFORM?
QUALITY (SCIENCE CREDIBILITY)
February 2007 Simon J. Walsh – Biological Criminalistics
Operational Quality
•No longer and administrative process
•Operational Quality is
Process Driven
Inbuilt – Not an Extra
Aligned with AFP Strategic Principles & Forensic Principles
−Eliminate Duplication
−Flexible
−Intelligence Led
−Integrated
• Designed by Forensics members
Operational Quality: Fundamentals
• Good Laboratory Practices
Standard Work → Increased Efficiency
Reduce Variation → Reduce Waste
• Manage Change
Adds Value
Visible / Traceable
Compliant
• Quality Metrics
• Integrated System
• Risk Based Flexibility
Members Expertise
Appropriately Applied
Knowledge Based
Fit For Purpose
Responsive / Adaptive
Documented
• Root Cause Analysis
Determine the actual root cause
Effective CAPA
Reduce Risk
Operational Quality: Concept
Detect Examination of scene / item for relevant forensic material
Record Record the condition, position & location prior to collection
Collect Collection of the forensic material (all / sampling plan)
Triage Assess & decide what analysis to progress
Analyse Generate scientific data
Interpret Interpret scientific data, form both opinion & factual result
Report Document interpretations as a formal statement of fact or opinion based
report - includes interim, court & intelligence reports
QMS Change Control, Risk Management, Document Control etc.
Future State
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO DELIVER THIS
REFORM?
NEW PURPOSE-BUILT FORENSIC FACILITY (ALL OF THE ABOVE)
UNCLASSIFIED
Summary
•Revised Forensic model
Best of both worlds
−Specialist, operationally focussed capability
•Built around…
Support to operations
−Disruptive effect
Enhanced capability
−Dynamic, innovative
Science credibility
−Risk-based, empowered
Questions?