PFWG met after 3 years

Members of the Pacific Forensic Working Group (PFWG) met in Nadi this past week after a lapse of three years.

The PFWG is a regional body under the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police to enhance sustainable police forensic capability by identifying and implementing sustainable forensic capacity building activities for the Pacific region.

During the past three years, a number of changes were implemented to the PFWG structure to reflect the diverse range of disciplines within the forensic profession.

The Director of the Fiji Police Forensic Sciences Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Margaret Marshall holds the PFWG sub chair for the Fingerprints Association while the Crime Scene Association sub chair is held by the Palau Buerau of Public Security and the sub chair for Digital Forensics is held by the RSIPF.

The meeting held in Nadi and funded by the Pacific Police Development Program – Regional (PPDP – R) was also attended by members of the Australian Federal Police International Forensic Engagement team.

The meet was an opportunity to discuss in detail their respective roles and what they consider a priority for the PFWG for the year ahead.

Following the meeting in Nadi the Samoa Police, Prisons & Corrections Services Director Forensic Superintendent Tipasa Matamu and AFP advisor to the Samoa Police Mr Garry Turnbull visited the Forensic Sciences Services Headquarters in Nasova where they were briefed on the operations of the Unit.

A computer to be used for the Automated Fingerprint Identification System was handed over by AFP’s Ms Racheal Morton.