FIVE crime scene examiners assigned to the Forensic Unit at the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) have been certified as crime scene analysts by the International Association for Identification (IAI).

Deniece Beaumont-Walters, Alicia Brown, Kathrina Graham, Philip Anderson, and Peter Parkinson applied and were notified of their success in June.

A media release from INDECOM said the five have been with the commission for four to six years, and are all holders of academic degrees, with four having masters in forensic science.

Speaking at a commendation luncheon held this month to congratulate the representatives, INDECOM Commissioner Terrence Williams said that professional certification for the members of the forensic unit was always a goal once funding became available.

“Continuous technical training of all members of INDECOM’s Operational Divisions is something I strongly believe in. Forensics has become even more critical in many of the incidents that we investigate and so certification from an international body will also reassure people that our team is adequately trained and experienced in their fields. The Department for International Development, one of our international donor funders, continues to support the development of the commission,” he said.

In preparation for certification, each crime scene examiner had to have a minimum of three years in crime scene-related activities and had to complete a minimum of 96 hours of Crime Scene Certification Board approved instruction in crime scene-related courses within the last five years. The candidates then had to achieve an overall score of 75 per cent or more in a four-hour multiple choice exam consisting of 300 questions.

The IAI Crime Scene Analyst Certification is valid for five years.

The International Association for Identification is a professional membership organisation. Based in Florida, United States, it comprises individuals worldwide who work in the field of forensic identification.

The IAI remains the oldest and largest forensic science identification association in the world. The successful INDECOM candidates have been members of the association since 2014.