Oct 29, 2018 | Uncategorized
From 29 October – 1 November 2018, in Guyana and from 5 – 7 November in St Kitts and Nevis, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), in collaboration with the Governments of Guyana and St Kitts and Nevis, conducted an assessment on the physical ballistic samples available to create open case files (OCF) in both States. OCFs are a collection of ammunition components, fired bullets, cartridge cases, etc. that derive from an ‘outstanding’ or ‘unrecovered’ firearm. OCFs assist firearms examiners in linking seemingly unrelated crime scenes where firearms were used.
Phase 3 of UNLIREC’s project on Combatting Illicit Firearms and Ammunition Trafficking in the Caribbean Through Operational Forensic Ballistics, seeks to develop physical OCFs to improve the ability of both States to link gun crimes and reduce impunity. OCFs are an obvious step to take for Police or national laboratories to collate all crime scene bullets and cartridge cases where no gun has been recovered. An OCF provides an immediate intelligence product as to whether a gun has a history of use.
UNLIREC Technical advisers together with the firearm examiners and related staff of the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory and Royal St Kitts and Nevis Police Force participated in the review of storage practices, unsolved crime cases and associated firearms related evidence available to create an OCF.
During Phase 1 and 2 of the Operational Forensic Ballistic assistance package, Guyana and St Kitts and Nevis received support through training in forensic ballistic Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), the development of an internal testing tool to prepare firearm examiners for proficiency testing and the procurement of a containerized test firing range (Guyana). Phase 3 in both countries focuses on the creation of an OCF and is made possible thanks to the support of the government of the United States of America.
UNLIREC, as the regional organ of the UN Office for Disarmament, seeks to advance the cause of practical disarmament in Latin America and the Caribbean as part of its commitment to support Member States in their implementation of international disarmament and non-proliferation instruments, in particular, the 2001 UN Programme of Action on Small Arms.
Oct 26, 2018 | Uncategorized
The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) in collaboration with the National Police of Colombia, conducted the Firearms and Ammunition Evidence Management Course (EMC) at the “Simón Bolívar” Police Academy located in Tuluá, Valle del Cauca.
In this edition of the EMC, held for the first time in Colombia, over thirty civil servants from the National Police and the Prosecutor’s Office were trained. During the course they received theoretical and practical training in identifying firearms and ammunition, good practices for ensuring appropriate crime scene management, evidence processing and analysis, as well as the correct application of the chain-of-custody system, among other useful tools to improve investigation processes and intelligence related to cases involving firearms and ammunition.
The course boasted the participation of a varied group of civil servants. Included in the group were patrollers, first responders, experts, police personnel specialized in the areas of criminal and ballistic investigation, as well as regional prosecutors from Valle del Cauca.
As part of the development of EMC and the cross-cutting theme of this course, the importance of incorporating the gender perspective in criminal investigation processes was emphasized. Similarly, participants were urged to strengthen communication and cooperation among all stakeholders in the different stages of judicial investigation in order to optimize their collective and individual efforts in dealing with firearm-related offences. Special attention should be placed on cases of gender-based violence, in this way contributing to a reduction in levels of impunity and an increase in levels of citizen confidence in justice and security institutions.
To conclude, the Director of the “Simón Bolívar” Police Academy, expressed his gratitude to UNLIREC for organizing this course, highlighting the strategic importance this kind of specialized training holds for the National Police. Not only does it align with institutional priorities, but it also contributes to the capacity building of police personnel and other civil servants, allowing them to provide better service to the communities.
This activity was prepared as part of the “Building Momentum for the Regional Implementation of A/RES/65/69 on Women, Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Arms Control” project, which is implemented thanks to the financial assistance of the Government of Canada.
Sep 26, 2018 | Uncategorized
From September 26 – October 1, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), in collaboration with Energy Containment Concepts of England, completed the refurbishment, training and handing over of the Indoor Test Firing Range at the Institute of Forensic Science and Legal Medicine, Jamaica.
In 2015, UNLIREC conducted Technical Assessments of the Institute of Forensic Science and Legal Medicine (IFSLM) to determine the Forensic Ballistics Capabilities and Future Requirements of the Governments of Jamaica. The findings of the assessment noted that in the test firing areas of both the IFS and the FLA, internal sound-proofing is required in order to protect the long-term hearing of the personnel responsible for such work.
UNLIREC engaged an internationally recognized leader in the installation of firearm ranges to supply and install acoustic surfacing panels designed to reduce and absorb reflected sound on the perimeter walls and non-skid anti-ricochet rubber mats on the floor.
The refurbished facility would significantly reduce health and safety concerns, boost the morale and efficiency of the Forensic Firearms Examiners, and improve the Institute of Forensic Science and Legal Medicine’s forensic ballistic capacity. Test firing and function testing practices will now take place in a more secure ballistic facility.
The refurbished test firing range is one of several activities provided under the Operational Forensic Ballistic assistance package sponsored by Canada. Other assistance to Jamaica included the donation of Bullettrax bullet analysis equipment, training in forensic ballistic Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), the development of an internal testing tool to prepare firearm examiners for proficiency testing and shooting incident reconstruction training.
UNLIREC, as the regional organ of the UN Office for Disarmament, seeks to advance the cause of practical disarmament in Latin America and the Caribbean as part of its commitment to support Member States in their implementation of international disarmament and non-proliferation instruments, in particular, the 2001 UN Programme of Action on Small Arms.
Sep 17, 2018 | Uncategorized
News article to be posted on Monday, 5 November 2018.
Sep 17, 2018 | Uncategorized
News article to be posted on Monday, 5 November 2018.
Aug 23, 2018 | Uncategorized
The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) continues to support State efforts to achieve effective implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). Against this backdrop, UNLIREC and Guatemala’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized two workshops. The first aimed at establishing a National Control Authority responsible for ATT implementation (20-21 August) while the second focused on the creation of national control lists in compliance with ATT provisions (23 August). Both workshops targeted national authorities from sectors in charge of controlling conventional arms transfers or from other areas responsible for ATT implementation.
In addition, UNLIREC presented the Treaty obligations regarding the establishment of a national control system. Such a system must include not only a national control authority responsible for evaluating arms transfers but also a national control list.
Guatemala’s current situation was analyzed alongside the ATT obligations at both events. Similar examples were then presented and served as the basis for identifying the model best suited to the country’s needs and resources.
The discussions held during both workshops will continue in September at the roundtable for the development of a national control list, thereby signalling the end of the VTF project’s activities aimed at effective national ATT implementation.
Participants included the Directorate-General for Arms and Ammunition Control (DIGECAM), National Civil Police, Guatemalan Tax Authority (SAT), INTERPOL, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of the Interior, as well as various departments and divisions of the Ministry of Defence, such as the Military Industry, Ammunition Manufacturing, Restricted Items, Military Equipment and Military Intelligence, etc.
All project-related activities were funded by the ATT Voluntary Trust Fund (VTF), of which Guatemala is a beneficiary and in which UNLIREC, at the request of the Guatemalan authorities, is an implementing partner.
