From 11 to 14 of April, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), in collaboration with the Government of Guyana carried out a series of hands-on forensic ballistics training exercises in Georgetown. These exercises represent the second round of assistance held under the framework of UNLIREC’s Caribbean Operational Forensic Ballistics Assistance Package, which is made possible thanks to the support of the US Department of State and the Government of Canada.
The training exercises enabled 8 officers from the Guyana Police Force Crime laboratory to gain in-depth knowledge on specific UNLIREC Standard Operating Procedures, such as forensic examination of firearms and small arms ammunition, validation of scientific methods, range of fire determination (shot pattern) and health and safety during forensic processes. The activities also included a series of practical exercises including the examination and subsequent identification of firearms and their parts and components using best practice pro formas as well as exercises on validation and calibration protocols. Participants were also exposed to a real case scenario and taught to calculate the range of fire. The exercises provided participants with the opportunity to exchange best practices, discuss challenges faced in the field as well as practice new methods and technology in order to build more substantial cases and solid evidence.
For the third round of project assistance to the Government of Guyana, UNLIREC will be promoting the implementation of a series of collaborative exercises derived from forensic ballistic SOPs as a tool for determining staff competencies in key functional areas.
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.
For more information on UNLIREC visit (www.unlirec.org). Please direct all questions or inquiries to Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer (cowl@unlirec.org).