The Arlington Police Department earned an international certification in Forensic Inspection after successfully completing all the requirements from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) American Society for Quality (ASQ) National Accreditation Board (ANAB).
The ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that provides accreditation services to public safety organizations and other private partners. This accreditation provides formal recognition for the Arlington Police Department's Crime Scene Unit. The accreditation process involved a thorough evaluation of the Crime Scene Unit's management practices, personnel qualifications, technical procedures, quality assurance program and laboratory facilities.
Forensic work related to law enforcement investigations are a crucial component to the overall criminal justice system. Maintaining a superior standard and subscribing to best practices are paramount to maintaining the public's trust and successfully presenting cases for prosecution.
APD's Crime Scene Unit has been accredited since 2005 by another accrediting body and currently maintains dual accreditations with the new addition of this recognition. The previous accreditation is maintained under ASCLD-LAB America Society of Crime Laboratory Directors. With this new accreditation, the department is positioned well into the future and reinforces the department's commitment to excellence.
"The collection and preservation of evidence is one of the most critical tasks that occur during any criminal investigation," said Police Chief Will Johnson. "Our Crime Scene Unit personnel have worked extremely hard during the accreditation process to ensure we were successful, and I am very proud of their efforts and professionalism," he said. The successful prosecution of a case can hinge on effective evidence collection and evidence management processes. This accreditation demonstrates the department's ability to consistently approach this very important task from a proven best practices methodology.
Here are the specifics related to this new accreditation:
- ANSI-ASQ ISO/IEC 17020 Laboratory Accreditation.
- Evaluated on crime scene investigation, latent print examination, tenprints comparison, firearms, and controlled substances.
- This certification is specifically designed for police forensic units.
- The technical competence recognized was in the field of Forensic Inspection.
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