Bridging Expertise: Collaborative Forensics at The NBIFL, Helsinki

I'm thrilled to share insights from my recent visit to the Keskusrikospoliisi - National Bureau of Investigation - Forensic Laboratory (NBIFL).

"The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is a national unit of the Finnish Police operating across Finland and dealing with a wide range of duties. We detect and investigate serious, organised and professional crime and further develop methods of combating crime, that is to say, criminal investigation and criminal intelligence. We also provide specialist services in combating crime for other authorities." https://poliisi.fi/en/national-bureau-of-investigation

Over the past couple of days, I had the fantastic opportunity to collaborate with an examiner on the brink of becoming an expert. As part of her progression, she needs to complete a research project or literature review. When asked if I had a topic that could intertwine with my PhD, it opened the door for another exciting collaboration, this time with the Finland!

Together, we're exploring forensic judgments made during each step of the ACE (Analysis, Comparison, and Evaluation) process. Our goal is to develop a 'toolkit' to assist examiners in honing their reasoning skills throughout these stages

During my visit, we had the chance to discuss our idea with Tom Busey and Meredith Coon, a Researcher and an Examiner from the USA, drawing insights from their recent publication "Not all identification conclusions are equal: Quantifying the strength of fingerprint decisions".

As we are looking at ways to deconstruct 'ACE' to provide more qualified judgments, human-based and computer-assisted, it was great to discuss our ideas with experts in the field. Importantly, I always aim to create new networks and bridge gaps between industry and research, expanding the network beyond borders and fostering connections among us all.

The visit was also an opportunity to present our successful European Network of Forensic Science Institutes - ENFSI MP2022 proposal, "Strengthening the Reliability of Forensic Methodology and Opinions Through Computer-Assisted Consensus". I'm proud to announce that this proposal was among the seven successful applications, with €103,000 being awarded to support the initiative. This project will roll out in January 2024 over the course of two years, in collaboration with the Keskusrikospoliisi - National Bureau of Investigation, Aldo Mattei of the RaCIS, Arma die Carabinieri, and the Université de Lausanne , with my esteemed colleague Didier Meuwly at the Nederlands Forensisch Instituut , supervising our wonderful project.

The project aims to strengthen the method (ACE-V) and the examiners opinions through a computer-assisted consensus, focusing on the feature-comparison methodology (ACE-V) used by forensic fingerprint examiners. The proposal aligns perfectly with the action items of the EFSA 2.0 action plan “Vision of the European Forensic Science Area 2023 – Improving the Reliability and Validity of Forensic Science and Fostering the Implementation of Emerging Technologies,” which we introduced to the examiners during the visit.

Our initiative aims to equip forensic examiners with emerging tools and knowledge for the digital age, integrating artificial intelligence and biometric technologies. Our communication strategy includes presentations, working groups, online reports, workshops, and academic publications to reach the forensic community, policymakers, and the public.

Future plans involve expanding the framework to other feature-comparison disciplines and EU countries, with a detailed strategy outlining steps for sustainability and continuation.

I would like to extend my gratitude to the Keskusrikospoliisi - National Bureau of Investigation, for their warm hospitality, in particular the Laboratoy Director Teppo Talka , and the group Manager Matti Karjalainen. A special shoutout to the examiners who offered me their time and gave me a walkthrough of their new AFIS interface, provided by 金雅拓 – the interface allows examiners to document their ‘ACE’ and includes tools like GYRO, LSU, and a fully digital documentation system. Having an AFIS background – it’s humbling to see the potential these systems have for meeting best practice, but also for the development of their staff on the AFIS!

A special shoutout to Rebecca Bucht , who has not only played a pivotal role in the success of this proposal, but also in the connectivity and fruitful collaboration I now have with the examiners at the NBIFL.?

I eagerly await the positive impact these collaborations and projects will have on the field of forensic science!

?#ForensicScience #Collaboration #Research #Innovation #EFSA2030

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