ANAB and NFSTC Support Central American Crime Labs

ANAB and the National Forensic Science Technology Center (NFSTC) are partnering to expand forensic service accreditation internationally.

The combination of ANAB’s accreditation expertise and NFSTC’s international business reach will bring the best knowledge and practice to laboratories outside the United States.

NFSTC is currently working with crime laboratories and crime scene professionals from Central America to improve practice and expand DNA analysis capabilities through training and consulting. This work, funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), includes Costa Rica, El Salvador, Panama, Guatemala, Belize and Honduras. Portions of the work include preparation for accreditation to ISO/IEC 17020 and ISO/IEC 17025, the international standards for bodies performing inspection and for testing and calibration laboratories, respectively.

“Our work includes bringing high quality forensic skills and practices to the forensic service professional, and preparing their organizations to meet worldwide standards now and in the future,” Kevin Lothridge, CEO of NFSTC, said. “Working with our partners at ANAB ensures they will understand these standards and processes, and have the ability to continue to meet them.”

This new partnership with ANAB will bring top-notch accreditation training, preparations and assessments to these laboratories. ANAB’s training will provide practitioners with thorough knowledge of standards and practice, and produce skilled local auditors who can continue to monitor and assess the laboratories.

“ANAB welcomes the opportunity to work with NFSTC to expand and support sound practices by forensic service providers internationally,” Pam Sale, ANAB Vice President, Forensics, said. “Reliable results from accredited forensic laboratories are a critical component of law enforcement and criminal justice systems.”

Achieving forensic laboratory accreditation involves a significant investment by the communities and professionals involved. Once accredited, the laboratories will be recognized for their quality and serve to improve and lead the way for justice systems in Central America.

The National Forensic Science Technology Center (NFSTC) provides quality forensic services including training, consulting, technology evaluation to the justice, forensic science and defense communities. NFSTC is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation headquartered in Largo, FL. For more information, visit www.nfstc.org.