Personnel

Technical Management of ForensicScience laboratories must have relevant scientific qualifications and appropriate forensic experience. 

7.1 Laboratory Director

The Laboratory Director is defined as the person with direct operational control of the laboratory. He/she must have a minimum of M.Sc. degree. However, it is desirable to have

PhD degree and additional qualifications in management and administration with sufficient experience.

He/she must be knowledgeable of the scientific functions and forensic aspects of the laboratory's work, preferably through experience as a forensic scientist. Where the forensic science laboratory is a part of the parent organization, the Laboratory Director does not necessarily have to be the Director or the parent organization.

7.2 Reporting Officers

The reporting officer shall have the qualifications and experience as given below for each subdiscipline.

a. Physics

The minimum qualification for the reporting officer shall be Graduate in Science with Physics as one of the subjects or equivalent from a recognized university with atleast five years

experience in relevant field or postgraduate in physics/specialization in relevant field or equivalent from a recognized university with atleast two years experience in relevant field.

b. Chemistry and Explosives

The minimum qualification for the reporting officer shall be 

Graduate in Science with Chemistry as one of the subjects or equivalent from a recognized university with atleast five years experience in relevant field or postgraduate in chemistry/ specialization in relevant field or equivalent from a recognized university with atleast two years experience in relevant field.

c. Toxicology

The minimum qualification for the reporting officer shall be Graduate in Science with Chemistry/ biochemistry as one of the subjects or equivalent from a recognized university with atleast five years experience in relevant field or postgraduate in chemistry / biochemistry / specialization in relevant field or equivalent from a recognized university with atleast two years

experience in relevant field.Toxicologists must be competent to perform qualitative analyses for drugs, metabolites and

other toxic substances in biological materials. They must also be 

able to make a systematic search for such substances and apply appropriate extractive and separatory procedures.

d. Biology and Serology


The minimum qualification for the reporting officer shall be Graduate in Science with Biology as one of the subjects or equivalent from a recognized university with atleast five years experience in relevant field or postgraduate in any biological 
science / specialization in relevant field or equivalent from a recognized university with at least two years experience in relevant field. Serologists must have a knowledge of basic biological sciences and sufficient knowledge of chemistry to understand the procedures used. They must also have adequate knowledge of the statistics used in forensic serology.

e. Ballistics


The minimum qualification for the reporting officer shall be Graduate in Science with Physics as one of the subjects or equivalent from a recognized university with atleast five years experience in relevant field or postgraduate in   physics/ specialization in relevant field or equivalent from a recognized university with atleast two years experience in relevant field.
Ballistic Examiners must have adequate knowledge of microscopy, special lighting techniques,preparation of impressions or casts, techniques of comparative examination and the concept

of individualization. They must also have adequate knowledge of 

the nomenclature, and operation of firearms, bullet and cartridge case comparisons, powder and shot patterns,distance determinations and types of firearm determination from a 
discharged cartridge case or bullet.

f. Questioned Documents

The minimum qualification for the reporting officer shall be Graduate in Science with Physics / Chemistry as one of the subjects or equivalent from a recognized university with atleast five years experience in relevant field or postgraduate in Physics/ Chemistry / specialization in relevant field or equivalent from a recognized university with atleast two years experience in relevant field.

Questioned Document Examiners must have knowledge of the principles of photography,microscopy, comparative examination and individualization. They must also have adequate

knowledge of writing or printing instruments, ink, paper and copying processes.

g. DNA Finger Printing

The minimum qualification for the reporting officer shall be 

Graduate in Biological science /Forensic science with genetics as one of the subjects or equivalent from a recognized university with at least five years experience in relevant field or postgraduate in Biological science / Forensic science / specialization in genetics or relevant field or equivalent from are recognized university with at least two years experience in relevant field. He/she must have knowledge of scientific literature, procedures and practices relevant to DNA testing. They must have necessary skills to evaluate and interpret results of those tests. They must also have an adequate knowledge of population genetics and  the statistics used in forensic DNA examinations.

h. Forensic Psychology

The minimum qualification for the reporting officer shall be postgraduate in Psychology / specialization in relevant field or equivalent from a recognized university with at least two years experience in relevant field.

i. Fingerprints

The minimum qualification for the reporting officer shall be Graduate in Science from a recognized university with at least five years experience in relevant field or postgraduate in science with specialization in relevant field or equivalent from a 

recognized university with at least two years experience in relevant field. They must have adequate knowledge of comparative examination  techniques, methods of processing, recovering and presentation of latest prints.

j. Forensic Electronics

The minimum qualification for the reporting officer shall be Graduate in Science with Physics /Mathematics / Electronics / Computer Science as one of the subjects or equivalent from a

recognized university with at least five years experience in relevant field or postgraduate in Physics / Mathematics / Electronics/ Computer Science specialization in relevant field or

 degree in Engineering / Technology in Electrical / Electronics / Computer Science or equivalent from a recognized university with at least two years experience in relevant field.They must have knowledge of the principles of digital processing, exhibit handling, software / hardware analysis, data retrieval etc.

k. Crime Scene Investigation

The minimum qualification for the reporting officer shall be Graduate in Science from are recognized university with at least five years experience in relevant field or postgraduate in science with specialization in relevant field or equivalent from a recognized university with at least two years experience in relevant field.Crime Scene investigators should possess extensive experience and be trained in the discipline. They must be competent in the application of principles of crime scene photographer, scene examination, exhibit handling, safety and must  have adequate knowledge of other discipline. They should be competent to independently perform the assessment of crime scene.In addition, every reporting officer must have a good understanding of the principles, uses and

limitations of the instruments and the methods and procedures applied to the tasks performed.

7.3 Supporting Personnel (Non-Testifying Staff)

Support personnel must meet the requirements of their job descriptions. The job description and the duties performed must be in agreement.New members of staff, independent of previous experience, qualifications, must have satisfactorily completed laboratory‟s training program before being authorized to work independently.