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Saudi Gazette report
Most criminals – be they small time offenders like pickpockets or hard-core criminals such as murderers and rapists — go to great lengths to cover up their acts so there is no trace of feasible evidence left at the crime scene. TV shows such as “CSI” have shed light on the jobs of crime scene investigators and the technological and scientific advances that allow them to gather sufficient incriminating evidence. In the Kingdom, experts at the Criminal Evidence Department use advanced technology to solve crimes and crack even the hardest of cases. Al-Riyadh daily visited the Riyadh-based headquarters of the Criminal Evidence Department and spoke to several experts there.
Maj. Gen. Ahmad Asiri, director of the department, said when a crime has been reported, crime scene investigators rush to the scene to gather fingerprints and conduct tests. They analyze the entire scene looking for any leads that will help them crack the case and unravel the circumstances that led to the crime. The experts help detectives decide whether an individual has committed a particular crime or not.
“We have state-of-the-art laboratories and devices as well as experts with academic qualifications in different fields. The goal is fight crime and new criminal methods ensure that justice prevails in society,” Maj. Gen. Asiri stressed.
The department has a division dedicated to conducting technical tests to detect counterfeit and forgery activities. The role of the division is to run different types of tests on official documents and banknotes that are suspected of being forged.
“A person’s handwriting can be analyzed to see if he or she was the one who really signed a document. The same tests can be run on banknotes and other types of official documents such as passports, residence permits and driving licenses,” explained Maj. Gen. Muhammad Al-Ayouni, head of the division.
The division also has advanced systems for voice biometrics and all forms of forgery associated with it. These systems have helped investigators nab many blackmailers.
Crime labs
Laboratories with advanced equipment to run forensic, medical and chemical tests are arguably most important in solving a crime. Firearms, ammunition, currencies and machines are tested at these laboratories. The experts in crime labs are responsible for all material evidence at the crime scene and determining the cause of death or injury. They are also in charge of looking into evidence related to terrorist, sexual violence and robbery cases.
“Within the laboratories division, there are subdivisions that run drug tests as well as tests related to hereditary factors,” said Brig. Muhammad Asiri, head of the division.
The Forensic Chemistry Division provides a wide array of services, mainly running tests and analyses for any material that is found at a crime scene to determine its type and origin. It also plays a key role in arson cases to see if any explosives or accelerants (materials that quicken the spread of fires) were used. It also examines car accident scenes and suicide cases and provides investigators with useful information, explained Col. Ahmad Al-Janoubi, head of the division.
The Firearm Investigation Division examines all types of firearms and investigates whether firearms were used to commit a crime. Special microscopes are used to examine the cartridges and chambers as well as the range of shooting and the direction of a bullet, said Col. Fahad Al-Ghafili, head of the division.
The division has several experts responsible for determining the type of a firearm and bullets and where they were made.
Any case involving computer systems, programs and communications networks will be analyzed by the Cybercrime Division, said Col. Abdulrahman Al-Harbi, head of the division.
“We offer advice to protect databases and find suitable solutions to any problems related to information technology. We examine communications networks to see if they were used to commit a cybercrime,” he added.
