Support Albania’s Law Enforcement Authorities to Strengthen Firearms Criminality Evidence Management and Investigation Capacities

The Roadmap project “Support Albania’s Law Enforcement Authorities to Strengthen Firearms Criminality Evidence Management and Investigation Capacities” enhanced the capacities of the Albanian State Police and its Institute of the Scientific Police to operate with higher standards and more effective procedures in the area of criminal investigation through new or upgraded standard operating procedures for Crime Scene Investigation (CSI), improved collection, management and storage of ballistic evidence, and provision of necessary equipment for CSI and ballistic analysis. 

The project contributed to Roadmap Goals 1, 2, 5.

Key results achieved:

  • The sub-project ensured that the Albanian Institute of Scientific Police (AISP) operates with a set of new or upgraded standard operating procedures. Four standard operating procedures were developed, tackling the chain of custody, crime scene investigation, tagging and packaging of evidence and the development of an Open Case File (OCF) for ballistic examination. 80 staff members of CSI units from across Albania and AISP ballistics personnel were trained on the use of new SOPs. In addition, other relevant SOPs were reviewed and amended relating to ballistic examination, biological examination and DNA and evidence administration.
  • The AISP was equipped with a comprehensive set of specialized equipment, which increase the quality and efficiency of the crime scene investigations and DNA examinations, resulting in more reliable and accurate evidence. The provided equipment initially included 5 sets of IT equipment, 1 thermal vision camera, 1 bone grinder for DNA extraction, 1 chronograph to measure the velocity of projectiles, 1 ultrasonic cleaner for bullets, 1 gun vise for capturing metal materials, 3 electronic calibers for measuring bullets, and 1 electronic weight scale. This was complemented with additional pieces of equipment for the CSI Units, including seven specialized CSI kits, an UPS 20 Kva, and five laser distance measuring devices. Furthermore, 3D scanners were provided to the State Police as an effective tool to enhance the crime scene investigation capacities, and seven (7) police officers from the AISP and CSI Units from the Regional Police Directorates of Tirana and Durres were trained on their use. 
  • The sub-project also increased technical resources in the field of crime scene investigations for the CSI Unit of the Tirana Police Directorate. The CSI Sector of the Tirana Police Directorate received necessary equipment to improve the collection, management and storage of evidence. This included a polygon test firing, scanner for falsified documents, microscope, six toolkits for CSI, a video projector, two weapons racks, an ammo rack, five storage racks, 15 computer sets, 15 office tablets, a refrigerator for DNA, a safe, reception desk, metal door, 15 workstations (tables, chairs), five office cabinets.
  • It supported the development and installation of the LIMS and OCF database in the AISP. The Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) is a software that will help improve chain of custody and processing of evidence. Some important benefits include: the elimination / reduction of paperwork, expedited retrieval, tracking of each process and element in the chain of custody, bidirectional linking with other instruments, high quality output of reports and statistics, etc. Training on the use of LIMS was concluded for 148 Police Officers - 48 Police Officers from the AISP and 100 Police Officers from the regional CSI units. The sub-project also provided necessary equipment for the well-functioning of the LIMS. This included one storage for the LIMS system, a licensed firewall software enabling online work of tablets for LIMS, and three IT equipment sets.
  • Further, the AISP was equipped with storage equipment for storing bullets and cartridges. The ballistic sector of AISP was provided with a ballistics water tank to enhance the processing of firearm evidence to internationally recognized standards. The water tank protects the tracks left on fired bullets and cartridges and enhances the processing of firearm evidence to internationally recognized standards. Five police officers from the Ballistic Sector were trained and certified in the use of the ballistic water tank. In addition, the AISP was equipped with 1 comparative macroscope for ballistic examination and 5 stereoscopic trinocular microscopes that will increase the efficiency of ballistic analysis, given that the AISP has been using 25-year-old microscopes. Five police officers from the Ballistic Sector were trained on the use of the comparative macroscope. Additional equipment to the Ballistic Sector to help improve the working conditions of the ballistic experts and quality of ballistic operations. This entailed four sets of office furniture, 20 metal shelves; two workbenches for ballistic examination with the respective tools; one electronic laser marker for marking ballistic material evidence; five earplugs and protective goggles for use during polygon shooting; five scaling sets (meters) to take photos of evidence, and the catalogue of weapons in the country – FRT and Cartwin Pro.

Budget: US$1,234,571

Implementing period: December 2019 – December 2022