It’s fair to say forensics frequently takes its turn to be front and centre of news coverage, and why wouldn’t it? It underpins all our investigative efforts across policing. That’s why doing it as effectively as possible isn’t a ‘nice to do’, it’s a necessity.
What has been made clear in recent weeks is exactly what we are trying to overcome through the Transforming Forensics (TF) Programme, that this is an area, not just of policing, but also of the wider Criminal Justice System, where significant improvements can and need to be made.
This week started with media reports of the hot potato that is disclosure of evidence, but more to the point in this context, the question is how do we effectively manage the exponential growth of digital evidence?
Also this week, the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee didn’t shy away from painting a gloomy picture of the forensics landscape, but the report did little to offer any effective solutions.
And last week the Government released its Joint Review into Forensic Science outlining the need for a new way of thinking – a new mind set. But more to the point, it also released its associated Implementation Plan.
Of the 13 actions outlined, eight are directly linked with the creation of, or management through the Forensic Capability Network (FCN).
This is clear evidence of not just the appetite for change but of the mechanism for making it happen, a mechanism that TF is making a reality.
We’re already making great progress in establishing and offering services that will ultimately be managed by the FCN.
Next month we will release the FCN Prospectus which will define the services offered and make clear the mechanisms for their delivery. This has been guided directly by your input reinforcing it as an entity created for the community by the community.