New fingerprint system for forensic

With the current trend in crime and the need to boost police work, the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary Forensic and Science Division in Port Moresby have received a boost from the Australian Federal Police with the introduction of a new fingerprint analysis system called the Automated Fingerprint Identification System [AFIS].

The Police Forensic and Science Division underwent one-week training on how to use the system and while trailing out the new system, they have matched fingerprints to two suspects from unresolved cases from five years back.

The Automated Fingerprint Identification System is a digital system that compares fingerprints to an existing database and identifies crime suspects through biometric identification using algorithms to match fingerprints.

According to the contractor John Maloney from the Forensic Comparison System in Australia, all new fingerprint from suspects arrested must be stored in the system database in order to find matches.
He says the matching of fingerprints only takes a few minutes, compared to the past manual method of trying to find a match.

“Now this means the process of actually comparing and finding that fingerprint within the system goes n from hours and hours down to a few seconds with the new system in place.”

“It speeds up the investigations so the results can be achieved much quicker,” Said Maloney.

Officer in Charge for Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary Police Forensic and Science Division, Detective Sargent Jacob Ivaroa acknowledged the Australian Federal Police for their continuous contribution to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary over the years that have greatly impacted the work of PNG Police.

Detective Ivaroa said the introduction of the Digital fingerprint system will make work more efficient for his officers who have been relying on the manual method of analyzing fingerprints which has been slowing down work.

Mr. Ivaroa said, they currently have 26,000 fingerprints on their database and with new evidence coming in from crime scenes, it is likely that more suspects will be apprehended.

He has directed the investigating officers to pick up the suspects and that result has come about through the AFIS.

Meanwhile Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner to PNG, Jamie Strauss says it is requirement for all police station commanders to collect fingerprints from anyone who is arrested so it can be stored in the system data base.

“The most important thing the people of Papua New Guinea need to know is, the system will work, and it has already caught two people that the police are currently dealing with.

“My message to the public, stay away from crime because there will be no getting away with crime with this system in place,” Strauss said.

This is a head start for the Forensic team to unravel so many outstanding cases that lacked evidence over the years and with the current fingerprint analysis system, more suspects will be identified through digital fingerprint matching.