VICENZA, Italy - A total of 34 Iraqi military personnel have been trained on the basic principles of crime scene preservation, including the collection and management of evidence.
Two sessions of a five-day practical and theoretical course (conducted in November) provided military first responders with the necessary information on how to secure a crime scene until specialists can take over and conduct forensic investigation.
Each training week included a full day of practice in a military training field where participants dealt with a range of scenarios and applied their newfound knowledge.
The training course was carried out at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Stability Policing Centre of Excellence (SPCOE) in Vicenza, Italy, with all instructors and lecturers drawn from NATO member countries.
Connecting military and law enforcement investigations
The training course forms part of the INTERPOL Battlefield Evidence Collection project. This project focuses on counter-terrorism activities with an emphasis on creating links and sharing information between Green and Blue (military and law enforcement) actors.
The overall objective of the project is to improve the collection of evidence from the battlefield environment in conflict zones and sensitive sites, with a view to identifying individuals connected to serious crimes, terrorism and war crimes.
A unique partnership
The INTERPOL Battlefield Evidence Pilot Project is a first-of-its-kind partnership that aims to create a comprehensive response to a complex phenomenon.
A tripartite initiative, it is initiated and funded by the European Commission's Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO), and implemented by INTERPOL in association with the NATO SPCOE.
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