Building the business
Forensic Foundations has grown significantly during 2019 and as a result we have had to restructure our operations. We currently engage with over 25 professionals to deliver our range of programs, some directly employed, others engaged on as needs basis. Read more about our wonderful team here.
Anna Davey remains Director, Dale Parsell remains Quality Manager however a number of new positions have been created:
- Manager, Audit and Compliance Programs, held by Maritta Parsell
- Assistant Manager, Proficiency Testing Programs, held by Ben Davey.
- Professional Consultants – these positions are held by individuals who work with Forensic Foundations on a casual basis, but whose work takes them overseas so are required to be employees of the organisation. Currently, Dr Peter Gunn and Ms Pam Scott have been employed on that basis. A number of other individuals are expected to join us in this capacity in 2020 as our overseas works continues to expand.
We have a number of colleagues who work with us on a regular basis including Mr Michael Holohan, Dr Anne Wallace and Ms Susanne Stark and our panel of Disciple Specific Experts has also grown and is still growing. Currently, the panel includes:
Forensic Biology including DNA | Dr Henry Roberts, Dr Tony Raymond, Ms Pam Scott |
Bloodstain pattern analysis | Dr Tony Raymond, Dr Mark Reynolds |
Fingerprint detection and examination | Mr Ian Forester, Mr Romain Steiner, Dr Sebastien Moret |
Forensic Chemistry | Prof Paul Kirkbride, Prof Claude Roux, Dr Xanthe Spindler |
Forensic Document Examination | Mr John McGinn, Ms Tonya Trubshoe |
Digital Forensics | Mr Paul Reedy |
And we mustn’t forget our extremely valuable Panel of Advisors which includes Mr Alastair Ross, Mr Geoff Johnson, Dr Henry Roberts, Prof Paul Kirkbride, Dr Hilton Kobus, Dr Tony Raymond and Dr Anne Wallace. This group of individuals give excellent advice both on a regular and on as needs basis to the management of Forensic Foundations.
We are always looking for enthusiastic forensic practitioners of all persuasions (science, medicine and law) to join the team, so if you would like to discuss how you would see yourself fitting in, please get in touch.
Quality Management
External Auditing in conjunction with Bureau Veritas to ISO 18385 – 18385 ‘Minimizing the risk of human DNA contamination in products used to collect, store and analyze biological material for forensic purposes’.
Forensic Foundations and Bureau Veritas are currently the only providers for certification to this standard. As at December 2019 there are six companies certified to ISO18385 (Australia, USA, Germany, UK and China) with another five part way through the process (Australia, UK and China) and a further eight companies who have made enquiries. Detail of companies who hold certification can be found at here
Consulting
In 2019 we were involved in a number of consulting activities, however our major consulting activity in 2019 was three months(!) with the Myanmar Police Force Forensic DNA Department and Criminal Investigation Department. Reda more about this project here. This project took Anna to Myanmar for one three-week and one nine-week period, Peter Gunn for two weeks and Maritta Parsell for one week, and topics covered included Forensic DNA interpretation and reporting, together with the underpinning issues of collection, contamination minimisation and quality management.
The Forensic DNA Department was formed in 2016 with the intention
‘To make a positive contribution to society by using science responsibility and ethically to help create a safer and more secure our country(sic). We also strive to advance the cause of justice through the use of technologically advanced products and services.’
The seven participants covered an enormous amount of information during this period and justly deserved the certificates with which they were presented at a special ceremony held in their honour.
In 2020, we are expecting that we will be involved in at least two overseas consultancies and will be able to provide you with more detail, once the arrangements have been confirmed.
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Photos: County Court of Victoria. Used with permission.
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