3
rd YEAR REVIEW OF THE SCRO FINGERPRINTS
BUREAU
PRIMARY INSPECTION OF 2000
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 2000 PRIMARY INSPECTION
Recommendation 1 - HMIC recommends that the SCRO
oversight management structure be reformed as part of
repositioning SCRO within a new Common Police Services
arrangement. (paragraph 2.7.5)
SCRO Position
The recommendation focuses on the role of the SCRO
Executive Committee.
In order to address this recommendation the Executive
Committee now includes a representative from COSLA and the
chairperson no longer changes annually. These adaptations
provide stability and knowledge of ongoing issues. The
Chair holds a prominent position and represents the
interests of the Executive Committee. In support of the
Executive Committee a new Management Committee has been
formed the members of which are selected and appointed by
individual Chief Constables. The Chairperson of the
Management Committee is a senior representative from Police
Division of the Scottish Executive. The remit of the
Management Committee being to fully address all issues
which are to be presented to the Executive Committee thus
streamline the decision-making process.
Documentary evidence is contained within Executive
Committee and Management Committee Minutes.
HMIC Comment
The introduction of the SCRO Executive and Management
Committee structure was seen by HMIC at the time of the
Primary Inspection as offering only limited improvement.
Since then it is acknowledged that further changes have
been made to improve continuity and to widen membership of
the Committees. The outcome of the ongoing review of Common
Police Services should impact significantly on the existing
committee structure. It is therefore not considered
appropriate for further changes to take place pending that
outcome. HMIC notes the positive progress that has been
made and will revisit this area at the next primary
inspection.
Recommendation 2 - HMIC recommends that the post
and role of quality assurance officer and training
officer be separated. (paragraph 2.12.1)
SCRO Position
A Quality Assurance Officer and Training Officer have
been appointed. Since these appointments a further Training
Officer and Training Co-ordinator have been added to the
staff to provide adequate training resources within the
Glasgow Bureau, while providing support and assistance to
staff within the wider Scottish Fingerprint Service.
Economies of scale necessitate the combined
responsibility of Quality Assurance and Training Officer
within the other three Bureaux within the four Bureaux
model. This structure has enabled the delivery of
consistent, standardised, high quality training across the
Service.
The increase in training capacity will enable effective
co-ordination of training for additional trainee
fingerprint officers recruited across the service. A
programme of refresher training to be conducted throughout
the service is in the process of being developed.
The total commitment to Quality Assurance and Training
across the Service amounts to seven full time positions.
This adequately meets the needs for future recruitment and
refresher training.
HMIC Comment
HMIC recognises that SCRO has invested heavily in this
area and excellent progress has been made. Given the
staffing levels at the Bureaux out with Glasgow it is
acknowledged that separating the role of Quality Assurance
and Training is not practical. The Quality Assurance
Officer based at Glasgow maintains an oversight across the
Scottish Fingerprint Service and is free of training
responsibilities to concentrate on this role. This
recommendation is discharged.
Recommendation 3 - HMIC recommends that a
centralised model for a national fingerprint service be
considered. (paragraph 2.15.11)
SCRO Position
The Change Management Review Team report of 2000
concluded that the perceived issues of efficiency and
integrity within the Scottish Fingerprint Service precluded
the existing Bureaux structure. A four-centre delivery
model was deemed most appropriate contained within a
centralised management structure from SCRO. This
restructuring is complete with Bureaux located in Aberdeen,
Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow. A Head of Scottish
Fingerprint Service has been appointed to manage the
necessary change.
In order to standardise the service delivery a National
Procedures Manual has been produced ensuring commonality
throughout the Service. Compliance is ensured by Quality
Assurance and training support across the Service. Staff
have been encouraged to register with the Council for
Registration of Forensic Practitioners. To date 65% of
staff across the Scottish Fingerprint Service have achieved
or are working towards membership. This figure rises to 85%
for the Glasgow Bureau.
Registration coupled with standardised training at the
National Training Centre, Durham and annual external
testing through Collaborative Testing Services for all
fingerprint experts across the Scottish Fingerprint Service
provides independent confirmation that standards are met
and being maintained.
The corporate identity of the Scottish Fingerprint
Service will continue to evolve and include centralised
recruitment job descriptions and pay scales.
HMIC Comment
The changes to structure implemented reflect the
recommendations of the Change Management Review Team
(CMRT). This structure is still developing and there is a
clear determination amongst SCRO senior management and in
particular the head of the Scottish Fingerprint Service
(SFS) to drive further change and to strengthen corporate
identity as alluded to. The proposal to transfer in 2003/4
the budgets for the fingerprint bureaux in Lothian and
Borders, Tayside and Grampian Police to centralised control
will further assist to secure the stability and
independence of the fingerprints service and allow optimum
resource management. Clearly the ongoing review of Common
Police services will impact on development and structure.
This recommendation is discharged.
Recommendation 4 - HMIC recommends that the APRT
scope the demands now and into the near future to
determine the staff levels required. This exercise
should include maximising the value that fingerprint
evidence has for the prevention and detection of crime
and take full account of available and emerging
technological advances. (paragraph 3.1.8)
SCRO Position
The Change Management Review Team undertook a scoping
study to identify desired staffing levels within the
Scottish Fingerprint Service. The resulting establishment
number was based on the work of Professor Tilley and Ms
Helen McCulloch of the Home Office Policing and Reducing
Crime Unit published in the paper entitled "Report on
Effectiveness and Efficiency in Obtaining Fingerprint
Idents". Current staff numbers fall well short of the
desired numbers identified by the Change Management Review
Team. A documented plan to recruit staff across the
Scottish Fingerprint Service has been introduced. New staff
will be phased in over a three-year period. Initial
recruitment and administrative support will enable existing
fingerprint experts to concentrate on their primary
specialist function.
Positive efforts were made to recruit fingerprint
experts with a re-vamped advertisement highlighting the
benefits of the four Bureaux model and that vacancies exist
within the Scottish Fingerprint Service. A UK wide shortage
of experts has failed to attract sufficient interest from
other parts of the UK. On recognising this recruitment
issue the value of recruiting trainee experts has again
been highlighted. In this regard fourteen are in the
process of being recruited.
The development of DNA provides the opportunity for DNA
and fingerprint identification to complement each other.
Cross contamination being less of an issue in fingerprint
identification.
The introduction of a palm capture and search capability
will generate additional identifications for
processing.
Automatic Fingerprint Recognition (AFR) terminals have
been located to address the needs of the service at this
time in line with the four Bureaux model. Flexibility
exists to relocate terminals should the need arise.
HMIC Comment
A detailed scoping study has been carried out as part of
the CMRT project and is being implemented in a phased
manner. Phase 1 is complete and Phase 2 has begun. Phase 2A
is designed primarily to allow funding for existing
fingerprint posts to be transferred from forces to a Common
Police Service budget to be managed by SCRO. It is intended
that this will be in place for the start of the financial
year 1 April 2003. HMIC welcomes this development. Phase 2B
relates to new posts identified by CMRT at a cost of just
over £1 million and to now be implemented over a 3-year
phased period. Unfortunately, a number of factors have
prevented SCRO attaining the levels of staff envisioned
within this phase. It has been found that there are not the
number of fingerprint experts available to be recruited
within the employment market, to recruit and train new
fingerprint examiners to the status of expert requires a
number of years and the financial provision was not in
place to allow the necessary staff growth to commence on 1
April 2003. HMIC will revisit this area at the next primary
inspection, as it is important that the Scottish
Fingerprint Service reaches the appropriate staffing levels
as set out within the CMRT study.
Recommendation 5 - HMIC supports the move towards a
competency-based standard for expert qualification and
recommends early progress towards this goal. (paragraph
3.5.3)
SCRO Position
Section 280(5) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act
1995 provides for the Secretary of State (now Scottish
Minister) to authorise suitably competent fingerprint
officers as experts. This authorisation is based upon a set
of designated criteria one of which is the five year rule.
England and Wales have both moved away from a time based
criteria in favour of competency based standard.
Agreement has been reached with the Scottish Executive
and The Crown that the five-year criteria will cease and be
replaced by a competency based standard. The establishment
of national criteria, which measures ability and exposure
to work, will enable trainees to work towards expert status
at their own pace. The 8 Force Standard Group will provide
the forum to collaborate over any revised criteria, which
will incorporate the views of all forces and stakeholders
in the process.
HMIC Comment
With effect from 13 January 2003, Scottish Executive
Justice Department Police Circular No: 1/2003 endorses and
formalises arrangements for authorising fingerprint experts
on competence based criterion as opposed to time based
criterion. Following successful completion of the requisite
training and independent assessment of competency, the Head
of the Scottish Fingerprint Service will request
authorisation from the Scottish Executive. It is
anticipated dependent on individuals' personal progress
that it may still take up to four years to become
authorised. This recommendation is discharged.
Recommendation 6 - HMIC recommends that the concept
of "authorisation" needs further consideration.
(paragraph 3.5.5)
SCRO Position
The Change Management Review Team supported the review
of the criteria for registration as a fingerprint expert
based upon evidenced competencies. This has been pursued
through voluntary registration with the Council for
Registration of Forensic Practitioners, which requires
evidence-based criteria for registration and reassessment
every four years.
The concept has been embraced by management and staff
alike who are committed to the principals of
registration.
To date 65% of staff across the Scottish Fingerprint
Service have embarked upon or completed the registration
process. The figure rises to 85% within the Glasgow
Bureau.
Registration is a time-consuming process and varying
demands within each Bureau have inhibited registration.
Staff continue to be committed to the registration process
and prepare documentary evidence in line with ongoing
duties and demands.
HMIC Comment
In tandem with the move to a competency-based standard,
the Scottish Fingerprint Service has pro-actively
encouraged membership of the Council for Registration of
Forensic Practitioners. Steps taken include meeting the
cost of annual registration fees and rearranging an
individual's workload to allow him/her time to undertake
the preparation of evidence files in support of membership.
UNISON, the main representative body for fingerprint
officers, has endorsed membership but on a voluntary basis.
The CRFP regard membership as voluntary like similar
professional bodies. However, all new recruits to the
Fingerprint Section of Greater Manchester Police have
membership of CRFP incorporated into their contract of
employment. The Scottish Fingerprint Service will
re-examine this possibility. Within the GMP Fingerprint
Section, membership of CRFP amongst Fingerprint Officers
currently stands at approximately 30%. Membership levels
within the Scottish Fingerprint Service are excellent by
comparison. HMIC will revisit this area to assess further
progress at the next primary inspection of SCRO.
Recommendation 7 - HMIC recommends that a protocol
is agreed between SCRO and forces to ensure that due
consideration is given during the planning stages of
operations and initiatives, to managing the impact
these can have on SCRO. (paragraph 3.10.1)
SCRO Position
This issue has been progressed through the Crime
Standing Committee understanding and documented agreement
has been reached through this forum ensuring all force and
national initiatives are highlighted to the Scottish
Fingerprint Service enabling positive management of any
increase in submissions.
As the Scottish Fingerprint Service develops protocols
and service level agreements are being produced that
reflect local need. There have been no problems since the
issue was raised through the Crime Standing Committee.
HMIC Comment
The increase in staffing levels means that the Scottish
Fingerprint Service is better placed to deal with
occasional fluctuations. However there is nothing to
suggest that since this recommendation was formulated this
has been a recurring problem. In addition the ongoing
development of service level agreements with forces
provides a method of ensuring all parties to the process
are aware of their responsibilities. HMIC has been provided
with a copy of the SLA between the Scottish Fingerprint
Service and Grampian and Northern Constabularies. Within
the financial year 2003/04, similar SLA's will be completed
between the SFS and the remaining forces. This
recommendation is discharged.
Recommendation 8 - HMIC recommends a review of
current locations of AFR terminals in Scotland with a
view to securing improved access. (paragraph
3.12.2)
SCRO Position
Following the move to a four Bureaux Scottish
Fingerprint Service the opportunity was taken to increase
the number of AFR workstations to ten. Agreement was
reached through the SCRO Executive Committee to
re-distribute the AFR workstations to enable them to
integrate more fully into the new Scottish Fingerprint
Service. Primarily this affected Perth and Stirling.
The provision of AFR terminals across Scotland meets the
present needs of the service. Flexibility exists to
relocate terminals should there be a requirement to do
so.
HMIC Comment
HMIC notes the response and considers the recommendation
discharged.
Recommendation 9 - HMIC recommends that action is
taken to secure data which informs management of
sickness absence levels in a manner which can be used
to monitor trends, set targets and manage sickness
absence. (paragraph 4.7.8)
SCRO Position
The computerised personnel system records all sickness
absence data and is managed on a daily basis by the SCRO
Personnel Officer. It is undergoing further development to
provide a bespoke facility to monitor individual,
departmental and organisational sickness management. This
increased capability will provide analysis of sickness
absence, identify trends and establish trigger points over
a 12-month period whereby stringent monitoring of absences
will be conducted and followed up by managers.
The absence rate for the period September 2002 -
December 2002 was just over 4% (working days lost as a
percentage of available work days) for support staff and 0%
for police officers. Targets for the forthcoming year will
be established upon publication of end year results.
In conjunction with the recoding of dates a revised
absence policy is being developed on behalf of Strathclyde
Joint Police Board. This policy will be accepted by SCRO
for civilian employees within the terms of employment with
Strathclyde Joint Police Board. The focus of the policy is
to reduce current sickness absence levels by ensuring
appropriate counselling, return to work interviews, use of
Occupational Health Service and monitoring review periods.
Further training will be provided to managers for
counselling the context of return to work interviews.
Details of change brought about by any new policy will be
cascaded to staff through a series of briefings, circulars
and inclusion in the Induction Pack for new staff. Seconded
Police Officers will continue to comply with home force
arrangements.
HMIC Comment
Alongside the appointment of a personnel officer for
SCRO has been the development of an absence management
policy and appropriate monitoring data. HMIC welcomes this.
HMIC notes that the overall sickness absence level for 2002
(January to December) was 6.3% for Support Officers, which
is not dissimilar to statistics for individual forces and
welcomes the intention within SCRO to continue to focus on
this issue and set absence reduction targets. This
recommendation is discharged.
Recommendation 10 - HMIC recommends that a strategy
is introduced for staff within all fingerprint bureaux
and identification branches to offer staff support and
to assist in the detection and prevention of stress
related illness resulting in absence from work.
(paragraph 4.8.2)
SCRO Position
The move by the Glasgow Bureau from a city centre
environment at Pitt Street to Pacific Quay has brought with
it numerous benefits for all staff. The building is modern,
bright, with air conditioning, and kitchen/canteen
facilities, including cool bottled drinking water available
on all floors. Ample staff car parking exists adjacent to
the SCRO building.
The majority of staff that may be required to attend
court have considerable training in court presentation
skills provided by Bond Solon, a team of practicing
solicitors. This opportunity has been extended across the
Scottish Fingerprint Service. All staff within the Glasgow
Bureau have participated in the Bond Solon course.
Additional stress management facilities are provided by
Strathclyde Joint Police Board Occupational Health
Service.
Following the appointment of a full time force support
officer as a Personnel Officer the post holder will produce
a stress awareness policy in collaboration with Strathclyde
Joint Police Board.
HMIC Comment
Strathclyde Police is developing a draft stress
awareness policy for internal use. SCRO will revise this
policy for use in relation to its own personnel. HMIC notes
the positive progress that has been made and will revisit
this area at the next primary inspection
Recommendation 11 - HMIC repeats the recommendation
made by consultants in June 1999, that an improved
automated system of case tracking should be introduced
as part of a new office management system at SCRO.
(paragraph 5.8.11)
SCRO Position
A new Office Management System (OMS) has been purchased
by SCRO and launched into the Glasgow Fingerprint Bureau.
Testing is currently underway as a forerunner to full
implementation across the four Bureaux. A go live date of
spring 2003 has been identified.
The system gives case tracking capabilities and in
addition statistical data at Bureau and national level
enabling centralised case load management to take
place.
The key performance indicators of cases received, system
size and case completed can be monitored, "time in system"
statistics can be generated by crime type. The current time
in system average for all cases within the Glasgow Bureau
is ten working days and a system size below 400 cases.
Current in force systems will not allow full
integration. To prevent double keying an IT solution will
be sought to provide a migration strategy.
HMIC Comment
It is confidently expected that the system will be
implemented across all the SFS Bureaux within the financial
year 2003/04 supported by an Intranet facility to allow
performance to be tracked across all Bureaux from the
centre. While a go live date for the other Bureaux was
intended to be 31 March 2003 the requirement to improve the
existing IT infrastructure has meant some delay.
Preparatory technical work is already underway. The SCRO
Management Committee is monitoring progress and the Head of
the Scottish Fingerprint Service receives weekly technical
updates. A solution to the double keying problem is
incorporated into the roll out programme. HMIC noted that
already use is being made of the data supplied at the
Glasgow Bureau to identify trends and workloads. Excellent
examples of the management information produced were
viewed. The time for a fingerprint case to be in the system
has dropped dramatically and at time of the review
inspection the Glasgow backlog had dropped to below 200
cases from a high of 4,500.
The Glasgow Bureaux is now in a position to receive
cases from the Police Service of Northern Ireland where a
shortage of fingerprint officers has led to a backlog of
cases. The provision of management information allows
informed decisions like this to be made without detriment
to the service supplied to Scottish forces. Evidence was
seen of a pro-active approach being taken at the Glasgow
Bureaux to improve fingerprint identification on the back
of more efficient working and additional resources.
Operation Focus introduced within the Glasgow Bureau in May
2002 led to 100 additional identifications over a 32-week
period. HMIC acknowledges the work that has gone into
developing the system and the use that is being made of the
information to effectively manage the fingerprint caseload.
This recommendation is discharged.
Recommendation 12 - HMIC recommends the production
of a national Guidance Manual on Fingerprint Standards
and Procedures to be issued to all fingerprint staff.
(paragraph 5.11.3)
SCRO Position
The 8 Force Standard Group collaborated to produce a
National Procedures Manual on fingerprint standards and
procedures. This manual was approved by the SCRO Executive
Committee and launched into the Service in June 2001.
The appointment of Quality Assurance officers has
enabled accurate auditing of procedures to ensure
compliance across the service.
These procedures come under independent scrutiny as
accreditation for ISO 9001/2000 is sought and achieved.
Issues surrounding the manual continue to be discussed
through the 8 Force standard Group and at the monthly
meeting of the Glasgow Bureau chaired by the Head of the
Scottish Fingerprint Service and attended by the Deputy
Director of SCRO.
The National Guidance Manual is available to all staff
across the four Bureaux.
HMIC Comment
HMIC has viewed the National Procedures Manual. It is an
impressive document. Evidence was seen that is constantly
reviewed and updated. Acknowledging that the manual and the
procedures it contains are subject to review as part of the
ISO process it is recommended that an expert from another
Bureau examine the manual by way of independent validation.
The Head of the Scottish Fingerprint Service will have this
undertaken at the earliest opportunity. This recommendation
is discharged.
Recommendation 13 - HMIC recommends the
establishment of a national policy, which encapsulates
an independent review process to deal with all
erroneous and disputed fingerprint identifications.
(paragraph 5.20.4)
SCRO Position
Disputed fingerprint verifications occur infrequently.
The essential issues in dealing with these occurrences are
the openness and transparency of the process.
Following the work of the 8 Force Standard Group the
National Procedures Manual endorsed by the SCRO Executive
Committee was produced which includes a section on
procedures for handling disputed identifications in an
open, transparent independent manner.
Instances in which processes are identified through the
Quality Assurance system are internally addressed by
management. Instances that are identified externally result
in a senior police officer unconnected with the case
undertaking an investigation and reporting his/her findings
to the Procurator Fiscal.
Documentary evidence is contained in Chapter 5 (P-23) of
the National Procedures Manual.
HMIC Comment
HMIC has had the opportunity to examine the Manual and
the review process as laid out at Chapter 5 (P-23) and is
satisfied that it meets the requirements of the
recommendation. Documented records are kept of instances
where the review process is invoked and were examined.
There has been NO evidence of erroneous scenes of crime
identifications, since the Primary Inspection of 2000. As
part of the independent validation of the Fingerprint
Manual the review process will be specifically examined.
This recommendation is discharged.
Recommendation 14 - HMIC recommends that the
external provision and management of competency testing
for experts is an aspect that the APRT needs to pursue
with vigour to seek an early, sustainable and
defensible programme. (paragraph 6.5.3)
SCRO Position
All fingerprint experts within the Scottish Fingerprint
Service are subject to annual competency testing through an
independent USA based company - Collaborative Testing
Services (CTS Ltd), approved through the 8 Force Standard
Group.
Guidelines are contained within the Scottish Fingerprint
Service National Procedures Manual on non-conformity or
erroneous identifications which occur during the testing
process.
Documentary Evidence is contained within Chapter 6
(P-25) of the National Procedures Manual
HMIC Comment
Annual competency testing has been introduced and will
be maintained. All 45 practising experts have to date
undergone 129 CTS tests since the Primary Inspection. Each
test comprises 10 marks to be compared which means a total
of 1290 marks have been examined in the last two years.
That is a pass rate of 99.3%. None of the inconsistencies
within the 0.7% error rate relate to erroneous
identifications. The results of competency testing
undertaken by fingerprint experts and administered by
Collaborative Testing Services in 2001 showed that 2.7% of
all participants throughout the world displayed some
inconsistencies, ranging from quality decisions, missed
identifications or, in 0.03 % of cases, erroneous
identifications. The American based company CTS was
established in 1971 primarily to provide an inter
laboratory testing programme. Since then the company has
grown to offer proficiency testing of forensic personnel
across a wide variety of fields including fingerprints. The
Head of the Scottish Fingerprint Service is not aware of
another company offering a similar service but is open to
alternatives should they be identified. No other
fingerprint bureau in the United Kingdom has pursued the
external provision and management of competency testing for
experts as recommended by HMIC. This recommendation is
discharged.
Recommendation 15 - HMIC recommends that managing
the change to a non-numeric standard should be
addressed at a very early point by the APRT. (paragraph
6.8.9)
SCRO Position
A Project Management Team was established to address the
issue of a non-numeric standard chaired by ACC. John McLean
of Strathclyde Police. This issue remains ongoing.
Documentary information is available.
During 2001 England and Wales moved to a non-numeric
fingerprint standard. The impact of a move to a non-numeric
standard for fingerprint evidence is substantial.
HMIC Comment
It is anticipated that the move to the non-numeric
standard will be achieved during 2004. HMIC will revisit
this important area during the next primary inspection.
Recommendation 16 - HMIC recommends that the
important area of court presentation skills be given a
new impetus. (paragraph 6.9.3)
SCRO Position
Court presentation skills form a key part of the
syllabus at the National Training Centre, Durham, to which
all trainees are exposed. Additional training is delivered
locally through Bond Solon, a firm of practising
solicitors. All fingerprint experts within the Glasgow and
Dundee Bureaux have completed this training. Those experts
who have not been exposed to the Bond Solon course will
attend when dates become available.
HMIC Comment
All 54 fingerprint experts and trainee fingerprint
experts at the four bureaux have now received this training
which is highly regarded. A programme of refresher training
has begun. In addition fingerprint experts attend a
presentation skills course run by Strathclyde Police. This
recommendation is discharged.
Recommendation 17 - HMIC recommends that regular
refresher training should be incorporated into a
national training standard for fingerprint experts to
ensure that
expertise is maintained at the highest level taking
account of developments in theory and technology.
(paragraph 7.5.4)
SCRO Position
The issue of training and developments within the
fingerprint world is regularly discussed at the 8 Force
Standard Group and during the Glasgow Bureau monthly
meeting. Following an increase in the training capacity of
the Scottish Fingerprint Service a programme of refresher
training for all fingerprint experts is being planned for
introduction nationally. This will further enhance the
annual competency testing provided by Collaborative Testing
Services and registration with the Council for Registration
of Forensic Practitioners will ensure the highest standards
are maintained.
Third level detail, ridgeology, non-numeric standard and
Palm capture/search are all areas in which training will
play a key role.
HMIC Comment
HMIC acknowledges that annual competency training and
registration with the CRFP are important contributors to
the maintenance of expertise. In addition, HMIC was able to
examine a comprehensive training plan that has been drawn
up for the Glasgow Bureau. Details of continuous
professional development contained within the procedures
manual were also examined. It is planned to commence this
programme in September 2003, including refresher training
to be held at the Scottish Police College. HMIC notes the
significant progress made and will revisit this
recommendation at the next primary inspection.
Recommendation 18 - HMIC recommends that a specific
effort be made to bring the weeding up to date.
(paragraph 8.4.2)
SCRO Position
The National Fingerprint Collection held at the Glasgow
bureau was weeded after one year and brought up to date by
November 2001. Procedures and resources are in place to
undertake daily system maintenance. A centrally managed
database with an IT solution enables daily management of
the weeding policy.
Computer generated weeding forms are retained at SCRO
while impressions are either destroyed or returned to their
originating force for destruction.
HMIC Comment
HMIC notes the effort that has been made to bring
weeding up to date. The position as at November 2001 in
respect of the National Fingerprint Collection has been
maintained. As the Scottish Fingerprint Service develops
the necessity for local collections held by bureau at
Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh will be examined and while
currently up to date consolidation will remove the need for
unnecessary duplication of effort. HMIC will revisit this
area at the next primary inspection but in light of
progress to date considers this recommendation
discharged.
Recommendation 19 - HMIC recommends that all
fingerprint experts within the SCRO Fingerprint Bureau
should undergo competency testing provided and managed
by an external provider as soon as possible. (paragraph
8.8.3)
SCRO Position
All fingerprint experts within the Scottish Fingerprint
Service undergo annual competency testing through a USA
based company Collaborative Testing Services (CTS Ltd).
The testing process forms part of the National Procedure
Manual, Section 6 (P-25) refers.
HMIC Comment
Along with evidence and comments as at Recommendation
14, this recommendation is discharged.
Recommendation 20 - HMIC recommends that a common
procedure, subject to validation by an external body,
be put in place in all fingerprint bureaux to deal with
failure in the course of competency testing. (paragraph
8.9.1)
SCRO Position
Procedures for dealing with non-conformity or erroneous
identifications during competency testing are contained in
the Scottish Fingerprint Service National Procedures
Manual. These procedures include clarification, action
plan, and review of current and recent identifications and
re-testing.
Documentary evidence is contained within Section 6
(P-25) of the National Procedures Manual.
HMIC Comment
As part of the ISO process, on a six monthly basis,
adherence to procedures is dip sampled by ISO. Tri-annually
all procedures are audited. It is also recommended that an
expert from another Bureau when examining the manual also
examine these procedures by way of independent validation.
The Head of the Scottish Fingerprint Service will have this
undertaken at the earliest opportunity. Noting the progress
to date, along with evidence and comments as at
Recommendation 14, this recommendation is discharged.
Recommendation 21 - HMIC recommends that a review
is undertaken of the current authorisation process with
a view to establishing a competency based qualification
for expert status. (paragraph 8.11.5)
SCRO Position
Following the Crown Office agreement on the removal of
the time based criteria for qualification as a fingerprint
expert, the policy which will be adopted by the Scottish
Fingerprint Service is that on the successful completion of
the Advanced Fingerprint Expert Course and the
recommendation of the appropriate Head of Bureau following
his/her review of the trainee, the trainee will be
recommended to the Crown Office for placement on the list
of Authorised Fingerprint Experts.
HMIC Comment
With effect from 13 January 2003, Scottish Executive
Justice Department Police Circular No: 1/2003 endorses and
formalises arrangements for authorising fingerprint experts
on competence based criterion as opposed to time based
criterion. Following successful completion of the requisite
training and independent assessment of competency, the head
of the Scottish Fingerprint Service will request
authorisation from the Scottish Executive. It is
anticipated dependent on individuals' personal progress
that it may still take up to four years to become
authorised. This recommendation is discharged.
Recommendation 22 - HMIC recommends that the APRT
give early attention to establishing a corporate
identify for SCRO. (paragraph 8.12.4)
SCRO Position
The relocation of SCRO to Pacific Quay has enhanced the
process of separation and independence from Strathclyde
Police. The organisation can now be more readily seen as an
independent and important member of the Common Police
Services.
The Director of SCRO now has formal personal access to
Strathclyde Joint Police Board in relation to all personnel
and discipline matters and functions previously undertaken
by the Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police, on behalf of
the SCRO Executive Committee.
All staff comply with the SCRO Corporate Identity Manual
produced in January 2001 which provides standardisation
within the organisation particularly in relation to
correspondence.
The Director's role and responsibility with regard to
recruitment is now more influential, thereby reflecting the
enhanced corporate identity of SCRO and the level of
independence of the organisation.
The review of Common Police Services will directly
impact on the overall corporate identity of SCRO.
HMIC Comment
HMIC notes the positive progress that has been made with
regard to corporate identity. The move to new premises at
Pacific Quay has been a significant contributor to this but
in addition changes to the position of the Director and the
implementation of such measures as a Corporate Identity
Manual have all played a part. It is anticipated that the
outcome of the review of Common Police Services will have
further significant and positive impact with regard to this
area. HMIC awaits the outcome of these deliberations with
interest. This recommendation is discharged
Recommendation 23 - HMIC recommends that practices
be reviewed with a view to introducing a system, which
increases the independence within the
identification/verification process. (paragraph
8.15.2)
SCRO Position
The question of anonymity in the identification and
verification processes is acknowledged. The practicalities
of separating these processes within Bureaux were
recognised by the 8 Force Standard Group who embraced these
principals. In practice fingerprint experts undertake
initial identifications with a Principles or Senior
Fingerprint Officer making the final verification.
In order to enhance the credibility of the process the
following has been introduced: -
- ISO 9001/2000 accreditation has been awarded to the
Glasgow Bureau. This will act as a platform for
attainment within Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh.
- A Scottish Fingerprint Service National Operating
Procedures Manual identifying standardised processes to
be adopted has been developed.
- Fingerprint expert registration with the Council
for Registration of Forensic Practitioners.
- Annual Competency testing across the Scottish
Fingerprint Service.
- Completion of a diary page by each expert for each
case.
By introducing these processes and procedures it is
intended that confidence in the process being undertaken
will follow.
The Change Management Review Team organisational
restructuring provided a proposal for the separation of
identification and verification. To date this structural
separation has not been totally implemented by the SFS
given the size of the Bureaux at Dundee, Aberdeen,
Edinburgh and the type of crime team structure employed in
Glasgow Bureau. However, the following processes are in
place in the Glasgow Bureau.
- At each stage in the identification verification
process the Fingerprint Expert completes his/her own
evaluation of the characteristic set for the mark to
achieve individualization. This characteristic set is
not recorded anywhere, hence verifiers do not know the
characteristic set used for the identification, they
must find and complete their own characteristic
set.
- Each expert in the process will state what mark
they have individualised and sign for it. By signing
the expert is committing to go to court for his
statement of individualisation.
- In each step of the process the expert knows that
an individualisation has occurred and that members of
his peer group were involved. However, he does not know
specifically who.
- All final verifications are carried out by a
Principal or Senior Fingerprint Officer.
- An administrative system is in place whereby each
expert is given only photographs and Tenprints of the
case. Only after reaching his conclusion on the mark
will the expert be given the case envelope and diary
pages to enter his results and at this point he is
exposed to the previous findings.
The situation regarding the structural separation of
verification/identification is under continual discussion
and organisational structure of Bureaux in England and
Wales will be reviewed as part of a benchmarking
exercise.
HMIC Comment
HMIC acknowledges the progress that has been made in
this respect. It also acknowledges the difficulties of
addressing the question of anonymity in the identification
and verification process at the smaller Bureau where the
number of fingerprint experts is fewer. However that does
not mean that the processes evidenced above are still not
worthwhile. If anything they are more important at the
smaller bureau. In this vein, HMIC was pleased to see that
progress was being made to ensure that the satellite
bureaux successfully attain ISO 9001 status within the next
few months.
HMIC examined the identification and verification
process as it operates within the Glasgow Bureau. Examples
of diary pages were examined on which experts record their
comments in this respect. After each stage the diary page
should be returned to a team leader to be passed onto the
next expert to ensure anonymity. Even in a large bureau
such as Glasgow it is difficult to maintain entirely
anonymity, e.g. handwriting may be recognised for
example.
HMIC also examined the identification and verification
process as it operates within the Fingerprint Section of
Greater Manchester Police, a unit of similar size to the
Glasgow Bureau. Manchester operates a process involving a
separate 'checking' team for verification. The team
consists of two experts and a supervisor and is changed on
a weekly basis. There may be merit in this approach and
HMIC is of the opinion the Scottish Fingerprint Service
should consider this as part of the move to the non-numeric
standard. The Head of the Scottish Fingerprint Service has
undertaken to examine this and other similar processes as
part of a benchmarking process.
Clearly achievement of the three-year plan to employ
sufficient staff will also be a significant contributor to
further progress. Acknowledging the progress made and the
suggestion that further consideration is given to the
identification/verification process, HMIC will revisit this
recommendation at the next primary inspection.
Recommendation 24 - HMIC recommends that the SCRO
fingerprint bureau liaise with the ACPOS working group
on ECHR particularly in relation to its development of
a manual on standards and procedures. (paragraph
8.17.2)
SCRO Position
The Scottish Fingerprint Procedures Manual was referred
to the ACPOS Working Group on ECHR to ensure the processes
and procedures being enshrined were compatible with the
thrust of the legislation. It was reviewed and cleared by
that body.
HMIC Comment
This recommendation is discharged.
Recommendation 25 - HMIC recommends that the APRT
look closely at the development of the National Council
for Registration of Forensic Practitioners and give
consideration as to how Scotland can capitalise on this
new Council. (paragraph 8.19.5)
SCRO Position
All fingerprint experts have been encouraged to seek
registration with the Council for Registration of Forensic
Practitioners. Registration has been actively supported by
SCRO, the Scottish Fingerprint Service and the SCRO
Executive Committee.
To date 85% of the Glasgow Bureau and 65% of the
Scottish Fingerprint Service as a whole have or are in the
process of being registered. The registration process
requires the submission of thirty pieces of material of
various types for assessment. Once registration has been
achieved renewal occurs every four years.
Varying staffing levels and demands across the service
have precluded full registration at this time.
HMIC Comment
It is clear that membership of CRFP has been positively
encouraged by SCRO and significant progress made in this
respect. Acknowledging the progress made as evidenced here
and at the response to Recommendation 6, HMIC will revisit
this area to assess further progress at the next primary
inspection of SCRO.
This
review continues on page 2...