ARTECAO Organises Seminar on Development of Forensic Science

The Support for the Reinforcement of the Technical and Scientific Police in West Africa (ARTECAO) has organized a regional seminar for the development of forensic science held at the National Police Academy, Abidjan on 6^th and 7^th November, 2018.

The sub-regional training brought together participants from Benin, Nigeria, Ghana, Guinea, Niger, Burkina Faso, Togo, Mali and together with Ivorian gendarme on the completion of the ARTECAO project.

Participants who were drawn from the Technical and Scientific Police administrations of various countries shared country experiences and achievements chalked from the ARTECAO project.

They placed particular emphasis on the trainings they have received from the ARTECAO project, which has enabled them to effectively execute their investigations and challenges they face in the performance of their duties.

The creation of the Regional Technical and Scientific Police Unit in Guinea, which is a brain child of Chief Warrant Officer BALDE MAMADOU, Deputy Commander and Head of the Criminal Identification Service was led by Franco-Guinean cooperation.

The Military Magistrate at the Gendarmerie, Mali, Keita Abdrahamane said the evolution of the legal system which led to the adoption and creation of the General Directorate for the Technical and Scientific Police on 19th July 2018.

The Regional Coordinator of ARTECAO, Emmanuel Prat placed particular emphasis on the modelling of Technical and Scientific Police Service such as Benin.

At the end of the 2day Workshop, participants proposed recommendations such as follows;

Recommendations
Participants recommended that the 18-points recommendation of ARTECAO in June 2017 be sent to their state authorities through INTERPOL and ECOWAS, as a constant reminder on the need to improve Scientific Police.

They also recommend that ARTECAO Project does not come to an end but must be continued for more positive reforms in the sector.

Participants recommended a continuous interaction between the regional coordinators for the continuity of the great work of ARTECAO.

They further recommended since different countries are at different levels in Forensic Science, in future projects, countries guided by selected areas can be made to submit their needs.