State Forensic Science Bureau
Chief:
Maira Čentoricka
Contacts:
Address: Hospitāļu iela 55, Riga, LV-1013
telephone: 7517732
fax: 7517749
E-mail: administration@vteb.gov.lv
Web: http://www.vteb.gov.lv/
About us
The State Forensic Science Bureau (SFSB) is a government institution under the Ministry of Justice providing with forensic investigations law enforcement agencies as well as other legal and natural entities. All forensic examinations performed in criminal cases are free of charge. The party requesting forensic examinations in administrative and civil cases covers expenses for them.
Expert’s opinion as a mean of proof is playing an increasingly important role in criminal proceedings, civil proceedings and administrative proceedings because facts established in the course of forensic investigation are based on objective scientific research. Along with the increased importance of forensic conclusions, advanced investigator’s qualifications and state of the art methods are needed. The SFSB has undertaken the task of implementing a quality control system and is preparing for accreditation so that the Bureau’s customers receive the best results possible in accordance with international standards.
According to the decision of the Cabinet of the Minister (29 December 2003, No 825), the SFSB is responsible for the investigation of:
- traffic accidents
- handwriting
- vehicle identification number
- fibres and textile articles
- glass
- polymer materials
- metal and alloys
- oil products
- soil
- paint
- objects of biological origin
- morphologic and chemical investigation of the gun shot residues with the help of the scanning electron microscope.
Apart from the above-listed priority activities, the SFSB also carries out:
- document investigation
- authorship
- computer forensics
- fingerprint identification
- examination of surface marks, impressions and shapes (e.g., toolmarks, shoeprints, stub and special analyses)
- in certain cases, forensic ballistic expertise.
The SFSB is a member of the European Network of the Forensic Science Institutions (ENFSI) since 1998. Active participation in the ENFSI Working Groups enables harmonization of the applied investigation methods, participate in international proficiency tests and cooperate in forensic investigation of the complicated cases.
The work experience and professional background of the forensic scientists of the SFSB has been positively approved by the expertise customers. The SFSB staff is often called upon to participate in the training courses of the police staff and judges, to prepare methodical recommendations for gathering evidence on the crime scene and evaluation of expertise results.
