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FORENSICS:
ANATOMY OF A CRIME
WCSO Forensic Analysts Mateski, Wagar and Anderson
responded to 35 crime scenes, examined 1,347 items of evidence
and performed 10,197 latent print comparisons in 2018
FORENSIC SCIENCE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT Accreditation supports an increase in accountability,
WCSO’s Forensic Science Unit (FSU) works alongside transparency and accuracy. By advancing accreditation
deputies and detectives to gather evidence crucial to efforts, FSU is working toward ensuring quality
solve even the most complex crimes. Through the use and reliability of services as well as providing
of lasers, computers and chemicals, evidence is being valuable oversight and conflict resolution to ensure
discovered that was never before realized to exist. accuracy of evidence presented in criminal justice
trials. International accreditation standards contain
Forensic Technicians are trained to identify and requirements to continually demonstrate competency
collect evidence at crime scenes. This evidence is in the specialties performed by the forensic unit, as well
then transported back to the FSU lab where it can be as guarantee impartiality and consistency in results.
examined by Forensic Analysts for additional leads. By fulfilling accreditation standards, FSU will also
FSU can deploy to support any of the 11 Washington continually review their quality assurance system so
County police agencies to assist in their investigations. the community can be confident of the validity of the
examination results and conclusions.
ACCREDITATION AND WHAT IT MEANS WCSO is currently home to Oregon’s only crime lab
Accreditation is one of the most important tools for which is also dual-certified in crime scenes and latent
ensuring forensic science is practiced in a reliable prints and is working towards full accreditation during
way. Accreditation demonstrates the quality of the 2019.
laboratory’s systems and work product, while also
Forensic science is one of the fastest growing areas of law enforcement. Advances in providing a framework for improving the caliber,
scientific technology have helped law enforcement go high-tech in solving crimes. standardization and timeliness of forensic services.

