Dubai: The General Department of Forensic Science and Criminology at Dubai Police has announced its recent accomplishments in the scientific, specialized, professional, and technical realms. This includes several innovative breakthroughs, inventions, and accolades the Department has achieved through its tireless efforts to strengthen the police work system, enhance security and public safety, uncover critical technical evidence to support criminal investigations, and provide conclusive evidence to the judiciary to help deliver justice.

This was made during a press conference hosted by the General Department of Forensic Science and Criminology at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel. The press conference was attended by His Excellency Major General Ahmad Thani bin Ghalita Al Muhairi, Director of the General Department of Forensic Science and Criminology, his Deputy for Administrative Affairs Brigadier Maki Sulaiman, and Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Rashid Hamdan Al Ghafri, Director of the International Centre for Forensic Science. Several other high-ranking officers, journalists, and media representatives were also present.

Experts & Specialists
The General Department of Forensic Science and Criminology reported employing a highly skilled team of 280 experts, 172 males, and 108 females, across a diverse range of critical scientific disciplines. These specialists hold impressive academic credentials, including doctorates, master's degrees, and bachelor's degrees, in law and police science, natural sciences, technology, administrative sciences, engineering, medicine, and various other fields.

Milestones in Research, Innovation and Patents 
The General Department of Forensic Sciences and Criminology shared that it has achieved significant accomplishments over the past five years, including registering 143 intellectual classifications, publishing 78 scientific research papers, developing 20 research projects, and obtaining six patents. Furthermore, the Department holds memberships in 262 international and local organizations and institutions.

Examination Requests 
The Department also stated that in the past year (2023), it handled 58,344 requests to examine various forensic evidence and provided specialized reports to the relevant authorities in Dubai and other emirates.

ISO Certifications 
The General Department of Forensic Science and Criminology has achieved several notable accomplishments, including obtaining 7 ISO certifications—4 in administrative areas and 3 in technical domains. The Department has also published 78 research papers in refereed scientific journals and established 30 strategic partnerships at the local and international levels. Furthermore, it has been awarded 18 accolades and recognitions across various scientific and forensic fields.

Synthetic Drugs
The Department's experts have also demonstrated their technical capabilities. The toxicology and chemistry experts at the Drugs Observatory Center 'Marsad' (Arabic for Observatory) detected 16 new types of synthetic drugs during 2022-2023. This was accomplished through rigorous experiments, research, and meticulous laboratory analyses that detected the presence of harmful substances affecting human health and mental well-being.

Innovations & Inventions
During the press conference, the Department also showcased an array of its innovative scientific achievements and patents, including the "Male DNA Analysis Tools (RM-yplex1 and RM-yplex11), the Rapid Test Cup, and an advanced firearm residue examination device.

Awards and Accolades
The Department of Forensic Science and Criminology has garnered widespread recognition for its exceptional expertise and capabilities. The Department also highlighted during the press conference the numerous awards and accreditations it has received, demonstrating its exceptional expertise and capabilities. This includes eight of the Department's forensic doctors obtaining accreditation certificates from the American Board for Impairment Rating and Disability Determination. The Department also earned two awards at the International Association of Chiefs of Police (ICPA) conference in 2022-2023. Additionally, two members of the Forensic Engineering team were accredited by the International Board of Forensic Engineering Sciences (IBFES) in the United States. A Silver Medal further highlighted the Department's achievements at the Seoul International Invention Fair and the prestigious Minister of Interior's Excellence Award 2023 for the Biometric Fingerprint Tunnel project. 

The Department also secured second place in the UAE Innovates Award's "Best Innovative Initiative" category for the Biometric Fingerprint project. Notably, the Department also received international accreditation in Occupational Health from the ASCB and NEBOSH organizations and was honoured with the prestigious IdeasUK Award.

Specialized Forensic Capabilities
Furthermore, the Department noted that it employs globally recognized forensic science methodologies in its specialized work, including human remains recovery, blood spatter analysis, underwater crime scene investigation, forensic entomology, criminal profiling, and facial reconstruction.

Disaster Victim Identification Efforts
The Department also discussed its involvement in the UAE team of Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) deployed to Libya. Ten expert specialists in fields such as forensic medicine, DNA analysis, fingerprinting, and crime scene investigation were sent to aid in the identification of victims following a natural disaster.