Crime Scene Investigation | Forensic Ballistic Services

Background

In a country with one of the highest crime rates in the world (18,528 murders reported in the country of 46 million over the 2005-06 financial year, according to national crime statistics) I have accumulated a total of 21 years of professional experience interpreting crime scenes and the related physical evidence. To date I have investigated more than 7000 firearm related cases and testify as an expert witness four to five times per month.

I am actively involved in most aspects of crime scene investigation with a primary focus on firearm & toolmark examinations and analysis. I am continually involved in the collection, preservation, analysis and interpretation of physical evidence to shooting scene reconstruction, to wound ballistic determination during autopsies; to expert witness testimony. Explanatory reports and computer drawn sketches of the scene are compiled for court presentation.

With our violent past (and present) I have investigated and reconstructed many scenes where more than 100 (and up to 1,200) shots were fired.

In addition to the skills mentioned above I am often requested to investigate cases requiring the following skills: Tyre Imprint Identification, Footwear Identification, Serial Number Restoration, and Blood Spatter Analysis.

Further to my skills in forensic ballistics I am also experienced in shooting range design and safety. In 2004, for the first time in South African history, standardized safety laws were implemented. Myself and another colleague formed Range Assessments and pioneered the way forward with implementing the new standards whereby we inspected both indoor and outdoor shooting ranges (on behalf of the SABS, South African Bureau of Standards) and assisted with redesign for an eighteen month period in order to establish a foundation for basic safety levels. To date I have assessed and helped to design over 200 ranges.

Qualifications

Ballistic Science Diploma
South African Police Services Academy - Forensic Science Laboratory
Certification as a Firearm & Toolmark Examiner, Pretoria, South Africa 1989

Certification in Classification and Identification of Fingerprints
South African Police Services – Fingerprint Division, Pretoria, South Africa, 1985

Additional Professional Membership, Education & Training

AFTE Regular Member
Association of Firearm and Toolmark Examiners (since 1986)

POSLEC-SETA Verifiers Course -2005
-to conduct verifications of accredited firearm training programs

Restoration of Obliterated Serial Numbers Workshop
BATF Forensic Science Lab-4 Credit Hours AFTE Conference, 2000

Ballistics Identification Workshop (How sure are you a match is a match?)
B. Bachrach, PhD., Intelligent Automation Inc. AFTE Conference, 2000

Advanced Officer’s Management Course -Paarl, South Africa, 1992
Covered: team building, change management, strategic thinking, decision making, delegation, effective communication, management of resources, functional management, financial and logistical management

Forensic Field Workers Course
South African Forensic Ballistic Laboratory, Pretoria 1989
Covered: laboratory procedures, handling of exhibits, primer residue collection, trace evidence collection, preservation of crime scenes, documentation and labelling of exhibits, protection of integrity of exhibits, & preservation of chain of custody

Police Officer’s Training & Certification – 6 months - Pretoria, South Africa, 1985
Covered: Firearm Training, Riot Control & Crowd Management (Use of Teargas)
Criminal Procedure Act, Collection of Evidence at Crime Scenes,
Crime Scene Management & Collection of Trace Evidence