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STUDY VISITS TO FORENSIC INSTITUTIONS IN NORDIC COUNTRIES

During implementation of the State Police and Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Public Administration project „Experience Exchange in the field of Forensic IT and Forensic Speech and Audio analysis by study visits to Forensic institutions in Nordic countries”, the State Police Forensic Service Department Forensic IT and Forensic Audio and Voice Analysis Unit experts visited Finland’s and Sweden’s Forensic laboratories.

From October 15th till October 18th 2012 the Forensic IT and Forensic Audio and Voice Analysis Unit delegation visited the Forensic Laboratory of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) of Finland.

Forensic IT experts from Finland and Latvia discussed methods, software and hardware used in IT forensics. During practical examination experts performed the deleted data recovery from mobile phone using chip soldering method. NBI experts demonstrated data recovery from damaged hard drives and USB devices. During the visit research methods used in Latvia and Finland were compared.

Forensic Audio and Speech analysis experts shared their knowledge in person identification via voice analysis and audio authenticity analysis. NBI experts demonstrated software which they use for person identification and for audio enhancement.

NBI video forensic analysis expert told about his methods and research in video forensic analysis, showed practical examples in digital image analysis and demonstrated software developed by the NBI for video forensic analysis.

From November 20th till November 23rd 2012 the Forensic IT and Forensic Audio and Voice Analysis Unit experts visited the Swedish National Laboratory of Forensic Science (SKL).

The SKL colleagues demonstrated the laboratory which is used for electronic device analysis structure, used equipment and software. Methods for data recovery from the damaged hard drives, mobile phones and navigation devices were discussed. SKL forensic audio experts presented their method for audio authenticity analysis.

Exchange of experiences during the study visits in Nordic countries has been formed in cooperation between the State police and the Nordic forensic experts. The cooperation with NBI forensic audio and speech analysis experts was created in the field of Russian language speaker voice analysis. Most of the methods in Latvian and Nordic laboratories are the same, but some methods which are used in Nordic countries will be implemented in the Forensic IT and Forensic Audio and Voice Analysis Unit during the next year.