Hong Kong Police Forensic Bureau completes major expansion of fingerprint laboratory
The Hong Kong Police Forensic Bureau recently completed a four-year project to expand and officially reopen its high-tech Forensic Fingerprint Laboratory.
This revamped facility now boasts three cutting-edge fingerprint detection instruments that the bureau expect will revolutionise the efficiency of fingerprint analysis.
Among these innovations are the RECOVER fingerprint development instrument, the AARI Amino Acid Rapid Imager with AI assisted ridge-detail detection, and the Crime-lite MLD reflective ultraviolet/infrared fingerprint imaging system. Each of these powerful tools represent a major leap forward in fingerprint detection technology and efficiency.
RECOVER
fingerprint development instrument:
Senior Inspector Tong Junling of the Forensics Division’s Advanced Technology Section explained this instrument’s significance commenting on how ‘traditional methods’, which rely on chemical reactions to reveal fingerprints, can often fail on items exposed to high temperatures, like bullets or explosion fragments.
The RECOVER system offers a unique opportunity to reveal marks on metal surfaces where all other methods and techniques have failed.
AARI
Amino Acid Rapid Imager
(with AI Assist)
Senior Inspector Tan Jielin highlighted this device’s capabilities, emphasizing its focus on treated paper materials. Equipped with various light sources and AI technology, AARI autonomously detects and distinguishes fingerprints on complex backgrounds, eliminating the need for protective eyewear and dark rooms, streamlining the fingerprint detection process.
Crime-lite MLD
Reflective UV/IR Fingerprint Detector
This instrument excels at revealing hard-to-spot fingerprints, even on patterned surfaces or super glue-treated items. It shortens detection time considerably, making it a valuable tool for forensic investigators.
Crime-lite AUTO
All-in-One Forensic Search, Detection and Capture Tool
This portable device combines the functionality of various light source instruments with integral filtration and a DSLR-quality digital camera. A powerful and versatile tool, investigators at the Hong Kong Forensic Bureau intend to use the Crime-lite AUTO to aid on-site evidence examination and photographic capture prints.
Having made a significant investment in high quality CSI and laboratory technology, the Forensic Fingerprint Laboratory’s expansion and the introduction of these advanced instruments represent a groundbreaking advancement in forensic science in Hong Kong.
Over the coming years, this investment is expected to boost the efficiency of fingerprint detection and provide law enforcement with powerful tools to solve complex cases more effectively.
Some of the content in this article has been adapted from an article in Chinese from BASTILLE POST. The original article features images and video content.