The objective of this project was to develop a Competence Assurance System for Forensic Science Laboratory Practitioners.

 

Project Team

• Christina Bertler, project leader
• Lydia Bestebreur, NFI, The Netherlands
• Maira Centoricka, SFSB, Latvia
• Kathleen Savage, University of Strathclyde, UK
• Jim Armstrong, FSNI, UK
• Didier Meuwley, NFI, The Netherlands
• Mike Fereday, UK

Accountability

The CAP group reported to the ENFSI Quality and Competence Committee, QCC. It  developed generic proposals for a competence assurance system and supported the Expert Working Groups in applying these in their specific areas.

 

Communication

As far as possible, all working documents were distributed by e-mail between the members of the CAP group and there were specified time scales for responses. Project team members made their best efforts to meet these time scales.
The CAP group met once or twice a year to review progress, to discuss any issues arising and to identify the work to be completed by the next meeting. The minutes of these meetings were distributed to the QCC.
All ENFSI laboratories were consulted through the QCLG before any proposals/recommendations were submitted to the QCC and the ENFSOI Board for endorsement.
The CAP group was in contact with organisations outside  ENFSI that were working to similar objectives.

Funding

Costs for participating in meetings of the CAP group were met by the laboratories of the members except for funding provided to subprojects (e.g. knowledge exam).

 

Progress

 

The goal of the competence assurance project (CAP) was:
That ideally by 2015 ENFSI member-institutes will have implemented a competence assessment system with guidance from the (ENFSI) competence criteria for forensic science practitioners.
All activities of the project team are reflected in the Competence Assurance Project Statement.