U.S. EMBASSY DONATES LABORATORY EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING TO THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF EXPERTISES

Lragir.am
08-11-2007 12:25:34

On November 8, the U.S. government donated approximately $280,000 of
forensics laboratory equipment to the National Bureau of Expertises,
the U.S. Embassy reports. Signing the donation letter on behalf
of the U.S. Embassy was Chargé d’Affairs Joseph Pennington and,
on behalf of the Government of Armenia, Prosecutor General Aghvan
Hovsepian. Also in attendance were National Academy of Sciences
President Radik Martirosyan and National Bureau of Expertises Director
Artashes Javadyan.

The new equipment was bought by the International Narcotics and
Law Enforcement Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan. The
donation includes two items of particular importance: a ballistics
comparison microscope and a bullet recovery system. Armenia now owns
one of the most modern and sophisticated ballistics microscopes on the
market. Coupled with the recovery system, this equipment will enable
the Bureau’s firearms examination unit to identify spent ammunition
and test a variety of firearms. A representative of the U.S. Bureau
of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is in Yerevan to train
lab personnel. Members of Georgia’s forensic laboratories arrived this
week to work and train with their Armenian and American colleagues.

Total U.S. government assistance to the National Bureau of Expertise
now exceeds $630,000. In addition to the equipment donated today,
the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Section funded
the renovation of one of the laboratory’s buildings, arranged for
training for Bureau personnel in Armenia and abroad, and funded
various visits by an American Forensics Advisor. The goal is to
achieve accreditation for the Bureau as an internationally recognized
forensics laboratory. In pursuit of that goal, future U.S. government
expenditures over the next few years will exceed two million dollars.

This project is only part of the U.S. government’s comprehensive
law enforcement assistance program in the Republic of Armenia. The
U.S. Embassy in Yerevan, through its International Narcotics
and Law Enforcement Section, has funded the renovation of such
facilities as the Police Induction Center in Kanaker, the Border
Guards Training Facility in Yerevan and the Customs Training Center
in Vanadzor. Moreover, the Embassy has donated computer equipment in
all these facilities. The Embassy is also working with the Government
of Armenia to establish a nationwide, computerized border management
information system and a nationwide computer network for the RA
Police. The U.S. Government provides about $3 million a year in law
enforcement assistance to Armenia.

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