European Union provided Ukrainian Police with mobile forensic laboratories and kits worth almost half a million EUR

On 16 December, the European Union delivered ten mobile forensic laboratories to the National Police of Ukraine (NPU). This equipment worth approximately EUR 442,000 will help Ukrainian police to become more effective in investigating and combating serious and organised crime.

This equipment has been procured within the programme "Support for Rule of Law Reforms in Ukraine in the Areas of Police and Public Prosecution and Good Governance" (PRAVO Police) funded by the EU and implemented by UNOPS in close coordination with the EU Advisory Mission (EUAM) to Ukraine. The overall objective of the programme is to contribute to promoting rule of law in Ukraine and to aligning law-enforcement agencies functioning with the best EU and international practices.

"Effective investigations are key to prosecution and further reduction of crime. This is why today we are handing over to the National Police of Ukraine ten mobile forensic laboratories, which will be used by the police in nine oblasts of Ukraine. As a result, police investigators will have better capacities of conducting crime scene inspections, collection, storage and protection of evidence"-  noted Xavier Camus, Head of the Good Governance and Democratisation section at the EU Delegation to Ukraine. "The EU will continue to support the establishment of a more accountable and effective police force, which serves and protects citizens of Ukraine".

A thorough inspection of a crime scene and the quality of collected evidence are  often key to effective investigation and finding the perpetrator. The forensic labs will help investigators in nine regions across Ukraine, in particular Kyiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Lviv, Kyrovohrad, Vinnytsya, Khmelnytskyi, Poltava, Chernivtsi, to perform their critical jobs more effectively and professionally.  Each mobile forensic lab is equipped with forensic, ballistic, trassology (used for inspection of finger and shoe prints, burglary marks, tire treads, teeth bite, etc.) and biology kits that are instrumental to increasing police efficiency in conducting crime scene inspection, and collection, storage and protection of evidence. In addition, the kits include protective items (costumes, masks, gloves), evidence packaging materials and tools for collecting biological materials. Additionally, one forensic laboratory will be delivered to the National Academy of Internal Affairs and will be used for hands-on training of future forensics experts in crime scene management and evidence collection.

"The quality of evidence collected by police is key for combating serious and organised crime. This donation will go a long way to improve the NPU's capacity to gather evidence", said Fredrik Wesslau, Deputy Head of EU Advisory Mission.  "EUAM is committed to supporting the positive changes taking place in the National Police of Ukraine. In addition to this donation of state-of art forensics equipment, EUAM will also deliver a series of expert trainings to all regions which received the mobile forensic labs today".

"Police reform is a crucial component of broader rule of law reform in Ukraine, and with funding support of the European Union, and in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior and the National Police, the PRAVO Police Programme implemented by UNOPS is pleased to contribute to this ongoing transformation which focuses on the delivery of modernised, efficient and human rights-based policing. We strive to provide world-class equipment and technical expertise that will strengthen police capacity at all levels to effectively combat serious and organised crime" noted Marko Vujačić,  Head of Programme,  UNOPS Multi-Country Office.