Latest news with #ballistics
Zawya
3 days ago
- Politics
- Zawya
Beni: Judicial Actors and Police Officers Trained in Criminal Investigation Techniques
About twenty staff members from the military and civil judicial administration of Beni and Butembo, as well as Congolese police officers, attended two simultaneous training sessions from May 26 to June 5, 2025, at MONUSCO's headquarters in Beni. The first focused on ballistic expertise applied to criminal trials, while the second centered on cybercrime and digital investigation techniques. Over the ten days, the trainees—including public prosecutors, judicial police officers, and police agents—followed a comprehensive training program combining theoretical presentations, practical workshops, case studies, and experience sharing. The sessions were led by experts in ballistics and judicial investigation from MONUSCO's Justice Support Section. According to the participants, the training helped deepen their technical and legal skills in response to firearm-related crime. Among them was Commissioner Dieumerci Lomoyo Bongwalo of the Congolese National Police, who said he learned many important concepts related to criminality. He praised the quality of the training, stating that it would enhance his professional skills and help the Congolese justice system better respond to challenges, particularly those arising from the development of new technologies. 'We learned a lot about techniques, methods, etc. We explored the different types of ballistics: internal ballistics, external ballistics, and terminal ballistics. All of this was new to us. We also learned how things work with firearms and different types of ammunition. This added real value to our profession. From now on, we'll be able to conduct ballistic investigations and write reports for the appropriate authorities. We're going to improve the way we work because we've gained new knowledge ' he stated. Like the other participants, Commissioner Dieumerci Lomoyo Bongwalo expressed hope that MONUSCO would organize more training sessions of this kind to help judicial administration agents deepen their understanding of criminality and investigative procedures. ' This will really help us. These are lifelong skills. We won't lose them. It's a real asset ' the officer emphasized. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mission de l'Organisation des Nations unies en République démocratique du Congo (MONUSCO).
CBS News
21-05-2025
- CBS News
Ballistics technology used by Colorado sheriffs helps solve years-old cases
Jefferson County looks to use ballistics technology more to solve crimes Jefferson County looks to use ballistics technology more to solve crimes Jefferson County looks to use ballistics technology more to solve crimes In Jefferson County, Erin Mulligan sits at her computer in the Colorado county's regional crime lab. It's not quite "CSI: Colorado" but it can sometimes feel that way to her. As a forensic scientist, she works with the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network. Forensic scientist Erin Mulligan CBS "We will log an item here in Colorado," she told CBS Colorado. "There will be a default search area that we go through that will attempt to link shooting scenes." The practice has been used by law enforcement agencies since the early 2000s and has helped establish links between investigations, sometimes spanning years or across state lines. Locally, the Denver Police Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office were the beneficiaries of the technology to help solve a crime. In March of 2022, a shooting took place in Arvada. No one was injured but evidence was collected from the crime scene, including a bullet casing. NIBIN tends to use shell casings as a way to cross reference gun manufacturers, serial numbers and give investigators something to work with. CBS "There's a proprietary algorithm in this software that just evaluates the similarity of the markings left behind by the firearm," Mulligan explained. Typically, this kind of evidence can sit in the NIBIN database. But every now and then, a link will be provided which will allow agencies to reach out to one another and make a connection. "There's a data point from that linked incident where there's a light bulb or there's a link made," said Mulligan. CBS Which is how Denver police got in touch with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. While investigating another shooting in 2023, DPD sent the casing to their crime lab, who also use NIBIN for their ballistics analysis. The database turned up a hit: the shooting from Arvada in 2022. "The investigators can share those witness statements or the details about each of their investigation and work together," Mulligan added. The suspect, Michael Esadcida, was arrested and pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to 16 years as the ballistics technology provided a win for NIBIN, law enforcement and public safety.
