FQS Accredits Plano PD Crime Scene Investigation Unit

ANAB/FQS press release

The ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board/FQS has accredited the Plano, Texas, Police Department Crime Scene Investigation Unit to ISO/IEC 17020 for forensic inspection. This makes Plano's Crime Scene Investigation Unit the first law enforcement agency in the continental United States to attain such accreditation.

ISO/IEC 17020 is the international standard for accreditation of bodies performing inspection. FQS accreditation is based on an assessment of the unit's procedures, technical qualifications, and competence for conducting specific inspection activities within the scope of the standard, all with reference to ISO/IEC 17020 requirements.

"FQS was excited to have the opportunity to work with the Plano Police Department Crime Scene Investigation Unit to complete a successful assessment and provide formal recognition of their competence," said Terry Mills, FQS Manager of Accreditation. "Accreditation to ISO/IEC 17020 is becoming the new norm for forensic inspection agencies, and we take pride in being at the forefront of a significant trend."

The Plano Crime Scene Investigation Unit accreditation applies to the disciplines of crime scene investigations, latent prints, and firearms examinations.

While U.S. accrediting bodies previously accredited crime scene units to ISO/IEC 17025, the international standard for analytical testing laboratories, FQS recognized that ISO/IEC 17020 is more appropriate for the forensic work performed by crime scene investigators and last year launched its ISO/IEC 17020 program for police forensic units.

The first law enforcement agency in the Americas to become accredited to ISO/IEC 17020 for forensic inspection is the Forensic Science Institute of Puerto Rico, which was accredited by FQS in February 2012.

The ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board provides accreditation services under the FQS, ACLASS, and ANAB brands.

• Under the FQS brand, the organization accredits ISO/IEC 17020 forensic inspection agencies and ISO/IEC 17025 forensic testing agencies. FQS is recognized by the FBI to conduct DNA QAS accreditation assessments.

• Under the ACLASS brand, the organization accredits ISO/IEC 17025 testing and calibration laboratories, ISO/IEC 17020 inspection bodies, ISO Guide 34 reference material producers, and ISO/IEC 17043 proficiency test providers, and offers industry-specific accreditation programs.

• Under the ANAB brand, the organization is the U.S. accreditation body for management systems and accredits certification bodies for ISO 9001 quality management systems; ISO 14001 environmental management systems; ISO 22000 food safety management systems; ISO 28000 supply chain security management systems; ISO/IEC 20000-1 information technology service management systems; ISO 27001 information security management systems; ANSI/AIHA Z10, CSA Z1000, and BS OHSAS 18001 occupational health and safety management systems; IECQ QC 08000 hazardous substance process management; PS- PrepTM; and numerous industry-specific requirements.

The ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board is a member of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC), and is a signatory of the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements. Through these arrangements, the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board cooperates with other accreditation bodies around the world to provide value to the organization it has accredited and their clients, ensuring that accredited certificates are recognized nationally and internationally. The global conformity assessment system ensures confidence and reduces risk for customers engaging in trade worldwide.

For more information about ACLASS, visit www.aclasscorp.com.

For more information about FQS, visit www.forquality.org.

For more information about ANAB, visit www.anab.org.