News
TRANSLATION CARDS TO HELP CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATORS
September 1st, 2008
Translation cards for crime scene investigators have been produced in 13 different languages to help forensic recovery teams overcome potential language barriers. The cards, jointly produced by Norfolk and Cambridgeshire constabularies, were designed and printed at no cost to the forces by Cellmark Forensic Services.
01 September 2008
The cards are available in languages commonly encountered in today’s communities, including Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Farsi, Kurdish Sorani, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Slovak, Turkish and Urdu.
In each language, the cards carry 13 phrases commonly used when interacting with crime victims, such as: “where has the offender been?”, “is this old damage?” and “is this yours?”.
Mr Alan Gilbert, head of forensic investigation at Norfolk Constabulary said: “This is a great initiative that will clearly help our staff optimise forensic recovery and engage with the diverse communities that we serve; which in turn will help deliver reassurance where previously there may have been a language barrier.
“We have enjoyed a long and productive relationship with Cellmark Forensic Services and I am very grateful for its assistance with this project.”
Dr Helen Williamson, scientific support manager for Cambridgeshire Constabulary, added: “My crime scene investigators report that they each attend at least one scene a week where none of the household speaks any English and this will assist in explaining to the victim what we require and what we are going to do.”
David Hartshorne, commercial director of Orchid Cellmark’s UK operation, added: “We were delighted to be involved in this initiative and could immediately see the operational benefit of the idea. Any forces that would like to receive complementary copies of the booklets are very welcome to request them via one of our account managers at info@cellmarkforensics.co.uk.”
About Orchid Cellmark
Cellmark Forensic Services is a registered name of Orchid Cellmark Ltd, part of Orchid Cellmark Inc, a leading International provider of DNA testing services for human identity testing and agricultural applications. In the human identity area, the company provides DNA testing services for forensic investigation, paternity testing and family relationship analysis, and security applications. In the agriculture field, Orchid Cellmark provides DNA testing services for selective trait breeding. Orchid Cellmark's strong market positions in these segments reflect the company's accredited laboratories in the U.S. and U.K., its innovative genetic analysis technologies and expertise, and the world-renowned Cellmark brand that has been associated with exceptional quality, reliability and customer service for nearly two decades. More information on Orchid Cellmark Ltd can be found at www.orchidcellmark.co.uk. More information on Orchid Cellmark Inc. can be found at www.orchid.com
