FIREARM & TOOLMARK (Ballistics)

Examination of evidence relating to firearms, including the effects and behavior of projectiles.

The Firearm & Toolmark (Ballistics) Department undertakes the analysis of firearms, bullets, and cartridge cases in order to provide ballistic evidence for the Courts. The Department also provides crucial information used as leads for investigators through the output of the Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS) and Electronic Trace (eTrace) systems. The information obtained through the IBIS system provides links between firearms and / or crime scenes throughout the island. The Department’s role of marking all state-owned firearms increases the accountability and trace-ability of such weapons.

The Department consists of highly trained firearms examiners and ballistics experts who are competent in firearms examination, identification, shooting incident reconstruction, distance determination and serial number restoration.

Firearms/Tool-marks Examination and identification

• Firearms classification

• Function Testing

• Microscopic comparison of fired cartridge cases

• Microscopic comparison of tool-marks

• Serial number restoration

Shooting Incident Reconstruction

• Shooting scene examination

• Gunshot residue Distance Determination

• Trajectory analysis

Sub-units

• Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS) Unit

• Firearms Tracing Unit