Victoria Police Forensics Services Department has recently achieved accreditation to ISO 21043-2:2018, becoming only the second facility in Australia to be successfully assessed against this International Standard.
Already accredited to AS 5388, the Australian Standard that laid the foundation for ISO 21043, the new accreditation represents a significant achievement. ISO 21043-2 focuses on the critical early stages of forensic science covering the recognition, recording, collection, transport, and storage of items at crime scenes.
The importance of ISO 21043-2 lies in its ability to address key challenges in the forensic process, particularly those occurring at the initial stages of an investigation. By setting clearer and more rigorous guidelines, the standard ensures consistency and reliability in handling evidence from the outset.
This achievement reinforces confidence within the community and the justice system highlighting the fact that the Victoria Police Forensics Services Department now operate at the highest and most relevant accreditation standard.
As ISO 21043 is a relatively new framework, NATA is proudly among the first accreditation bodies to develop an audit process for assessing laboratories against it. With parts 3 to 5 of ISO 21043 released in 2025, it is expected more forensic facilities will pursue accreditation not only to ISO 21043-2 but also to these additional components.