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Our Partners
SPA Forensic Services deliver world-leading, high-quality and value-for-money forensic services to meet the needs of our criminal justice partners and the expectations of the Scottish public.
As a member of the SIPR Executive Committee, Fiona Douglas – the Director of SPA Forensic Services – supports the Institute’s aims and objectives in research, knowledge transfer, capacity building and long-term sustainability and its plan of activities to support the development of national and international partnerships.
A working group on Demonstrating the Value of Forensic Services, which seeks a suitable methodology to assess the value of the work carried out by SPA Forensic Services brings to the public sector, was launched in 2022 and SIPR is a key part this working group.
SPA Forensic Services have 600 highly-trained and skilled scientists and staff operate from five main laboratory sites in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and at the Scottish Crime Campus in Gartcosh with Scene Examination teams based throughout Scotland. The unique SPA Forensic Services crime scene-to-court model provides robust support to the delivery of justice. A ‘sterile corridor’ is also in place between Forensic Services SPA and Police Scotland – which ensures impartiality and independence – key values in delivering forensic services throughout the criminal justice system.
In September 2021, Forensic Services launched a refreshed Forensic Strategy: Delivering excellence in forensic science for a safe and resilient Scotland. This strategy produced after wide consultation with stakeholders, including SIPR, provides Forensic Services with our strategic direction for the coming years with our vision: Scientific excellence for safer communities.
Further details are available on the SPA Forensic Services website: Forensic Services for Policing – Scottish Police Authority
Fiona Douglas has been Director of SPA Forensic Service – part of the Scottish Police Authority – since October 2021. Formally Head of Strategic Change at Forensic Services, Fiona has more than 25 years’ experience working in forensic science – the past 10 years in Scotland.
Before becoming Head of Strategic Change, Fiona worked as Head of Biology at Forensic Services and led the national development and implementation of DNA24 technology, which is now at the heart of DNA services serving the justice system in Scotland.
Prior to joining SPA Forensic Services, Fiona had worked at the Government-owned Forensic Science Service at various sites across England and Wales with responsibility across multi-disciplinary forensic evidence and organisational change.
Fiona was instrumental in the development of the Forensic Strategy and – as Head of Strategic Change – responsible for its ongoing delivery.
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