For the first time in nearly two decades, more than 50 global experts in disaster victim identification (DVI) convened in Sydney at the 48th INTERPOL DVI Working Group meeting. Hosted by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and supported by the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency (ANZPAA), the event marked Australia’s first time hosting the meeting in 15 years.
Representatives from over 15 countries, including 28 policing and medical specialists, joined forces to advance international forensic processes for identifying human remains after disasters. The twice-yearly working group aims to refine and uphold global best practices in DVI.
During the meeting, participants exchanged insights on recent operations, cutting-edge scientific advancements, and evolving technologies, ensuring INTERPOL’s internationally recognised DVI protocols remain effective and relevant.
Dr Mark Tahtouh, AFP DVI Commander, highlighted the importance of collaboration in these high-stakes investigations.
“The law enforcement community’s partnership with forensic scientists, academia, and government agencies sets a global standard for coordinated disaster response.”
The AFP’s reputation in DVI is built on its pivotal role in high-profile disasters, such as the 2002 Bali bombings, the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, and the 2019 Whakaari/White Island eruption.
INTERPOL’s DVI Unit Coordinator, Charles Lamens, praised Australia’s leadership, noting the nation’s integral role in updating the DVI guide every five years, a key resource for teams worldwide.
“INTERPOL was delighted to return to Australia after 15 years. The Australian DVI team’s expertise and meticulous organisation were crucial to the meeting’s success.”
This gathering reinforced Australia’s global standing as a leader in forensic disaster response, fostering international cooperation in times of crisis.
Support Our Journalism
The global Indian Diaspora and Australia’s multicultural communities need fair, non-hyphenated, and questioning journalism, packed with on-ground reporting. The Australia Today—with exceptional reporters, columnists, and editors—is doing just that. Sustaining this requires support from wonderful readers like you.
Whether you live in Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States of America, or India you can take a paid subscription by clicking Patreon