Now this is neat. Dr. Bond has developed a technique to lift finger prints off of shell casings, even if they were wiped clean or old. The oils or acids on the finger, do their thing to the casing, and it acts like metal etching in a way. Bond’s technique is to be able to bring out the etching.
So what does that mean in the grand scheme of things? Old cases, that had just bullet casings left over, will be brought forward and re-examined. In war zones, we could track the enemy by the prints they leave on casings. Better yet, if a contractor was in a shooting, and they were able to go back to the scene and find any enemy shell casings, they could prove they were fired upon by a specific individual, based on the prints lifted.
This is really applicable now that we are implementing biometrics to COIN operations. We are using finger printing machines and eye scanners to identify everyone in a combat zone. Doom on you if you are an insurgent trying to hide amongst the population, because we can now connect shell casings to you. And seeing how this technique just came out within the last year or so, it will be interesting how far they are taking this.
What is really cool though, is if they could lift prints off of shrapnel? That means anyone that touched the metal of an IED, could potentially be called out or added to a matrix of intel, all based on the fingerprints lifted. Even suicide bombers that have blown up, could have the metal components on their system tested.
Also, if the lawyers for the Blackwater Five are reading this (Nisour Square), then you need to look into grabbing any of the shell casings taken from scene, and lifting some finger prints. Or even the bullets in bodies could be used. Interesting stuff. –Matt
—————————————————————–
Bullets hold the key in Bond’s unique view to a kill
Michael Pollitt
Thursday 5 February 2009
Detective Garrie Dorman wants to find a killer. He travelled from Connecticut last week to ask Dr John Bond, scientific support manager for Northamptonshire police and honorary research fellow at the University of Leicester Forensic Research Centre, for help. Bond again successfully used a pioneering technique (Forensic science‘s magic bullet, 28 August 2008) to recover fingerprints from shell casings.