Nov 15, 2016 | Uncategorized
From 15 to 16 November 2016, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) carried out the second round of technical workshops to promote international standards for improved stockpile management of arms and ammunition among private security companies in the city of Lima, Peru. This training was carried out in collaboration with Peru’s National Superintendence for the Control of Security Services, Arms, Ammunition and Explosives for Civilian Use (SUCAMEC).
Thanks to the success of the first technical workshop carried out in 2015, various security companies requested additional trainings aimed at their operational staff responsible for stockpiles, control and custody of firearms and ammunition.
This workshop – resulting in the training of 14 representatives from security companies and SUCAMEC officials – promotes the incorporation of international standards and physical security procedures into daily operations. The standards relate to the facilities where the arms and ammunition are stored in order to introduce comprehensive measures to contribute to a reduction in the diversion of arms and ammunition.
The training workshop dealt with important issues, such as firearms and ammunition classification, stock management, risk assessment, security plans and incident reporting, among others. Throughout the sessions, practical exercises complemented the theoretical knowledge imparted by UNLIREC’s Public Security Programme.
This project activity was made possible thanks to the funding provided by the Federal Republic of Germany. The multi-year project aims to promote good governance and arms control within the private security sector and is being implemented in collaboration with the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF).
Through this assistance package, UNLIREC supports Latin American and Caribbean States in the strengthening of public security and the implementation of the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects (UN 2001 PoA).
Nov 14, 2016 | Uncategorized
From 14-18 November, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) carried out its pilot forensic ballistics collaborative exercise in the Dominican Republic and Guyana. These exercises are a series of practical and paper-based assessments on the competencies of forensic examination of small arms ammunition, forensic examination of firearms and their components and trigger pull and travel examination. The exercises – based on UNLIREC’s standard operating procedures – were developed as a preparatory step for a regional framework of competency testing. These exercises also support the internal identification of existing gaps in skills, knowledge and procedures within firearms units in each State and may also be used as an internal assessment tool for the forensic science institutes and laboratories of the region.
Six members of the Scientific Police, the Ballistic and Biometric Lab of the National Firearms System, and the National Institute of Forensic Sciences in the Dominican Republic participated in this internal four-day assessment. At the same time, UNLIREC carried out the same exercise with the Guyana Police Crime Laboratory with four firearm examiners. These exercises form part of a third round of implementation under the framework of UNLIREC’s Caribbean Operational Forensic Ballistics Assistance Package, made possible thanks to the support of the US Department of State and the Government of Canada.
UNLIREC, as the regional organ of the UN Office for Disarmament, seeks to advance the cause of practical disarmament in Latin America and the Caribbean as part of its commitment to support Member States in their implementation of international disarmament and non-proliferation instruments, in particular, the 2001 UN Programme of Action on Small Arms.
Nov 4, 2016 | Uncategorized
From 11 to 14 of April, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), in collaboration with the Government of Guyana carried out a series of hands-on forensic ballistics training exercises in Georgetown. These exercises represent the second round of assistance held under the framework of UNLIREC’s Caribbean Operational Forensic Ballistics Assistance Package, which is made possible thanks to the support of the US Department of State and the Government of Canada.
The training exercises enabled 8 officers from the Guyana Police Force Crime laboratory to gain in-depth knowledge on specific UNLIREC Standard Operating Procedures, such as forensic examination of firearms and small arms ammunition, validation of scientific methods, range of fire determination (shot pattern) and health and safety during forensic processes. The activities also included a series of practical exercises including the examination and subsequent identification of firearms and their parts and components using best practice pro formas as well as exercises on validation and calibration protocols. Participants were also exposed to a real case scenario and taught to calculate the range of fire. The exercises provided participants with the opportunity to exchange best practices, discuss challenges faced in the field as well as practice new methods and technology in order to build more substantial cases and solid evidence.
For the third round of project assistance to the Government of Guyana, UNLIREC will be promoting the implementation of a series of collaborative exercises derived from forensic ballistic SOPs as a tool for determining staff competencies in key functional areas.
UNLIREC, as the regional organ of the UN Office for Disarmament, seeks to advance the cause of practical disarmament in Latin America and the Caribbean as part of its commitment to support Member States in their implementation of international disarmament and non-proliferation instruments, in particular, the 2001 UN Programme of Action on Small Arms.
For more information on UNLIREC visit (www.unlirec.org). Please direct all questions or inquiries to Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer (cowl@unlirec.org).
Nov 4, 2016 | Uncategorized
The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) has expanded its technical assistance to the Peruvian provinces of Chiclayo and Arequipa through its “Strengthening Oversight and Building Capacities for Small Arms Control and Nonproliferation in the Private Security Sector” project, which was launched in Peru in June 2015. Through this project, UNLIREC supports the National Superintendence for the Control of Security Services, Arms, Ammunition and Explosives for Civil Use (SUCAMEC) as the government body that controls and supervises private security, as well as the companies that provide services in this sector.
The activities that have been carried out through this project include training in small arms and ammunition inventory management for private security companies, technical assessments of private security companies aimed at providing technical recommendations on stockpile management and physical security measures, and secondary marking of firearms with laser technology. The project`s activities to date have focused on the city of Lima.
In order to ensure that this project has a decentralized impact in the country, UNLIREC expanded its technical assistance to the cities of Chiclayo and Arequipa. Consequently, during the week of 11 April 2016, UNLIREC`s technical team assessed the level of compliance of four private security companies in these two cities with the United Nations International Small Arms Control Standards (ISACS) and the United Nations International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATG). These voluntary assessments include technical recommendations in order to strengthen the level of compliance with the standards, to improve the security and the small arms and ammunition inventory management of these companies. Achieving high levels of compliance with these international standards helps prevent theft and diversion of firearms and ammunition belonging to the private security sector to illegal actors.
This project is funded by the Federal Republic of Germany and is implemented in partnership with the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of the Armed Forces (DCAF). Its main goal is to promote internationally accepted standards, good practices and initiatives, such as the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers (ICoC) and United Nations small arms and ammunition control standards.
Through its assistance, UNLIREC supports Latin American and Caribbean States strengthen public security and the implementation of the UN Programme of Action on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects (UN 2001 PoA).
For more information about UNLIREC, visit (www.unlirec.org) or contact Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer, (cowl@unlirec.org).
Oct 24, 2016 | Uncategorized
From 26-28 October, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), in collaboration with the Government of St Kitts and Nevis, carried out a forensic ballistics competency testing exercises for police firearms examiners in Basseterre. This internal testing tool is used to determine staff competencies in key functional areas.
This tool was developed based on UNLIREC’s ballistics-specific standard operating procedures, including issues integral to the day to day work undertaken by firearms examiners, such examination of small arms ammunition, examination of firearms and their components and trigger pull determination. In the medium- and long-term, this internal testing tool will systematize the continual upgrading of “competencies”, allow for modifications in training and sustain an ever-more capable pool of Caribbean forensic ballistics experts.
These exercises form part of the third round of implementation under the framework of UNLIREC’s Caribbean Operational Forensic Ballistics Assistance Package, which is made possible thanks to the support of the US Department of State and the Government of Canada.
UNLIREC, as the regional organ of the UN Office for Disarmament, seeks to advance the cause of practical disarmament in Latin America and the Caribbean as part of its commitment to support Member States in their implementation of international disarmament and non-proliferation instruments, in particular, the 2001 UN Programme of Action on Small Arms.
Oct 24, 2016 | Uncategorized
From 24 to 28 October 2016, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) visited Santiago, Chile to participate in the Training Course for Latin America and the Caribbean Points of Contact for the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) and its related resolutions. The training course was hosted by the Government of Chile in cooperation with the 1540 Committee and its Group of Experts and supported by UNODA. The training course was made possible through funding from the UN Trust Fund for Global and Regional Disarmament Activities.
The training course aimed to provide national points of contact with an in-depth knowledge about the resolution’s obligations and its implementation challenges. In addition, it emphasized the importance of building strong networks and promoting cooperation and interaction between national points of contact. The course was conducted with presentations by members of the 1540 Committee Group of Experts and representatives of different International Organizations including OPWC, UNODC, WCO and OAS.
UNLIREC provided logistical support prior and during the training and used this opportunity to strengthen its relationship with key representatives. In addition, UNLIREC took the opportunity to present its assistance package to the region and the work it is carrying out with beneficiary States in the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004).
National points of contact play an important role in the effective implementation of UNSCR 1540 (2004). The training was an excellent opportunity to share national experiences and learn from the challenges each State faces. The training for resolution 1540 (2004) National Points of Contact from Latin America and the Caribbean Region aims to become an annual regional meeting to bolster the network.
