Workshop on Radiological Crime Scene Management in Azerbaijan

18 May 2021

May 18, 2021, the Science and Technology Center in Ukraine (STCU), jointly with the National Nuclear Research Center (CJSC) of the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan, hosted a tabletop exercise (TTX) on Radiological Crime Scene Management in Azerbaijan. The TTX was held under the umbrella of the STCU Targeted Initiative on Nuclear Forensics funded jointly by the European Union and the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration (U.S. DOE/NNSA).
The training was attended by representatives of the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan; the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan; the State Security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan; the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan; the State Agency For Nuclear And Radiological Activity Regulation of the Republic of Azerbaijan; the State Border Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan; the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan; and the U.S. Embassy in Baku. Nuclear forensics experts from the EU, USA, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine participated in the event as observers as well.
The purpose of the TTX was to bring together national law enforcement officials and nuclear and radiological experts, in order to facilitate joint work in the field of nuclear forensics, as well as to improve the skills and expertise of nuclear forensic specialists in Azerbaijan.

Workshop Objectives
The workshop had the following objectives:
• Familiarization with the capabilities (equipment, personnel, methodology, and experience) of government agencies capable of conducting nuclear and radiological analysis;
• Development of a comprehensive National Response Plan required for the conduct of nuclear forensics;
• Discussion of measures to respond to nuclear or radiological emergencies, taking into account the issues of national legislation of Azerbaijan;
• Determination of the necessary actions to be taken by the authorities, subsequent to a radiological incident at a crime scene;
• Challenges of radiological crime scene management, including the discussion of a simple scenario;
• Scenario-based practical exercises: Organization of joint activities between law enforcement officers and nuclear and radiological experts in a nuclear forensic incident.
The TTX participants discussed the possibility of planning a follow-on training exercise in order to address the following issues:
• Increase the preparedness of the relevant authorities for radiological incidents;
• Formation of coordinated actions between law enforcement officials and government bodies conducting nuclear and radiological analysis;
• Improvement of the skills and knowledge of radiologists working directly at the crime scene;
• Improvement of mutual assistance skills and experience;
• Improvement of the skills required to ensure the radiological protection of the investigator during the process of collecting evidence at the crime scene and ensuring the protection of collected evidence.

Contact Person: Elena Taberko