Trace Analysis Unit

The Trace Analysis Unit examines, identifies and/or compares hair, fiber, paint, glass, accelerants, explosives, gunshot residue, shoe/tire and tool impression evidence, hazardous chemicals (clandestine laboratory analysis) and performs analysis of other miscellaneous chemical and physical evidence.

The Trace Analysis Unit is also responsible for questioned documents examinations to determine the facts surrounding documents, their preparation, and their subsequent treatment. The examination can include: comparison of handwriting or hand-printing; detection of alterations; photocopier and computer manipulation; restoration or decipherment of erased and obliterated writing; visualization of latent impressions; the identification of printing processes; reassembly of shredded documents; the dating of documents and differentiation of inks.