Hong Kong police launch first mobile forensics lab to solve crimes faster
HK$1.4 million van laboratory introduced in the final quarter of 2024 and used for the first time in murder case earlier this month
Hong Kong police have launched their first mobile forensics laboratory, equipped with advanced technology to speed up response times to crime scenes and evidence testing results.
The HK$1.4 million (US$179,815) van turned lab was introduced in the final quarter of last year and used for the first time in a murder case earlier this month, according to the force.
“The time frame from the moment we arrive at the crime scene until all results are obtained has been shortened from half a day to one hour or more,” said Tan Tung-fai, chief inspector of the Identification Bureau’s advanced technology section.
Tan said an average of seven cases required his section’s help every year, adding he expected his team would be called to survey more crime scenes now that the lab had been launched.
“The mobile lab is particularly used for serious crimes such as murder cases,” he said.
The lab has three sections: a fingerprint examination workstation; storage space for instruments and tools; and an area to keep support equipment for outdoor operations.
Tan said officers could conduct chemical examinations and take pictures of fingerprints in the lab. They could also send fingerprint photos from the crime scenes to police headquarters.
