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STATEMENT OF EXPERTISE 

BRIGADIER J F HATTINGH

Professional History

Background :

From January 1981 to August 2006 he was employed by the South African Police Service as an expert examiner of questioned documents, which includes the individualization of handwriting, signatures, typescript, printed matter and stamped impressions; the identification of forgeries, erasures and alterations; the deciphering of obscured writing and indentations as well as any other examination concerning questioned documents.

Since April 1991 he was the Unit Commander of the Questioned Document Unit of the S A Police Service.  On 1994-12-01 he attained the rank of Brigadier and was part of the Senior Management of the Forensic Science Laboratory.

In September 2006 he established the independent firm Forensic Document Consultants which specializes in the forensic examination of documents.

Specialized training undergone :

1971 - 1972 :Academic and practical in-service training in the examination of fingerprints, crime scene investigation and forensic photography : S A Police.
1981 - 1983 : Academic and practical in-service training in the examination of questioned documents at the Questioned Document Unit : S A Police.
1984 :  IBM : Instructional program on typewriters.
1985 :  South African Banknote Company : Identification of printing processes and genuine and counterfeit currency.  Also certified as a training officer in abovementioned subject.
1994 :  Crane & Co. : Boston, USA :  The manufacture of security banknote paper
1994 :  United States Secret Service, Washington DC : Identification of printing processes and genuine and counterfeit United States currency.
1996 :  WIRSAM : Light Microscopy and photomicrograph instructional program.
1998 :  Training in Mandarin writing - Taiwan Forensic  Services.
1999 :  Advanced Printing Course (S A Printing College).
1999 :  SAPPI : Paper manufacturing course.
1999 :  ISO9000 Internal Quality Auditing.
2005 :  Member of the South African National Accreditation System Specialised Technical Committee on Forensic Science.

Qualifications :
▸ National Diploma : Police Administration.
▸ Diploma in Document Examination : Forensic Science Society, Great Britain.
▸ Advanced Program in Forensic Science (Questioned Documents) : University of South Africa.
▸ University of South Africa - B.Iuris (Studied subjects applicable to work for non-degree purposes).

Training presented :

1994 - 1996 : Part-time lecturer at the Technicon South Africa in the subject "Investigation of Crime".
1997 - 1999 : Lecturer and Moderator at the University of South Africa "Advanced Certificate in Forensic Criminalistics".
1998 - 2005 : Developed training programs for South African, Zimbabwean, Tanzanian, Kenyan, Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland Questioned Document examiners.

Conferences attended :

1993 : International Association of Forensic Sciences Congress - Germany
1997 : Ninth INTERPOL Annual Congress in Currency Counterfeiting - Finland
1997 : Third INTERPOL Annual Congress on Fraudulent Travel Documents - Finland
1999 : United States Secret Service International Fraud Conference
1999 : South African Reserve Bank Counterfeit Currency Conference
2002 : Integrated approach for dealing with Counterfeit Currency : S A Reserve Bank
2003 : First African Forensic Congress
2003 : SADEK Counterfeit Currency Seminar

Scientific publications :

▸ Textbook : Questioned Documents : University of South Africa (Co-author).
▸ Examination of Counterfeit Currency : SAPS Commercial Crime.
▸ Commercial Crime Investigation : SAPS Commercial Crime.

International Forensic and Policing facilities visited :

▸ Forensic Science Laboratory - Germany
▸ FBI Forensic Science Laboratory - Washington DC
▸ United States Secret Service Forensic Laboratory - Washington DC
▸ Forensic Science Laboratory - Helsinki
▸ Forensic Science Laboratory - Taipei

Casework experience :    

Questioned document examinations ± 23,000
Expert evidence in court 1370 : In High and Lower courts throughout the Republic of South Africa and adjacent states.
International Questioned Document Proficiency Tests successfully completed (Collaborative Testing - USA)  17

The Chief Examiner has 38 years experience in the forensic field, handled over 23,000 cases up to date, gave expert evidence in court more than 1,300 times and the Company has all necessary forensic equipment and appropriate reference materials to render a complete forensic document examination service.


 

Highly skilled and experienced.

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