Antigua and Barbuda’s Crime Scene and Evidence Recovery Unit (CERU) is preparing for a fingerprint technology upgrade as part of a wider effort to strengthen the country’s forensic capabilities, according to its director, LaToya Lake-Marshall.

Lake-Marshall, Director of CERU within the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda, made the disclosure in an interview with Observer Media, where she outlined ongoing investments in forensic technology, data systems, and laboratory development.

She said the fingerprint upgrade is already in the pipeline and will form part of a broader modernisation push that includes new legislation to support expanded forensic use and data management.

“We had it before, and now I’m upgrading it, and that has to do with fingerprints,” she said. “I am an advocate, but I will start pushing for certain policies through the government legislation when it comes to fingerprints.”

Her comments come shortly after the handover of the IBIS BRASSTRAX ballistic identification system, delivered through US-funded support and facilitated by CARICOM IMPACS, which connects Antigua and Barbuda to a regional firearms tracing network.

Lake-Marshall also confirmed that work is underway to establish a national criminal database modelled on systems such as the United States’ CODIS system, while a forensic laboratory is being brought fully on stream.

“The forensic lab is coming up. They’re being trained. We are equipped,” she said, adding that the Crime Scene Unit and forensic lab leadership are working closely to ensure coordinated operations.

She stopped short of saying fingerprint legislation is imminent, stressing instead that her role is to advocate for the necessary policy framework rather than announce formal government action.

Lake-Marshall, who previously served as Forensic Director in St. Kitts and Nevis for more than seven years, said her return to Antigua and Barbuda reflects a continuation of the technological and institutional reforms she pursued in that jurisdiction.

She acknowledged that CERU had recently undergone a period of internal review and restructuring, which contributed to limited public communication. However, she said the process was intentional and aimed at strengthening operational capacity rather than signalling inactivity.

According to her, a comprehensive departmental review was completed in consultation with the Commissioner of Police, and the unit is now transitioning toward full integration of new forensic technologies.

Lake-Marshall added that the public will be kept informed as developments unfold, describing transparency as both an accountability measure and a deterrent to crime.

“Keeping the public abreast as to what we have in store also works as a deterrent,” she said. “So I just want to assure the public that we are working and we are moving with technology.”

She further noted that CERU now includes both certified civilians and sworn officers, forming what she described as a balanced team positioned to meet the growing demands of modern forensic investigation.