JOHANNESBURG – Putting hardened criminals behind bars is a daily task of the SAPS, especially so for fingerprint analyst Warrant Officer Amanda Mangaliso.
Mangaliso, 42, is one of the more than 150 women fingerprint analysts at the SAPS and her job requires her to spend long hours studying and matching criminals to fingerprints stored in the policing system.
As South Africa continues to celebrate women this Women's Month, Mangaliso, who hails from Bityi in the Eastern Cape, is one of those women carving a niche for herself in a traditionally male-dominated environment.
"My line of work requires dedication, perseverance and patience because much of the job requires long hours at a desk, studying fingerprints to compare the lines and swirls in the prints, looking for a match,” she adds.
Mangaliso has been with the SAPS since 2012.
She holds an honours degree in chemical science and is posted to the Crime Scene Laboratory in Pretoria as a fingerprint analyst.
National police spokesperson Colonel Athlande Mathe has applauded Mangaliso and other fingerprint analysts inn the service.
“We salute you for choosing to serve the people of this country with pride and integrity. We also say thank you for putting your country first,” she said.
WORK
As a fingerprint analyst, Mangaliso is expected to utilise her knowledge to analyse and examine fingerprint clues which are left at crime scenes.
“Fingerprint examining refers to the act of matching a suspect to the fingerprints he or she may have left behind at a crime scene.
“Fingerprint analysts are essential throughout the proceedings of a court case, as their evidence can be used to identify an individual and determine whether he or she were present when a crime was taking place.
“An interesting fact about fingerprints is that no one in the world has the same fingerprints, not even identical twins.
“It's also interesting to note that an individual’s fingerprints remain the same until they die, unless the deep layer of the skin is destroyed or intentionally changed by plastic surgery,” adds Mathe.
Officers like Mangaliso are expected to provide expert crime-scene evidence which ensures criminals are thrown behind bars.
“There are three main fingerprint patterns, called arches, loops and whorls. The shape, size, number and arrangement of minor details in these patterns make each individuals fingerprint unique.
“When a fingerprint is found at a crime scene it is often referred to as a latent print.
“Cross-checking these prints against other prints in the SAPS database has the potential to link a series of crimes together, or to place a suspect at the scene of a crime,” said the 42-year-old Mangaliso.
TRAITS
But what does it take to be a top-notch fingerprint analyst?
“An individual must be detail-orientated, good at analysing data to solve problems, well organised, must possess excellent verbal and written communication for presenting detailed findings in reports and be able to testify as an expert witness in court,” she said.
And for other young men and women interested in the field of cracking crime as a fingerprint analyst, the SAPS requires as a minimum standard, a diploma or degree in natural science.
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