Regulator’s notification 02-2023: the status of the Council for the Registration of Forensic Science Practitioners (CRFP) register (accessible)
Published 19 December 2023
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Issue
The status of the Council for the Registration of Forensic Science Practitioners (CRFP) register.
Background
A recent referral to the regulator highlighted that a forensic practitioner was using the terminology “I am included on the list of Forensic Practitioners held by the Forensic Regulator.” The forensic practitioner believed that the regulator was holding a legacy CRFP register of forensic practitioners but could provide no evidence that he was included on such a register.
The CRFP ceased to operate in 2009, however due to confidentiality agreements that register could not and was not provided to the non-statutory Regulator.
In order to assist with consulting with previously registered practitioners, the non-statutory regulator invited practitioners in 2009 to write in to be on a temporary register for that purpose.
The statutory regulator has established that even if any approaches were made to be included on a list, no records of applications are currently held and no such register is held by the statutory regulator.
Changes
The regulator wishes to make clear that a register of forensic practitioners is not part of the statutory regulation of forensic science or the code of practice. Any claims to be included on a list of forensic practitioners held by the regulator would be misleading and inaccurate. The regulator would consider this a significant breach of the code and would take appropriate action under the provisions of the Forensic Science Regulator Act 2021 against any individual who made this claim.
Process and date of implementation
With immediate effect from the date of this regulatory notice.
Mr Gary Pugh OBE
Date: 18 Dec 2023