The Mexican Accreditation Entity (EMA) accredits certification bodies for ISO 9001 quality management systems and ISO 14001 environmental management systems. They may also be in charge of conducting the ISO 17025 audit of the Questioned Document Section of the PGR Laboratory. I was lucky enough to attend one of their meetings this week in Mexico City. They are busy assisting various scientific working groups committed to seeking accreditation in the near future. The discussions heard this week centered on developing policy and procedures for each forensic discipline and seeking a local vendor to provide proficiency tests in Spanish. It is an exciting time to be part of the changes ahead in the legal system as well as the forensic science laboratories. Only when standards and best practices are readily accepted and employed will Mexico see a giant leap forward in their standing on par with other international forensic science laboratories.
