The structure of the National Police Forensic Science Institute (ISFSN) is laid out in a decision issued by Abdellatif Hammouchi, director general of the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN), published in the Official Gazette dated October 19.
The decision was issued on September 14, 2026, and will take effect on January 1, 2027.
Based in Rabat, the institute operates under the Judicial Police Directorate. It is headed by a qualified senior police official appointed by the DGSN director-general, who holds the title of deputy director of the Judicial Police, responsible for technical and forensic policing. The official has full authority to manage the institute.
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The ISFSN is responsible for drafting the DGSN’s forensic policing strategy and overseeing its implementation. It must also ensure that its divisions and units have the equipment, personnel and logistical support needed for crime-scene investigations, forensic examinations and laboratory analysis. Another key responsibility is developing the expertise of forensic officers and technicians, including designing specialist and continuing training programs.
To carry out these duties, the institute’s director assesses the performance of each unit and identifies its staffing and equipment needs. The director may also propose setting up forensic identification units and regional forensic laboratories, subject to preliminary studies and coordination with the relevant central directorates. An annual report on the institute’s activities, together with recommendations for improving its performance, must be submitted to the DGSN director-general.
The first division is the forensic science laboratory, which has the status of a central administration division. It handles forensic examinations requested by judicial police officers and courts, using chemical and physical analysis to identify suspicious substances and DNA profiling to identify suspects. It also carries out technical examinations. Its six units cover administrative and forensic case management, forensic chemistry, narcotics and toxicology, forensic biology, DNA profiling and technical examinations.
The Technical Analysis and Risk Management Division handles digital evidence, audio and visual recordings, firearms and ammunition, documents and currency. It also manages cases involving nuclear, radiological, chemical and biological materials and raises awareness of the risks they pose. Its five units specialize in digital forensics, forensic audio and visual analysis and artificial intelligence, ballistics, document examination and risk management.
Supporting crime-scene investigators
The third division, Forensic Identification, processes identification requests using ten-print fingerprint records, palm-print evidence and facial features. It oversees identification sections within the DGSN’s regional and local commands and coordinates the work of crime-scene technicians. Its Criminal Records Unit maintains the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS), while its other two units handle biometric identification and field coordination and monitoring.
Alongside the three divisions are four units reporting directly to the institute’s director. Their responsibilities cover logistics and field support, professional development and scientific research, document and seal management, and quality assurance and standardization.
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The institute also oversees the technical and logistical aspects of forensic work carried out by the DGSN’s regional and local services. Its director, division heads and unit chiefs provide the support needed by teams responding to crime scenes. They are also responsible for compiling statistics on the units under their supervision, including decentralized forensic identification services and regional digital forensics and forensic science laboratories.
These officials also contribute to the initial training of police recruits at the Royal Police Institute and its affiliated schools. They oversee specialist training for newly appointed officers assigned to ISFSN units, both centrally and across the country, and ensure that staff receive ongoing training to keep pace with advances in forensic methods and technology. They also represent the DGSN at national and international forums, conferences and professional gatherings, sharing their expertise and best practices.
