Meet the pros: Xhemajl Ademaj

Xhemajl Ademaj is a busy man.

As chief of the dactyloscopy sector of the Central KPS Forensic Laboratory in Prishtina, Kosovo, Ademaj must also find the time to teach crime investigation methods and the science of dactyloscopy at a nearby university, and act as head of the legal-criminalistics department of the college.

Recently, Ademaj also found the time to attend the AAFS conference in San Antonio. He returned to Kosovo impressed by the level of expertise and the amount of information available at the conference.

But Ademaj is no beginner. He began his post-university studies in criminal justice at Prishtina University. In 1995 he earned his Masters Degree in criminal justice on the topic “Political crime prosecution in Kosovo during the period 1981-1990.”

Ademaj earned his PhD in law science – criminal justice - in Tirana University, Albania, in 1997, where he studied “Crime scene investigation processing and Judicial action in the penal procedure.” His post university studies include time at Coimbra University in Portugal. He trained as a crime scene technician at the police academy, where he specialized in fingerprint examination. He has published six books.

Ademaj began his law enforcement career in the Kosovo Police Service in 1999, starting as a patrol officer before moving up to shift supervisor, station investigation supervisor, station coordinator, community policing supervisor, forensics processing supervisor, lieutenant in regional investigations in Prishtina, legal advisor in the office of the Police Commissioner, and finally chief of the fingerprints section in the forensics lab. He is also an active member of the International Organization for Identification in the U.S.

Forensic Magazine: Have you been to the AAFS conference prior to this year?

Xhemajl Ademaj: This was the first time I attended the AAFS conference in San Antonio, and I have the utmost respect for the organizers and International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program who invited me to attend such a high-level professional forum.

Forensic Magazine: What did you think of the conference?

Xhemajl Ademaj: In my opinion, the conference displayed a high level of professional organization, especially with regards to the lecturers and the way the workshops were organized. I attended two workshops and other sessions chaired by renowned U.S. forensics experts.

Forensic Magazine: Do you work primarily in the lab, or do you assist at crime scene investigations?

Xhemajl Ademaj: Earlier in 2004 I supervised the crime scene investigations sector in the main police headquarters, and now I am permanently working in the forensics lab.

Forensic Magazine: What is the biggest need in the forensics field in Kosovo?

Xhemajl Ademaj: In Kosovo there is a lack of experience in forensics with regards to both training and practice, because as you know we established the modern forensics after the war in 1999 thanks to the U.S. government, namely to ICITAP and Mr. Richard Tanton for establishing the modern laboratory.

I think that all the latest technology I saw in the U.S. is the same as what we use in our laboratory because (much of it) was a donation by the U.S. government.

Forensic Magazine: Did you see or learn anything at AAFS that you can bring back to advance your work in Kosovo?

Xhemajl Ademaj: I learned many things at the AAFS conference in San Antonio and I will bring this back to Kosovo and share it with my colleagues in the laboratory and with students at FAMA college.

In addition to this, I also had many meetings with academia and we will exchange opinions online, and I will also ask them for everything I may need and I will increase the cooperation in other conferences too. I would like to use this opportunity to thank those who recommended me for becoming an Associate Member of AAFS which will be of great help for advancing science in Kosovo and the region.

Forensic Magazine: What do you consider the most important advance in forensic investigations over the past five years?

Xhemajl Ademaj: I think the most important advances in forensics (are things) such as DNA, finger prints, especially the Automated Fingerprint Identification System. The start of a good investigation should be based in crime scene investigations so that it is as professional as possible, because an initial mistake at the crime scene can be then difficult to correct during the procedures at the laboratory and in expertise.

Forensic Magazine: What is the most challenging case you’ve worked on?

Xhemajl Ademaj: In addition to the scientific work I am doing with the students, so far I wrote 5 books in the field of forensics-crime. I am also working on the test that we have each year by the accredited U.S. company for forensics testing in the field of finger prints.

As far as practice is concerned, together with fingerprints experts we are working on the case of 7 kg of drugs, to trace the fingerprints of people who are involved in this case and then search them in the AFIS system.

Forensic Magazine: What do you think is the biggest misconception about forensics?

Xhemajl Ademaj: The biggest misconception about forensics is that anyone can do it in the style of CSI series or by watching other TV series. Forensics requires a great a deal of professionalism, training, ethics and morals during the everyday work of various fields of crime investigations.

Forensic Magazine: What do you like best about your job?

Xhemajl Ademaj: What I like best about my job is that the lab I work in has all the necessary working conditions and the latest technology donated to us by the U.S.; it is the best lab in the region and I am especially fond of the academic contacts with U.S. forensic experts and the American literature.

Forensic Magazine: What is the most challenging thing about your job?

Xhemajl Ademaj: The most challenging about my job is the material side. The monthly salary of an expert is $260, and they are not able to attend trainings and workshops with such salaries, especially if one of them wants to study in a local college or to online studies with U.S. colleges.

Another challenge will be the inability to keep up with the latest technology or to bring it to our lab, and if ICITAP concludes its mission then it will be even more difficult for us to keep track of the science of forensics. But nonetheless I want to thank the US government for its contribution to developing modern forensics in Kosovo.