DCI FORENSIC EXAMINER RECEIVES FULL CREDENTIALS 

PIERRE, S.D. -     Attorney General Larry Long would like to recognize Frans Maritz of the South Dakota Forensic Laboratory (SDFL). Maritz recently completed the certification program to become one of only 26 forensic firearms and toolmark examiners worldwide who have received full AFTE examiner credentials. 

Frans Maritz joined the SDFL in 2005 as a Forensic Firearms and Toolmark Examiner. Prior to his relocation to Pierre, SD he was employed by the SAPS (South African Police Service) as a commissioned police officer since 1994 in the capacity of Senior Forensic Analyst where he worked in the area of forensic analysis of firearms and toolmark related case work including autopsies and crime scene investigation/reconstruction. AFTE is the only and well recognized professional body that regulates the forensic firearms and toolmark discipline internationally and offers a rigorous certification program for qualifying members. Qualifying members must hold a recognized 4-year college degree, be a fully trained firearms/toolmark examiner and have at least 5-years of experience of which 3 years must be as a court qualified examiner.

This is only the beginning of a lifelong service to people of SD and Frans is full of gratitude towards DCI, his wife Adele and two children, Francois and Hannah. "This achievement is in loving memory of one of Cape Town's most legendary Murder and Robbery Detectives, my grandfather Frans A. Maritz who had passed away last year and looks down at me from Heaven".

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