The CSU is involved in the investigation of homicides, officer-involved shootings and other high-profile incidents, such as sexual and aggravated assaults.

The international organization of standardization ISO has awarded international accreditation for the first time to the Houston Forensic Science Center's (HFSC) Crime Scene Unit (CSU).

The CSU is involved in the investigation of homicides, officer-involved shootings and other high-profile incidents, such as sexual and aggravated assaults, that happen in Houston.

The accreditation is valid for four years. Dr. Peter Strout, president and CEO of the HFSC, explained it “provides a framework of third party oversight, so it means that we have assessments of what we’re doing that come from outside,” and added it is also important because “a lot of federal grant programs are starting to require accreditation in order to qualify for some of the grants.”

The HFSC is a local government corporation that provides forensic services to the City of Houston and other local agencies. The agency's Board of Directors is appointed by the Mayor of Houston and confirmed by the Houston City Council.

In addition to the crime scene discipline, the HFSC operates in six forensic disciplines: forensic biology; firearms; toxicology, seized drugs, latent prints, and digital and multimedia. Those six disciplines had already achieved international accreditation from the ISO.

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