Staff Sergeant Cedric Sherrod is shown at work in the Joint Expeditionary Forensic Facility lab in Baghdad, Iraq. (Photo contributed) It is through latent fingerprint analysis that the Joint Expeditionary Forensic Facility (JEFF), 22nd Military Police Battalion (Criminal Investigative Division), collects evidence to bring to prosecution. Ten forensic experts work at the JEFF lab, which is the center for DNA, firearm and fingerprint evidence collection at Camp Victory, Baghdad.

The non-commissioned officer in charge of the JEFF lab is Staff Sgt. Cedric Sherrod, a Millen native and the son of Wilkin Sherrod III and Kathy Lockhart Herrington.

In addition to their crimesolving mission, the professionals at the JEFF lab also work with the Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army, training them on properly collecting fingerprints and other forensic evidence for use in solving crimes and prosecution, said Sherrod.

Forensic science is relatively new to the Iraqi justice system, which used to rely entirely on witness testimonies during its trials, he added. With the knowledge that has been transferred in this partnership, Iraqi law enforcement officials are now able to stay one step ahead of the criminals in their country.

“The criminals don’t know to wear gloves, so their finger and palm prints are all over the evidence,” Sherrod said. “This make it that much easier for law enforcement to collection prints.”

Through the guidance of Sherrod and other JEFF lab members, the Iraqi Army and Police better understand how to collect latent fingerprints and the importance of properly handling evidence to keep it from getting contaminated. partnership we have with our Iraqi counterparts and make sure that they understand forensics is there to help solve cases,” Sherrod said.

Sherrod is the grandson of Cleo Sherrod Anthony, the late Wilkin Sherrod Jr., Arria Lee Lockhart and Willie Lockhart Sr.