Tuscaloosa Police Department will use the funding to train staff in firearms examination, decrease the state backlog for firearms examination, and complete the ASCLD Accreditation Initiative.

Alabama has six NIBIN locations (Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, Montgomery, Mobile, and two in Birmingham). Of these six NIBIN installations, five are the first responding agencies, and one is in the State Crime Lab (ADFS).  Of the five first responders, Tuscaloosa is the only agency that employs a qualified firearms examiner to perform microscopic comparisons of evidence necessary to confirm that the items identified by the NIBIN originated from a common source.  Tuscaloosa Police Department (TPD) will expand its scope of forensic services to include examination and comparison of all firearms-related evidence. TPD will accomplish the goals and objectives for the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant program through three strategies: Strategy1 - Forensic Lab Build Out; Strategy 2 - Accreditation; Strategy 3 - Training.