2021 Oklahoma Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant - Formula

2021 PAUL COVERDELL FORENSICS SCIENCE IMPROVEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM - FORMULA OKLAHOMA DISTRICT ATTORNEYS COUNCIL PROJECT ABSTRACT Problem Statement: In Oklahoma, the lack of funds for three forensic laboratories and the Medical Examiner’s Office makes it very difficult to run at peak performance while addressing the ever-changing requirements of science and technology. Utilization of Awarded FY 2021 Funds: If awarded, all applicants will have a non-opioid related project and two will have opioid related projects as well. One of the applicants will request funds for adequate instruments, supplies, and equipment to assist with the collection of evidence. One applicant will request funds to replace two aging CODIS workstations, funds for accreditation renewal, and training for a new Quality Assurance/ Accreditation Manager. Two of the applicants will have projects addressing the complexities of lab samples and purchasing more sophisticated equipment to detect the presence of opioids in processed samples. Two applicants are purchasing up-to-date Drug Standards. One applicant will request overtime for employees to maintain a reasonable turnaround time. Finally, two of the applicants are requesting to send crime analysts to trainings/conferences to maintain the high level of education required for accreditation and staff certification. Outcomes: Expected outcomes include: 1) continued accreditation and lab certification; 2) better trained lab technicians; 3) a larger library of opioid reference material; 4) faster and higher quality identification of tested material; and 5) decreased backlogs and turnaround times. .