Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2021, $260,000)
Program Abstract: The Montgomery County Police Crime Laboratory (MCPCL) is the agency that is responsible for analyzing evidential material associated with criminal investigations for the Montgomery County Police Department. As a courtesy, the MCPCL performs analysis for the following other agencies in Montgomery County: Takoma Park Police Department, Gaithersburg City Police Department, Rockville City Police Department, Montgomery County Park Police Department and Metro Transit Police Department. MCPCL is a full forensic DNA casework laboratory and is accredited under the ANSI National Accreditation Board program and licensed by Maryland Department of Health. The plan being proposed contains several goals in an overall effort to increase the capacity of the MCPCL Forensic Biology Unit to possess the ability to process more DNA samples and thereby help reduce the number of forensic DNA samples awaiting analysis. Overall, the reduction in samples waiting for analysis will decrease the turnaround time for cases received in the Unit. MCPCL Forensic Biology Unit does not intend or plan on generating program income in our proposal. The goals for MCPCL Forensic Biology Unit are: Outsource cases as needed to compensate for increased case submissions and fewer analysts performing casework analysis and minimize the increase in the unit’s backlog. Ensure DNA analysts are kept abreast of developments in the forensic DNA community by attending the International Society of Forensic Genetics (ISFG) 2022 conference, which will fulfill the FBI Quality Assurance Standards requirement for DNA continuing education. In order to reach the goals, set forth by the MCPCL Forensic Biology Unit, the following objectives will be employed to reach our target: Outsource applicable cases to Bode Technology Send five DNA analysts to the ISFG 2022 conference