Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2021, $283,086)
he Tucson Police Department Crime Laboratory (TPDCL) DNA Unit workflow has over the last three years been affected by the requirements of the 2017 Arizona state law requiring timely submission of all sexual assault kits (SAKs) for DNA analysis. These cases/items require a specialized approach, as well as dedicated staff, which the DNA Unit has prioritized with its limited resources. The City of Tucson has not funded additional Criminalist positions in the TPDCL DNA Unit to address this change in submissions and the Crime Laboratory has accommodated the DNA analysis of all SAKs with its current personnel. The FY21 CEBR grant will allow TPDCL to fund two full-time DNA Criminalist positions, to include salary and employee related expenses EREs, to analyze backlogged DNA cases and as such continue to reduce the number of cases awaiting DNA analysis. It is expected that each DNA Criminalist will annually analyze 110 cases consisting of approximately 550 samples. Together, two DNA Criminalists will annually analyze 220 cases, consisting of 1100 samples, each year, benefiting the City of Tucson community by providing DNA analysis for the Tucson Police Department cases. In addition, the FY21 CEBR grant will allow TPDCL to replace its aging small benchtop equipment (pipettes, centrifuges, fridges and freezers), as well as expand its capabilities to ensure continuous operation. The grant will also fund IT hardware (laptops) for examiners in the Unit. Due to the additional personnel added to the DNA Unit, either by the City of Tucson or via CEBR grant funding, the Laboratory will use this grant to help pay for continuing education of personnel, to include travel and training costs at conferences and online classes. The cost of supplies, to include critical reagents will also be funded on the FY21 CEBR grant.