Expansion of Forensic Testing Services for the Verdugo Regional Crime Laboratory

The Verdugo Regional Crime Laboratory (VRCL) was founded to address the demand for DNA testing of evidence recovered from property and financial crimes within the Cities of Glendale, Pasadena and Burbank. The formation of the Verdugo Regional Crime Laboratory combined the new regional DNA laboratory with existing non-accredited City of Glendale forensic services, which included digital evidence examination, friction ridge examination, firearms entry and crime scene investigation. Following accreditation in May 2013, the VRCL has assumed forensic DNA testing of all Glendale Police Department cases and accepts cases from regional, local and federal law enforcement agencies in almost all disciplines.

Technology has clearly changed law enforcement over the last twenty years from advances in DNA testing to the availability of technology as an integral component to an investigation.  Technological advances and increased demands in evidence examinations create a need for continuous improvements within a forensic testing laboratory. Public safety can only benefit from expedient examination of submitted evidence. Therefore, the City of Glendale will utilize federal funds to acquire novel technologies that will expand the typeof evidence and the number of items examined by each affected discipline.