MCPD FY22 DNA Backlog Grant

Proposal 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, Maryland-National Capital Park Police Montgomery County Division, 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 and expected outcomes 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 laboratory personnel are kept abreast of developments in the forensic DNA community by attending the Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists (MAAFS) 2023 annual meeting and the International Symposium on Human Identification (ISHI) 2023 annual meeting, which will also fulfill the FBI Quality Assurance Standards requirement for DNA continuing education for DNA analysts in the unit.
In order to reach the goals set forth by the MCPCL Forensic Biology Unit, the following activities will be employed to reach our target:
• Outsource applicable cases to Bode Technology
• Send eight DNA laboratory personnel to the MAAFS 2023 annual meeting and send two DNA laboratory personnel to the ISHI 2023 annual meeting.