FY 2022 DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction Program

Program Abstract

The Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) Crime laboratory is a unit of State government that provides PCR-STR DNA analysis on samples from crime scene evidence at no cost to all law enforcement agencies within the State of Missouri.  The Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) Crime laboratory operates three laboratories that have full forensic DNA casework capabilities: Jefferson City, Cape Girardeau and Springfield.  Missouri Revised Statutes Chapter 650.050 directs The Missouri Department of Public Safety to develop and establish a "DNA Profiling System" and further directs The Missouri State Highway Patrol crime laboratory to administrator the state's DNA index system.  Our law authorizes our databasing section to collect DNA on all offenders convicted of a felony or sexual misdemeanors, arrestees under certain statutes and all registered sex offenders.  The Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) Crime laboratory system including our three DNA casework laboratories, DNA Screening laboratory and Databasing laboratory is accredited by the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB).   Accredited to the standard ISO/IEC 17025:2017; ANAB Forensic Testing & Calibration AR 3125:2019. The Accreditation Certificate is attached to this application.  The three casework, one screening and one convicted offender DNA programs undergo external quality assurance audits in accordance with the FBI's Quality Assurance Standards at least once every two years.  As a CODIS participating laboratory system all eligible DNA profiles generated with the proposed funding can and will be uploaded to NDIS.  Presently, the MSHP DNA Casework and DNA Screening sections have a 2110 case backlog.  The Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) Crime laboratory seeks funding of $665,755 for casework backlog reduction.

Our goals for this grant are to reduce our backlog and reduce the overall turnaround time for handling, screening, analyzing and reviewing forensic biology/DNA samples. Increasing the capacity and efficiency of our DNA programs will be the key elements to achieving these goals.  The MSHP Laboratory proposes to achieve these goals by:

Funding salaries for two criminalists
Purchasing supplies to analyze at least 300 cases
Purchasing Qiagen EZ2 instruments to improve efficiencies
Purchase Crime-Lite ML2 alternate light sources to improve efficiencies