FY 2023 Formula DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction Program - San Francisco

The San Francisco Police Department Criminalistics Laboratory (SFPD Crime Lab) is the agency that is responsible for analyzing evidential material associated with criminal investigations for local law enforcement agencies. The SFPD has one criminalistics laboratory that primarily services the City and County of San Francisco Police Department, the Sheriff's Department, and other local law enforcement agencies operating within the City and County of San Francisco (e.g., US Park Police, California Highway Patrol SF office, etc.). The SFPD criminalistics laboratory is facing ongoing budgetary constraints related to its operational budget for laboratory instrumentation, training, and new positions. The Federal funding from this award will be used for the three primary goals: required continuing education for laboratory criminalists, providing salary support for two laboratory technician positions, and the purchase of upgraded Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) software. The SFPD criminalistics laboratory can expect to reduce the DNA backlog by increasing efficiency and lowering the case turn-around time. By the end of this award period, the turn-around time is expected to be 30 days or less.