St. Louis County FY 23 Formula DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction

An important objective of the St. Louis County Police Crime Laboratory is to provide more efficient processing to reduce or at least maintain turnaround time and increase the number of forensic DNA samples processed and entered in the Combined DNA Index System.  The Laboratory serves more than one million citizens and provides services to the St. Louis County Police Department as well as 88 municipalities, 51 which have their own police department.

Grant funding provided by the 2023 Formula DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program will be used to maintain two full-time biology/DNA analyst positions and one DNA technician position.  Additional FaSTR software licenses and large monitors for each DNA analyst will aid in a more efficient workflow.   A new CODIS server will replace aged equipment and ensure the continued utilization of the database.  The requested thermomixer will support a validation project and improve processes over current methods.  The crime-lites will aid in the identification of body fluids for DNA processing.

The St. Louis County Crime Laboratory expects to complete approximately 6000 cases total (approximately 2,000 of those cases attributed to grant funding) over the award period of 24 months.