Forensic Laboratory Upgrades - Superglue Cabinet & Forensic Evidence Cabinets

The Lakeland Police Department seeks funding to upgrade outdated equipment in its Forensic Services Unit, which is responsible for the documentation, collection, processing, and preservation of evidence from crime scenes. This unit also processes items of evidentiary value for potential latent fingerprints, including firearms, magazines, ammunition, and firearm accessories. The most modern and effective method for processing these items involves superglue fuming, fluorescent dye staining, and visualization under an Alternate Light Source (ALS).

Currently, the Lakeland Police Department’s crime lab operates two small, single-compartment superglue chambers, which have been updated recently. However, the larger chamber, used to process rifles, shotguns, and other large pieces of evidence, is outdated, having been installed when the building was constructed in 1993. This larger chamber lacks modern technologies, such as climate-controlled capabilities, including controlled humidity sources and circulatory systems.

Additionally, the lab is in need of upgraded forensic evidence cabinets. At present, the lab uses two self-contained spaces: an enclosed drying room built in the early 1990s and a drying cabinet donated by the FDLE approximately 10 years ago. Both spaces are inadequate when at capacity, leading to the use of a mobile mesh closet and butcher paper on counters and floors for additional items. These alternatives do not provide proper storage or drying conditions for items with biological fluids, increasing the risk of cross-contamination and exposure to airborne pathogens.