Forensic Laboratory Enhancement Project

The Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program, administered by the Office of Justice Programs' (OJP's) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), furthers the Department's mission by assisting state and local jurisdictions in improving the criminal justice system and assisting communities in preventing drug abuse and crime. In fiscal year 2007, the Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program will focus on funding local, regional, and national efforts within six major categories: 1) targeting violent crime; 2) preventing crime and drug abuse; 3) enhancing local law enforcement; 4) enhancing local courts; 5) enhancing local corrections and offender reentry; and 6) facilitating justice information sharing. All categories combat, address, or otherwise respond to precipitous or extraordinary increases in crime, or in a type or types of crime.

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) will utilize the 2007 Byrne Disctretionary Category One Targeting Violent Crime Initiative funds to enhance current operations at 13 crime laboratories that operate under the direction of the State's Crime Laboratory Service. Forensic analysis in criminal investigations is provided to any law enforcement agency in Texas at no cost to that agency. Customer surveys from these agencies have indicated the need for the following two service improvements from DPS: faster laboratory results and increased laboratory services.

These funds will allow the DPS to improve the efficiency and capability of the Crime Laboratory Service. Funds will cover overtime and benefits to laboratory employees to analyze more cases and provide faster laboratory results, and additional equipment to add latent print examination capability in two laboratories and to add blood alcohol analysis in one laboratory.

CA/NCF