Hiring Evidence Technicians for the Duluth Police Department

The Recovery Act Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program (Byrne Competitive Program) will help communities improve the capacity of state and local justice systems and provide for national support efforts including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address local needs. This competitive grant announcement focuses on initiatives in eight areas: 1) preventing and reducing violent crime through community-based data-driven approaches; 2) providing funding for neighborhood-based probation and parole officers; 3) reducing mortgage fraud and crime related to vacant properties; 4) hiring of civilian support personnel in law enforcement (training staff, analysts, dispatchers, etc.); 5) enhancing forensic and crime scene investigations; 6) improving resources and services for victims of crime; 7) supporting problem-solving courts; and 8) national training and technical assistance partnerships.

Under category 5, the city of Duluth will use the grant award to hire two qualified forensic evidence technicians; provide additional professional training to assist the Duluth Police Department in bringing its evidence department up to "best practices" standards and preparing staff for the physical transition to a new facility; and improve the forensic integrity, quality, and safety of evidence collection, storage, and maintenance within the department with the new staff additions. The key deliverables under this project will be the following: scheduled destruction of drugs, weapons, and weapons sales; creating accounts for fund deposits of confiscated currency; scheduled cross checks between reported stolen items and items held by the police department in the property room; meeting state statute requirements for the sale or return of found items; and the development of a document/catalog system to inventory all property room items.

CA/NCF