Enhancing Forensic Services With Additional Toxicologist.

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, Sedgwick County will use the grant to create one additional forensic scientist position to maintain standards for caseload amount and turn around times for analysis. The Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center (RFSC) serves as the crime laboratory for all Sedgwick County law enforcement agencies and provides forensic services to many agencies in the adjoining counties. Since 2002, the case load in the toxicology laboratory has increased 40 percent. At current staffing levels, RFSC is not meeting National Association of Medical Examiners guidelines for turnaround times or forensic scientists per caseload. As a result, it is in danger of losing its accreditation.

CA/NCF