Kansas Federal NIJ FY 16 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program

The Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center (SCRFSC) serves as the Crime Laboratory and Medical Examiner¡¦s Office for all of Sedgwick County, Kansas, Law Enforcement agencies and provides forensic services to many of the contiguous counties. The SCRFSC is staffed with 37 scientists, medical examiner staff, and technicians. A challenge is the aging analytical infrastructure and the inability to acquire replacement and/or new technology that will allow the laboratory to, at a minimum, maintain a flat case backlog. This funding will allow the laboratory to acquire necessary replacement equipment and new technology which will enhance productivity, impacting in a positive manner the case backlog and quality of services provided to the contributors to the SCRFSC.
The Johnson County Sheriff¡¦s Office Criminalistics Laboratory (JCCL) is an ASCLD/LAB-International accredited forensic science laboratory serving all law enforcement and fire agencies within the county. This request is for funding a UFED 4PC in the Digital Multimedia Evidence (DME) section. The UFED 4PC will provide an additional mobile phone extraction device to handle the increase in mobile phone submissions. This funding will help to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of DME examinations by doubling the ability to extract digital evidence from mobile devices.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation Forensic Science Laboratory (KBI) is requesting to use these grant funds to provide opportunities for scientists and other laboratory staff to attend training conferences and discipline-specific training to increase job knowledge and remain current with new technology. The grant funding will also assist certified forensic scientists with training opportunities to meet minimal continuing education hours to maintain certification requirements.
Project Goals:
Goal 1 ¡V Maintain and enhance analytical capabilities and efficiencies.
Goal 2 ¡V Improve ability to process analyses without stopping other laboratory operations.
Goal 3 ¡V Train forensic scientists and offer continuing education hours for certification.
Strategies and Partnerships: The three Kansas crime labs have collaborated to submit an application that meets each of their needs. Through the purchase and maintenance of equipment and provision of training opportunities for forensic scientists, the grant will:
„Ï Reduce risk of evidence alternation/destruction;
„Ï Increase efficiency of casework analysis;
„Ï Increase job knowledge and efficiency of forensic scientists;
„Ï Expose scientists to experts in their respective fields; and
„Ï Expose scientists to new technology.
Anticipated Outcomes:
1. More knowledgeable forensic scientists.
2. Exposure to experts in their respective fields.
3. Exposure to new technology, integrated into current procedures.
4. Increased efficiency.

nca/ncf