FY16 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant - Hennepin County, Minnesota - Competative

The Hennepin County Sheriff s Office (HCSO) is requesting $90,046.00 under FY 2016 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program for the Latent Print section of the Crime Laboratory Unit (CLU) to eliminate the backlog in latent print analysis and to improve the timeliness and quality of the latent print services. Due to the 100% turnover of latent print personnel, the backlog has risen steadily over the past four years. The project objective is to reduce turnaround times to 30 days for violent crimes and 100 days for property crimes without sacrificing quality. The HCSO CLU will use Coverdell Grant Funds to achieve the following goals and objectives: 1. Outsource 150 latent print requests in 2017 to manage our backlog. In 2016, we are self-funding the outsourcing of 750 latent print analysis requests. Until we can hire and train enough Latent Print Examiners (LPEs) to maintain an acceptable backlog, our backlogs will continue to rise monthly. By outsourcing an additional 150 requests in 2017 the current latent print backlog would be reduced by approximately 64%. 2. Purchase a second MorphoTrak latent work station (AFIS terminal) and software to alleviate the wait time for a terminal and increase throughput of casework 3. Enhance proficiency for certified LPEs through training. Current LP personnel will increase competency through participation in American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/ Laboratory Advisory Board (ASCLD/LAB) assessor training and MorphoTrak Users conference. The investment in backlog reduction, an additional AFIS terminal, and training will allow the HCSO CLU to achieve the goals and objectives of this grant proposal, increasing productivity and quality which will result in more timely service to our customers.
ca/ncf