FY16 DNA BACKLOG GRANT

The Montgomery County Police Crime Laboratory (MCPCL) is the agency that is responsible for analyzing evidential material associated with criminal investigations for the Montgomery County Police Department. As a courtesy, the MCPCL performs analysis for the following other agencies in Montgomery County, MD: Takoma Park Police Department, Gaithersburg City Police Department, Rockville City Police Department, Montgomery County Park Police Department and Metro Transit Police Department. MCPCL is a full forensic DNA casework laboratory and is accredited under the ASCLD/LAB-International program and licensed by the State of Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
The plan being proposed contains multiple goals in an overall effort to increase the capacity of the MCPCL Forensic Biology Unit to possess the ability to process more DNA samples and thereby help reduce the number of forensic DNA samples awaiting analysis. Overall, the reduction in samples waiting for analysis will decrease the turnaround time for cases received in the Unit. MCPCL Forensic Biology Unit does not intend or plan on generating program income in our proposal.

The goals for MCPCL Forensic Biology Unit are:

• Increase the capacity of the Unit to process more DNA samples and thereby help reduce the backlog and turnaround time
• Meet the required annual continuing education requirement for DNA analysts to perform casework analysis
• Provide Y-STR analysis and paternity statistics on applicable cases
• Provide better photo documentation of tiny/minute stains present on evidence prior to the stains being consumed for DNA analysis

In order to reach the goals, set forth by the MCPCL Forensic Biology Unit, the following objectives will be employed to reach our target:

• Implement two additional QIAcubes for DNA extraction
• Add the differential wash protocol for extraction samples containing semen to one of the new QIAcubes
• Outfit another room for DNA extraction within the laboratory (oven for reagents, centrifuges and UV cross linker)
• Replace the current centrifuges in the DNA extraction room with larger capacity centrifuges and add an oven for reagents and UV cross linker
• Analysts attend training to meet their continuing education requirement and provide the Unit with information obtained at each training
• Outsource applicable cases for Y-STR analysis and paternity statistics not provided by the Unit
• Provide the ability to better document evidence with minute stains by using a camera with a macro lens. nca/ncf