FY18 Paul Coverdell Formula Program

Utilizing funds provided under the formula allocation of the Fiscal Year 2018 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program, the New Jersey State Police (NJSP) Office of Forensic Sciences (OFS) proposes to further develop and enhance forensic capabilities among State and local agencies.

As part of a long term plan begun under previous Coverdell Grant awards, funding from this year’s grant will supply the resources to provide New Jersey’s forensic practitioners with the necessary knowledge, skills and capabilities to ensure high quality, timely forensic services throughout the State.

Procurement of essential equipment will aid in achieving and maintaining accreditation and ultimately ensure that services and analyses provided by all of the State’s agencies are of the highest standard.
The NJSP OFS will use funds to purchase five (5) gas chromatograph-mass spectrometers (GC-MS) to replace aging instruments that have significantly exceeded their service life for distribution throughout the laboratory system. These instruments are critical in the timely analysis of drug-related evidence due to the current heroin epidemic in New Jersey, and can therefore all be considered an opioid-related expense.

This grant proposal will also address the specific individual needs of county and local laboratories to enable them to obtain funding in support of the statewide goals and the purposes of the FY 2018 Paul Coverdell Grant. A competitive process for county and local forensic and ballistics laboratories and medical examiners offices will assist these laboratories to provide training and equipment necessary to increase productivity, timeliness and quality of forensic sciences.

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