FY 2018 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program

The Colorado Springs Metro Crime Laboratory (MCL) provides forensic science services to law enforcement agencies in El Paso County (Colorado), primarily serving the Colorado Springs Police Department, the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, and the 4th Judicial District Attorney's Office. To sustain the current capacity of the MCL’s DNA Unit, continuation funding is requested for salaries and benefits of one grant-funded full-time DNA analyst as well as one grant-funded part time serologist through the end of 2019.

The MCL’s DNA Laboratory was constructed more than a decade ago and was equipped with a complete workstation for each of the unit’s two DNA analysts. Due to an increase in DNA requests over the years, the DNA Unit now employs four forensic scientists, who currently share some of the instruments and equipment. The MCL has been working towards providing a complete workstation to each of the DNA Unit’s employees to gain efficiencies in the DNA analysis workflow. However, some additional items are still needed. Funding is requested for a nucleic acid workstation with HEPA Filtration, one computer with enhanced processing capacity for DNA analysis software, as well as additional software licenses to outfit each DNA Unit employee with a per-workstation license to compute DNA results. The requested equipment and licenses will address the current gap in the DNA analysis workflow process.

The proposed grant request would provide the Colorado Springs MCL with much needed personnel and equipment to ensure that the DNA Unit can work efficiently. NCA/NCF