FY 2018 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program

The Oklahoma City Police Forensic DNA laboratory continues to see an increase in case submission requests as well as the number of samples to be analyzed per case and is seeking to continue to streamline DNA laboratory work flow and capacity through purchase of laboratory equipment, ParaDNA body fluid identification implementation and case work analyst overtime.

Primarily, the focus of this award project is to invest in improving front end solutions to the screening process, especially of sexual assault evidence, to further allow rapid results and decreased turn around. A key component to this will be implementing ParaDNA technology to screen body fluids using DNA and eliminate sample redundancy, in turn improving response times. Case working analyst overtime is also being sought with the goal of eliminating any backlog in sexual assault evidence testing by implementing a rotation approach.

Since the laboratory has already invested heavily in technology upgrades in recent years and additional staffing, funds are pursued this year with the goals of maximizing on these upgrades pursuing long term laboratory process improvement to (a) assist in reducing the current backlog of casework, and (b) changing the process to ensure backlog does not return to current size as well as improving the depth of testing options available to sexual assault cases.

NCA/NCF