FY 2019 Paul Coverdell

The Bureau of Forensic Sciences of Puerto Rico (PRBFS) is an accredited forensic facility serving as the only forensic laboratory in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; it has three operational divisions: a) Criminalistics, b) Pathology, and c) Forensic Investigations (CSI). Funding from the FY2019 Coverdell program funding will be used to achieve the following goals: 1) improve the timeliness of opioid related forensic reports in the Toxicology and Controlled Substances Sections; 2) improve the timeliness of forensic reports in the Firearms and Toolmarks Sections; 2) improve the quality of forensic reports of all PRBFS Divisions by providing continuing education; 3) facilitate accreditation expansion through training of the Crime Scene Section in a service currently outside the accreditation scope; and 4) improve the management of Coverdell funds and the financial management and systems of internal controls hiring one accountant and overtime. Through this project, positive progress will be made towards the capacity enhancement of opioid and non-opioid related cases and improvement of the quality of analysis and timeliness of forensic reports.

NCA/NCF