FY15 Paul Coverdell Formula and Competitive Grant

Utilizing funds provided under the formula allocation of the Fiscal Year 2015 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 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 The NJSP OFS will use funds to replace an outdated gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MSD) and FTIR spectrometer at the Central Regional Laboratory in Hamilton. The current instruments utilized are no longer supported by the manufacturer and replacement parts are no longer available. The GC-MSD will be used by the Trace Evidence Unit to analyze fire debris specimens for the presence of added ignitable liquids. This instrument is critical in the timely analysis of fire debris evidence due to the volatility of ignitable liquids. This instrument will also be used for the analysis of tear gas and general unknowns. The FTIR will be used by the Drug Unit to analyze and 'identify controlled dangerous substances. The replacement of these instruments will assist in preventing interruptions in these vital services and any further increases in the number of backlogged cases. The NJSP Ballistics Unit will use funds provided to purchase microscope cameras with updated software compatible with the updated operation software of the Unit's desktop computers. Replacement of these cameras with updated software is necessary to allow 'the examiners to continue to capture photo micrographs during ballistic examinations. 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 FY2015 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.

nca/ncf