FY 2018 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program

The CMPD seeks $372,989 in support to maintain four current federally funded positions, provide training and supplies, and to contract with an outside agency to perform a DNA audit in accordance with the Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories. The Quality Assurance Standards (QAS) requires an outside agency to perform a DNA audit every two years.

The Crime Lab’s workload is growing and, with that growth, brings an increasing demand for DNA analysis. In the sexual assault kit (SAK) category of DNA analysis, the CMPD is working to sustain and expand its current “fork lift” approach, to test all SAKs entered into the system. In 2015, the CMPD received grant funding from the New York County District Attorney’s Office (FY15 DANY) to outsource testing of 885 inventoried backlogged SAKs dated 2003 to 2013. In 2016, the CMPD received additional funding through the BJA National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (FY16 SAKI) to outsource another 300 untested SAKs. In 2017, the CMPD received another SAKI grant (FY17 SAKI) to outsource 600 “partially tested” SAKs for DNA testing that had previously only undergone serological screening.

NCA/NCF