Overview
The Crime Laboratory Division (CLD) provides forensic science services to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies throughout the state of Washington. CLD functional areas provide analysis of fingerprint evidence, biological and DNA evidence, controlled substances, arson and explosives evidence, shoe and tire impressions, fibers, paint, and other trace evidence; firearms and tool marks analysis, forensic document examination, and crime scene reconstruction.
CLD contributes to and utilizes databases including the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), Integrated Ballistics Information System (IBIS), and Automated Biometric Information System (ABIS).
In addition to forensic testing of physical evidence, CLD also provides expert court testimony in state and federal courts, and evidence and crime scene training to criminal justice agencies throughout the state.
Key Measurements and Statistics
Unprecedented challenges faced the Crime Laboratory Division in 2020, related to the effects of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. Partial and total shutdown of many businesses and services contributed to budget shortfalls requiring furloughs, reduction in operational spending, and staffing shortages as personnel had to contend with providing in-home schooling and childcare in the wake of school closures.
In spite of these challenges, the CLD maintained essential services at high levels throughout the Division in order to support public safety across the state.
In 2020, the CLD completed a total of 39,745 requests for laboratory analysis across all disciplines.
Crime Lab staff worked diligently to reduce turn-around times with great success in most services. Reduction in turn-around time continues to be a primary objective for the Division. In 2020, the CLD succeeded in cutting turn-around time in latent prints, controlled substances analysis, and CODIS sample processing, significantly. The Division is still working on strategies to reduce backlogs in the firearms section.
Continuing from the previous year, the Crime Laboratory Division made progress toward legislative mandates to reduce turn-around times of sexual assault evidence kits (SAKs) and eliminate the backlog of historically un-submitted SAKs (those kits that were not submitted to the Crime Lab prior to July 24, 2015). The efforts included hiring and training new staff, improving processes using new technology and Lean, and outsourcing. Between training new staff, furloughs, budget freezes, and validating new technologies, the CLD completed 2,984 DNA requests in 2020. The inventory of historical kits, estimated to be 9,232 by the Attorney General’s Office inventory conducted via the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative grant program, dropped significantly with 75% of the inventory being outsourced by the end of 2020. Of the total inventory, 54% have been tested.
Successes of 2020
The High-Throughput (HTL) DNA lab construction was completed in June, and the staff occupied the new lab and began getting the lab operational. The HTL scientists were eager to get to work in their new space, get their equipment validated, and complete their training.
CLD was awarded a federal research grant from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to explore the possibilities for remote verification and review of firearms analysis.
With this grant, CLD purchased four VisionX bullet comparison microscopes with the capability to connect remotely via a network connection to another microscope in another lab.
With this technology, firearms scientists will be able to conduct verifications and technical review of fired bullets and casings for coworkers across the state without the need to travel or package and ship evidence to another lab. This research is ongoing, and once completed, has the potential to reduce turn-around time as well as travel expenses for firearms cases.
The CODIS Lab staff reduced the backlog of offender samples from over 11,000 to under 1,500 in 2020. This achievement brings the CODIS lab to the point where the “backlog” consists of samples in the process of being processed, reviewed, and uploaded into the CODIS databank. Being caught up on offender samples provides the CODIS staff better capacity to handle the expected influx of up to 50,000 Lawfully Owed Samples that will be submitted in the coming months. The CODIS program provided 639 hits in 2020, providing invaluable investigative leads to law enforcement agencies across the state.
The Crime Scene Response Team (CSRT) increased cooperation and partnership with WSP Criminal Investigations Division (CID) detectives in response, training, and technology. The Team worked with CID to bring scanning technology into a better interoperability capability, which provided improved ability to share data, reduce time on scene, and increased opportunities to train together as a unified scene response team. Independent Incident Team (IIT) responses increased in 2020 to 19 from only 7 in 2019, as a result of I-940. Additionally, CSRT requests for response increased by 10% in 2020. CSRT staff were well prepared to respond and provide support to CID and local law enforcement agencies throughout the state.
CLD staff completed a total of 39,745 requests in 2020, an increase of nearly 30% from 2019 across all forensic disciplines. Of note, CLD staff reduced turn-around times in seized drugs, latent print services, and CODIS.