Happy 60th anniversary
FWPD Crime Lab!
The Crime Laboratory celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2021. The lab first opened its doors in 1961, at 1030 Burnett, which was previously a dispatch center for a local cab company. At the time the Lab only had a few positions and tested drugs, fingerprints, firearms, and toxicology. After a couple of moves to other locations, the Lab moved into its current location at 3616 E. Lancaster, a 20,000 square foot building on June 14, 2010. The Crime Laboratory now has 29 authorized positions and has five operational units: Chemistry (performing testing for controlled substances and blood alcohol concentration), Biology (examining for the presence of biological fluids and performing DNA testing), Firearm & Toolmarks (conducting firearm functionality testing, the comparative microscopic examination of bullets and cartridge cases, serial number restoration, muzzle to target distance determination, and non - firearm toolmark examinations), Latent Prints (latent print development and comparison), and Evidence Handling/Photography Unit (evidence control and photo requests). The Lab is nationally and state accredited and the personnel are licensed and certified in their disciplines. The Crime Laboratory prides itself on effectively utilizing law enforcement databases to provide FWPD officers and detectives with investigative leads. In 2009, the Laboratory transitioned from a paper documentation process to a Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) system. Since that time, more than 91,000 case records have been completed. In 2014, the Biology Unit began participating in The FBI's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a database of DNA profiles. To date, 1,089 samples have been entered into CODIS. These samples have resulted in more than 1,250 matches. These matches provide detectives with ‘ hits ’ to convicted offenders, arrestees, and links between different cases. In 2019, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) recognized the Firearm & Toolmark Unit for its dedication, hard work, and outstanding contribution to the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) program. In 2020, the Firearms Unit entered 2,621 items into NIBIN with 424 leads: 16.1% hit ratio, and in 2021, the Unit entered 3,355 items with 658 leads: 19.61% hit ratio.
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