The change comes after the local crime lab announced that it had trouble hiring a qualified technical leader for its DNA section and without the position filled, the lab couldn’t meet its accreditation to enter its DNA samples into a database used by law enforcement. The police department has still been using the lab for non-DNA evidence like analyzing fingerprints and firearms and for testing drugs.
“After the Montgomery County Regional Crime Lab stopped conducting DNA testing earlier this year, the department feels it is vital to research all available options for testing forensic evidence,” Lt. Col Eric Henderson told the Dayton Daily News.
He called the collection and testing of forensic and drug evidence crucial to solving crimes. He said it’s vital in identifying suspects, strengthening criminal cases and prosecuting offenders.
The quoted amount for the 2022 contract between the department and the local crime lab was more than $708,000. The estimate included the cost of DNA testing, Henderson said. Brooke Ehlers, the director of the local crime lab, said without DNA the membership would have dropped to around $400,000.
Dayton Police has options as to where to send the evidence so it’s not clear whether there will be savings from the move or where the money will be reallocated, Henderson said.
While the Miami Valley Regional Crime Lab no longer offers DNA testing, it continues to work with law enforcement on other priorities including drug and property crime, and analyzing fingerprints, Ehlers said. The lab is not closing and is committed to serving the community, she said.
The crime lab is working on introducing new services, Ehlers said, and she’ll be reaching out to its membership to discuss them. The lab offers services like latent print processing that other local laboratories don’t.
“The Miami Valley Regional Crime Lab has a long history of quality work and exceptional customer service,” she said. “As the director, I stand by the excellent scientists that we have working for the safety of our community. They go above and beyond every day to ensure that justice is brought to the victims and the accused. We can only hope that our agencies keep this in mind as we move forward into 2023.”
The loss of revenue from Dayton will not raise the cost for other agencies, Montgomery County Administrator Michael Colbert said, adding that the county has and will subsidize the lab. With the removal of the DNA section, the lab eliminated about $1 million from its 2023 budget, Ehlers said.
Ehlers said it is unlikely that the local lab section will go back to testing DNA. She said restarting the DNA lab wouldn’t be an easy and would take time.
“There is no regret over the closure of the DNA section,” Ehlers said. “If the staffing and service don’t meet the expectations of the forensic community, I’m not willing to put my name to it. While it has been a struggle to transition the casework to BCI, I’m comfortable knowing that ultimately it was the best decision.”
The Miami Valley Regional Crime Laboratory is operated through the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office. The DNA section handled more than 3,000 cases since January 2020 with more than 80% coming from Montgomery County law enforcement departments. Departments from 21 counties submitted evidence.
Coroner Kent Harshbarger said no other department has alerted them that they plan to stop using the lab. He said the decrease in volume at the lab might result in better efficiency for other departments.
“We will miss working with the City of Dayton in the crime lab and we wish them the best of luck.”
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