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Cumberland County salary board approves hiring to open new firearms lab
Summary
The Cumberland County salary board approved salary actions to staff a new firearms/ballistics laboratory built with a state grant, after district attorney Sean McCormack argued the lab will speed testing and save long-term costs previously incurred sending evidence out of state.
The Cumberland County salary board voted Aug. 7 to approve salary actions submitted by District Attorney Sean McCormack so the county can staff and open a newly constructed firearms (ballistics) laboratory.
County officials and McCormack said the lab — which was built with state grant funds and cost about $1,500,000 to construct — will let the county stop sending evidence out of state for ballistics testing. McCormack told the board that staff currently travel to New Jersey every few months to drop off and pick up firearms for testing, and that outside testing can cost between $700 and $2,000 per gun, not counting travel and expert-witness expenses.
McCormack framed the hiring request as the final step to make the lab operational. "The lab is now built. It is substantially equipped, and now this is the last step to get it open," he said. He also said timely local testing "not only helps us to prove people guilty, but it also helps to exonerate people." McCormack made the formal motion to approve the district attorney office's salary action items; the motion was seconded and carried.
During discussion, board members debated the lab's merits. One commissioner noted the county had not paid the $1.5 million construction cost directly but said the board did appropriate an unplanned $265,000 to complete the project. McCormack and other supporters said operating the lab will save staff travel time and expert-witness expenses and allow the county to provide testing for other jurisdictions and charge for those services. McCormack described state lab delays and said local capacity could speed investigations and court timelines.
Not all commissioners supported the staffing request. The record shows Commissioner Eichelberger has opposed the firearms-lab project from its inception; one commissioner said they would support the staffing motion ‘‘with the exception of the forensic scientists,’’ signaling ongoing internal disagreement about specific positions. The motion carried after the aye vote was recorded; no named roll-call vote totals were announced during the discussion.
The salary-board action moves the county toward hiring at least one firearms expert to operate the lab, according to the district attorney. The transcript did not specify exact job titles, the number of positions to be filled, or the salary amounts in the public discussion. McCormack and board members discussed related costs and operational benefits but did not present a formal timeline for hiring or an opening date during the meeting.
The lab was funded with a state grant for construction; the salary and operational costs discussed at the meeting will be addressed through county personnel actions approved by the salary board. The county will still need to complete staffing and operations steps before the lab can begin processing evidence locally.
No formal ordinance, statute, or other legal citation was invoked during the public discussion beyond references to the state grant that funded construction. The board adjourned the salary board session and proceeded to the commissioners' meeting after approving the requested salary actions.
Looking ahead, county officials said they expect to begin staffing and to coordinate operations between the district attorney's office and county public-safety officials; meeting participants did not provide a firm date for when the lab will be open for casework.
