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Commission adopts minimum blind verification requirement for firearms comparisons
Summary
Following recommendations from a working group, the commission adopted a policy requiring a minimum of blind verification for firearms/toolmark comparisons (5% of cases or specific minimums) beginning Nov. 1, 2025, subject to non-substantive revisions.
The commission adopted a recommended blind-verification policy for firearms and toolmark comparison cases developed by a multi-agency working group convened after a prior investigative report.
Working-group members described two related efforts: a method-performance worksheet that will help examiners calculate case-specific factors affecting comparison error rates, and a blind-verification policy that sets a minimum floor for blind verification of comparison cases. Under the policy adopted by the commission, laboratories will perform blind verification on at least 5 percent of their comparison cases (or a minimum threshold such as one case per quarter for very low-volume labs) with the policy planned to take effect Nov. 1, 2025. The blind cases must be selected before examination and should include the full range of opinions (identifications, eliminations and conclusions) rather than focusing only on identifications.
Working-group participants told the commission the policy was designed collaboratively and includes guidance on items that should be excluded from the 5% calculation (for example, certain administrative or non-comparative events) and notes how the requirement scales by laboratory volume.
Commissioners thanked the working-group members and outside experts (including prosecutorial representatives) for their work and authorized staff to make non-substantive edits with accrediting-body review. The motion to adopt the draft blind-verification policy, subject to non-substantive revisions, carried by voice vote.
Staff and working-group leads said they would issue a supplemental report documenting the group92s work and tools and that accrediting bodies would assess lab SOPs against the new policy after the November effective date.
