Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Crime Lab topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission hears plan to outsource DNA cases as crime lab backlog is addressed
Summary
Commissioners were briefed on immediate steps to cut the DNA and crime‑lab backlog, including outsourcing identified assault and gun‑comparison cases, IT work to bring equipment online and hiring two additional DNA analysts. The commission requested a two‑week follow‑up plan.
The San Francisco Police Commission received a detailed update on July 21 about steps the department is taking to reduce a DNA and crime‑lab backlog that has concerned commissioners and prosecutors.
Assistant Chief Cashman and Captain Mike Schur said the department has completed technical specifications and documentation required to outsource portions of the backlog and has begun outsourcing selected cases. Captain Schur said six recent assault cases had been identified for immediate outsourcing and 14 gun‑comparison cases had already been sent to external labs.
Officials described efforts to identify a laboratory partner without a backlog and to determine analyst‑to‑case ratios that would prevent future bottlenecks. Captain Schur said the connectivity for a 16‑sample instrument is tied to a legacy database migration managed by IT engineer Karen Lewis and that project’s estimated completion is about eight months. The department is recruiting two DNA‑specialized criminalists to increase capacity from six to eight analysts.
Commissioners and staff acknowledged underfunding and IT delays in previous years that left equipment unused for extended periods. Commissioner James Hammer, who visited the lab, urged a firm plan within two weeks to prioritize stranger‑assault cases and outline outsourcing and hiring timelines. The commission agreed to return to the topic for a detailed operational plan.
