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Police deputy chief says forensic services director recruitment underway; City will not implement transfer recommendation
Summary
The committee received updates on civil grand jury recommendations for the San Francisco crime lab: recruitment for a forensic services director is underway on a 16‑week timetable, the Board reports RA2 (transfer of the lab out of SFPD) "will not be implemented" pending departmental proposals, and a laboratory information management system (LIMS) has been purchased with implementation expected in February.
The Government Audit and Oversight Committee took public testimony and staff updates Oct. 6 on the civil grand jury’s 2015–16 report on the San Francisco crime lab and the city’s responses to two recommendations.
Charles Thompson of the civil grand jury urged the committee to get status updates on the crime lab’s independence, the potential transfer out of the police department and the reinstatement of drug analysis functions, noting both depended on hiring a civilian scientist. Deputy Chief Schmidt told the committee the city has identified the forensic services director position, retained Bob Murray & Associates as the recruitment firm and is three weeks into a 16‑week recruitment and selection process, putting selection on course for January 2017.
When the committee read Recommendation RA2 (which proposed transferring budget, facilities, personnel and management of the crime lab from SFPD to the General Services Agency), the official response in the record states RA2 "will not be implemented" at this time because the two departments require additional time to formulate and submit a transfer proposal for Board review.
The committee also read Recommendation RB1 concerning a laboratory information management system. The response states the LIMS has been purchased and "is in the process of being customized with full implementation expected in February." The mayor’s office is continuing to hire a forensic services director to oversee related changes.
Deputy Chief Schmidt said the city will form working groups with the city administrator’s office, the controller’s office and the mayor’s office to analyze operational, personnel and evidence‑handling issues before any structural transfer is recommended. The committee accepted the reported responses and moved to file the item for the record.
The committee did not vote on a transfer; RA2 was listed as not implemented and RB1 as implemented (LIMS purchase and customization). The timeline for the forensic services director and the LIMS implementation were the principal operational milestones identified at the hearing.
