Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Operations And Legislation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
HFSC CEO briefs board on backlogs, apprenticeship pilot and evidence-storage issues
Summary
CEO Peter Stout told the board firearms backlogs persist (~350 exams, 12–18 months) while HFSC pursues training, outsourcing, and a proposed state-funded apprenticeship pilot to grow the forensic workforce and reduce long-term backlogs.
Peter Stout, president and CEO of the Houston Forensic Science Center, reported to the board that firearms, DNA and sexual-assault-kit backlogs remain HFSC’s top operational constraints, and outlined steps the center is taking to address them.
Stout said the firearms backlog has been “holding right around 350 exams,” which he estimated equates to roughly 12 to 18 months of turnaround time. He described regular coordination with Houston Police Department and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office to prioritize cases likely to reach trial.
Stout reviewed training and staffing progress: HFSC has multiple analysts in training across disciplines (including five firearms examiners and 15 in DNA training) and plans to hire roughly 20 forensic biology staff over five years. He emphasized the time required to produce fully qualified examiners — about two years for firearms — and said that is driving both short-term outsourcing and long-term workforce planning.
On legislation, Stout said HFSC is exploring a state-funded apprenticeship pilot to subsidize trainee pay and incentivize retention in public labs. He explained the concept as a potential forgivable loan or stipend — with university partners such as UNT and Sam Houston State University helping manage training — and said discussions are ongoing with several state legislators.
Stout also raised evidence-disposition and property-storage concerns, noting large inventories of older blood tubes in refrigerated storage across agencies and the costs of long-term storage. He said some items (he noted at least one blood tube he found dated 35 years old) likely have “no scientific value,” and urged legislative and interagency work to streamline disposition of valueless items while preserving evidence of value.
Stout closed by asking board members to alert him to bills or proposals that could affect forensic laboratories so HFSC can monitor legislation quickly during the session.
