The SAN francisco police department (sfpd) criminalistics laboratory (crime lab) is the agency that is responsible for analyzing evidential material associated with criminal investigations for local…

The City & County of San Francisco, through its Police Department (SFPD) Criminalistics Laboratory, has been awarded a $342,737 Formula Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance under the Comprehensive Forensic DNA Analysis Grant Program (CFDA 16.036). This two-year award, effective from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2026, will be used to fund required continuing education for laboratory criminalists, provide salary support for two laboratory technician positions, and upgrade the department's Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) software. The grant aims to help the SFPD Crime Lab reduce its DNA backlog and lower the case turnaround time to 30 days or less by the end of the award period, thereby enhancing the department's forensic analysis capabilities and supporting criminal investigations.

The SAN francisco police department (sfpd) criminalistics laboratory (crime lab) is the agency that is responsible for analyzing evidential material associated with criminal investigations for local law enforcement agencies. The sfpd has one criminalistics laboratory that primarily services the city and county of sfpd, the sheriff's department, and other local law enforcement agencies operating within the city and county of SAN francisco (e.g., U.S. Park police, california highway patrol SAN francisco office, local federal bureau of investigations and drug enforcement agency branches, etc.). The sfpd crime lab is facing ongoing budgetary constraints related to its operational budget for laboratory instrumentation, training, and new positions. The federal funding from this award will be used for required continuing education for laboratory criminalists, providing salary support for two laboratory technician positions, and purchasing upgraded laboratory information management system (lims) software. The sfpd crime lab can expect to reduce the DNA backlog by increasing efficiency and lowering the case turnaround time. By the end of this award period, the turn-around time is expected to be 30 days or less.