The mansfield division of police forensic science section DNA laboratory is an agency that is responsible for analyzing evidential material associated with criminal investigations for local law…

The City of Mansfield Police Department was awarded a $170,621 Formula Grant under the Comprehensive Forensic DNA Analysis Grant Program (CFDA 16.036) by the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). The grant will be used to reduce the forensic DNA case backlog, maintain turnaround time, and continue participation in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) by providing for personnel costs, overtime, continuing education for DNA analysts, external DNA audits, and the purchase of CODIS-related equipment and software. The award period is from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2026, and the grant is expected to allow the Mansfield Police Department's DNA laboratory to reduce its backlog by at least 100 cases by the end of the award period.

The mansfield division of police forensic science section DNA laboratory is an agency that is responsible for analyzing evidential material associated with criminal investigations for local law enforcement agencies in mansfield, ohio and adjoining communities. The DNA laboratory is composed of two DNA analysts and one DNA technician and has been in operation since 2001.this laboratory is also one of seven ohio national DNA index system (ndis) laboratory participants. The combined DNA index system (codis) operations are performed on the local level with samples being uploaded to the state of ohio for submission to the national DNA index system (ndis). Federal funding from this award will be used for the following goals: reduce the forensic DNA case backlog, maintain limited turn-around time and the continued participation in codis by providing for personnel costs; utilize overtime to maintain current turnaround time and the technical review of a minimum of 30 DNA cases; provide registration and travel related costs associated with continuing education for DNA analysts; establish a contract for an external DNA audit; purchase a codis computer server; purchase service contracts for DNA equipment including real time instrumentation, genetic analyzer, driftcon unit, and mixture interpretation system; and purchase contract for lims subscriptions for the DNA section. The mansfield division of police forensic science section DNA laboratory can expect to reduce the DNA case backlog by at least 100 cases by the end of the award period. Accurate records of cases completed, including number of samples analyzed, days to completion, codis upload and codis hits, will be maintained to determine the impact of the grant funding.