MOUNT VERNON — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced earlier this month that 11 certified crime labs will receive $3.4 million in grants through the Ohio Crime Lab Efficiency Program.
“Criminal investigations depend on the timely work of dedicated forensic scientists and chemists at Ohio’s crime labs,” Gov. DeWine said in a press release. “The initial $10 million in funding awarded in 2022 was successful in helping crime labs significantly reduce backlogs, and this additional funding will help labs continue to keep their turnaround times down.”
Local law enforcement has felt the impact.
Sheriff David Shaffer said the Knox County Sheriff’s Office currently does not have a large backlog of items at the lab.
“There had been some in the past, but it has already improved,” he said via email.
The KCSO uses the Central Ohio Regional Crime Lab in Licking County and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation lab in Richfield.
The COCL received $250,000 in 2022. It will receive another $95,550 in Round 2.
BCI offices statewide will receive $835,000.
Lt. Andrew Burns said most of what the Mount Vernon Police Department sends out goes to BCI.
“We rely on BCI for testing and lab work and are fortunate to have that resource,” he said.
“I have noticed recently that we are getting the test results back very soon, probably within a month of sending them out to be tested. This is much quicker than before,” Lt. Det. Beth Marti said via email.
Marti supervises the MVPD’s detective division.
“If we receive the results faster, then we can proceed on to the grand jury process faster, which can result in prison or jail time for the defendants, depending on their past criminal history,” she said.
About the crime labs funding program
Using American Rescue Plan Act funds, the DeWine administration launched the Ohio Crime Lab Efficiency Program in April 2022. The goal is to reduce and eliminate backlogs, increase overall lab efficiency, and decrease evidence processing time in Ohio crime laboratories.
Fourteen crime labs shared the $10 million in 2022. They used the grants in various ways, including staff overtime, new software and technology, hiring new staff, and new or additional forensic equipment.
