INSIDE THE IDAHO STATE POLICE FORENSIC SERVICES LABORATORIES Judges Webinar January 8, 2014 Matthew Gamette Laboratory Improvement Manager

Overview  Organization of ISPFS  Services of the ISPFS Laboratory System  Accreditation  Turnaround Times  General Challenges  New and Upcoming Customer Service Enhancements

Introduction to ISPFS ISPFS Coeur d’Alene Laboratory ISPFS Meridian Laboratory ISPFS Pocatello Laboratory

Introduction to ISPFS ServiceCoeur d'AleneMeridianPocatello Controlled Substances AnalysisXXX Crime Scene GeneralXXX Crime Scene Clan LabsXXX Fire/Arson Evidence AnalysisX Firearms/ToolmarksX Footwear/Tiretrack X DNA X Biology Screening X DNA Database X Latent Print Processing X Latent Print Comparison X Blood AlcoholXXX Breath Alcohol Instrument CalibrationXX Drugs in BloodLimited X Drugs in UrineX X

Equivalent Staffing Controlled Substances 6 Toxicology3 Biology/DNA4 DNA Database3 Biology Technical Staff1 Blood Alcohol3 Breath Alcohol1 Latent Prints5.5 Shoe/Tire0.5 Firearms1 Evidence Staff 7 Stuart Jacobson— Firearms Blood Alcohol Controlled Substances

Accreditation First accreditation 1987 First ISO 17025:2005 accreditation in 2007 Reaccreditation every 5 years Current accreditation through 2017 Over 500 management and analytical requirements Yearly internal audit and external assessment of each lab Annual report of corrective actions, personnel changes, proficiency testing

Turnaround Times: Strategic GoalDisciplineAverage Turnaround 60 daysBiology Screening41 days 60 daysDNA28 days 90 daysDNA Database<30 days 30 daysBlood Alcohol22 days 30 daysControlled Substances13 days 90 daysFingerprints94 days 60 daysFirearms/Toolmarks2 cases >60 days* 45 daysFire Debris2 cases >45 days* 90 daysShoe/Tire Analysis6 cases >90 days** 45 daysToxicology18 days Turnaround times are calculated from the date the evidence submission is complete

Challenges: Court Testimony Competing subpoenas from different counties Distance Travel and waiting time Scott Hellstrom Pocatello Chemist January 29, 2014

2010 Ada County (CDA lab scientists only) hours analyst time (3.6 weeks) ~$13, in salary and travel costs 6 testimonies for 6.75 hours total ~$ /hour for expert testimony Challenges: Court Testimony Jeremy Johnston Breath Alcohol Discipline Leader

Solutions: Video Testimony Everyone must be able to see and hear each other and simultaneously communicate. New Rule Forensic Testimony by Video Teleconference. This new rule allows forensic testimony to be submitted in court proceedings via simultaneous video teleconference. Everyone must be able to see and hear each other and simultaneously communicate. The party wishing to present by video teleconference must give the other party 28 days notice and the other party must object or agree in writing no later than 14 days before the proceeding. The video testimony is recorded in the same manner as any other testimony, and it is up to the party offering the testimony to coordinate the audio visual feed into the courtroom. There is no duty placed on the court.

Challenges: Court Testimony Multiple state lab witnesses for same testimony ISPFS experts not a party to the case

Challenges: Slowdowns Instrumental breakdowns (increased with aging instruments) Validation of new instrumentation Batching (waiting for enough samples to run) Rush requests (slows the other wait times) Obtaining all the necessary items on submission **Turnaround time starts when submission is complete**

Solutions: Slowdowns New instruments and maintenance agreements Partner with universities and vendors for validation work Decreasing backlogs so that rush requests are not necessary Training user agencies and using software to solve submission problems

Challenges: Training Retention of trained scientists Recruitment of qualified applicants Training periods: Latent Prints—2 years DNA/Biology—1 to 2 years Toxicology—1 to 2 years Firearms—2 to 5 years Chemistry—6 months to 1 year

Challenges: Drug Court Prelims Seeking input from the courts and prosecutors Presumptive screening programs for court preliminary hearings Cut down turnaround times

Challenges: Defense Experts New Idaho State Law Accreditation Security Contamination Efficiency

Challenges: Extensive Discovery Requests for documents not applicable to the case (boilerplate) Requests for information outside the rules of discovery Overbearing requests slow down lab personnel Lab Response: Provided in PDF or on ILIMS as a PDF Available on our website Available for review at the lab Seemingly outside the scope of ICR 16 Not applicable to this case

New Website

Improvements Online and On-demand More information, more difficult, and standardized Virtual instruments for practice scenarios Written test and practical (hands-on) proficiency testing All certificates published online

Online prelog of evidence Online status updates Online reporting and discovery Completely paperless Tablets in the lab Automated reporting Efficient

Training Evidence collection courses using standard presentations Biology/DNA Latent Impression/Footwear and Tire impressions Prosecutor DUI boot camp Officers of the court free training: Major Clark Rollins

Discussion of presumptive testing