Item Description:
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Grant Award Number 15PBJA-23-GG-01299-DNAX from the U.S. Dept of Justice, Office of Justice Programs to accept the 2023 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program grant in the Sheriff’s Forensic Sciences Division, 10/01/23 to 09/30/25, $353,284 (recv); supp app of $26,000 and 2.0 FTEs to the 2023 Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office budget
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Resolution:
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BE IT RESOLVED, that grant award number 15PBJA-23-GG-01299-DNAX from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs to the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office to increase capacity and reduce DNA backlog in the Sheriff’s Forensic Sciences Division during the period October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2025 in the receivable amount of $353,284 be approved; that the Chair of the Board be authorized to sign the Agreement on behalf of the county; and that the Controller be authorized to accept and disburse funds as directed; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office be authorized to increase staffing by 2.0 Full-Time Equivalents for pre-screening positions, to assist the DNA lab in the collection of DNA, and funded by the grant award; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a supplemental appropriation of $26,000 be made to the 2023 Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office budget be approved; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that sponsorship and acceptance of grant funding for this program by the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners does not imply a continued commitment by Hennepin County for this program when grant funds are no longer available.
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Background:
The Office of Justice Programs offers funding to units of local government to reduce forensic DNA sample turnaround time, increase the throughput of public DNA laboratories, create capacity efficiency, and reduce DNA forensic casework backlogs. These improvements are critical to preventing future DNA backlogs and to help the criminal justice system use the full potential of DNA technology.
With this award, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office - Forensic Science Laboratory will provide salary and fringe benefit support for two forensic technicians for two years. Forensic technicians support the DNA lab by screening evidence to prepare it for downstream DNA testing. They may also be tasked with instrument operation or other non-reporting scientific operations. The support provided by the technicians will eliminate the need to use highly trained DNA reporting scientists in positions that require technician level work. Additionally, this award will provide funding for DNA scientists continuing education.
In prior years, the Sheriff’s Office has received funding for reducing DNA backlogs under this program. This project is supported under statutory authority DOJ Appropriations Act, 2022 (Pub. L. No. 117-103, 136 Stat. 49, 126).
The grant will reduce disparities in the Justice domain by helping the victims of violent crimes, which generally occur more frequently in areas of poverty, by providing additional resources to reduce the turnaround time of DNA samples.
recommendation
Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval