U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.
        Here's how you know
      Here's how you know**Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
      **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** (
            A locked padlock
            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Menu

      
        close

            
            
                                              About NIJ
        
                    
  
          About NIJ
      
    
          The NIJ Director
          How NIJ Is Organized
          Mission and Guiding Principles
          Research and Development Process
          Strategic Framework
          Assessments of NIJ
          Annual Reports & Reports to Congress
          Staff Directory
          Funding & Awards
        
                    
  
          Funding & Awards
      
    
          Current Funding
          Forthcoming Funding
          Expired Funding
          Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
          Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
          Fellowship & Student Programs
          Travel Scholarships
          NIJ Challenge Program
          Library & Multimedia
        
                    
  
          Library & Multimedia
      
    
          NIJ Journal
          Podcasts
          Publications Listing
          Multimedia Listing
          Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
          Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
          Software & Databases
          Datasets
          Patents
          Topics
        
                    
  
          Topics
      
    
          Article Listing
          Corrections
          Courts
          Crime Prevention
          Crimes
          Drugs and Crime
          Equipment and Technology
          Forensic Sciences
          Youth Justice
          Justice System Reform
          Law Enforcement
          Tribal Crime and Justice
          Victims of Crime
          Events
        
                    
  
          Events
      
    
          NIJ 2024 Research Conference
          Scheduled Events
          On-Demand Events
          Research Meetings & Workshops
          NIJ-Hosted Online Training

                            
                                About
          Contact Us
          Subscribe
          Topics A-Z
                  Share
FacebookXLinkedInRedditPinterestEmail Home
                            Funding & Awards
 FY 2015 LAPD DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program
Award Information
Awardee
              City of Los Angeles
Award #
              2015-DN-BX-0115
Funding Category
              Formula
Location
                    Los Angeles, CA
Awardee County
              Los Angeles County
Congressional District
              34
Status
              Closed
Funding First Awarded
              2015
Total funding (to date)
              $981,593
Original Solicitation
              NIJ FY 15 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2015, $981,593)
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Scientific Investigation Division (SID) is the agency that is responsible for analyzing evidential material associated with criminal investigations for the City of Los Angeles.  The LAPD-SID maintains the Serology/DNA Unit (SDU), housed in two facilities-one located at the Hertzberg Davis Forensic Science Center (HDFSC) and the other at Piper Technical Center (PTC). The HDFSC laboratory is responsible for conducting DNA analysis on evidence samples collected from crime scenes in the City of Los Angeles as well as conducting screening of evidence for forensic value.  The PTC laboratory also conducts screening of evidence and is under development as a DNA analysis laboratory.
The City of Los Angeles has been facing budget challenges while still seeking to expand its DNA analysis capabilities. The federal funding from this award will allow the SDU to reduce its backlog (per the NIJ definition, any cases not completed within 30 days after the laboratory receives the case request) and increase its laboratory capacity to meet existing and future demand for Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) screening and testing.  This award will be specifically used toward the following goals:
1. Reduce or prevent the development of a backlog of forensic biology/DNA cases.
2. Maintain or increase the capacity and capabilities of the LAPD SDU casework laboratories.
3. Maintain continuing education for analysts in the lab.
Utilizing funds from this program, the LAPD SDU expects to analyze at least 363 forensic biology and DNA cases (343 in-house with overtime, and 20 by outsourcing).  Independent of this or any program the City continues to train Criminalists in support of DNA testing.  Once these Criminalists are trained, they can perform evidence screening and/or DNA analysis that will improve efficiency and reduce turnaround time.  Those Criminalists who are already trained to perform DNA typing will be able to increase the number of samples that they analyze, further reducing turnaround time.  The lab expects to reduce the turnaround time for a forensic case by 5% and increase analyst productivity by an average of 5%.
Utilizing funds from this grant will allow Criminalists to meet continuing education requirements and/or receive training, helping the laboratory to meet accreditation requirements, and providing analysts with knowledge of the latest developments in forensic DNA analysis (some of which may be incorporated into LAPD protocols to further improve capacity and efficiency).
nca/ncf.

  
Date Created: September 17, 2015
    
          Side navigation
  

        

  
  
              Current Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Forthcoming Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Expired Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
    
      
            
            
            
      Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
    
      
            
            
            
      Fellowship & Student Programs
    
      
            
            
            
      Travel Scholarships
    
      
            
            
            
      NIJ Challenge ProgramSimilar Awards
        
                      Nanoparticle-Decorated Micropillars As Integrated Raman Spectroscopy and Mass Spectrometry Substrates for Quantitative and High-Throughput Toxicology Drug Analysis
                  Audio Deepfake Detection for Forensics and Security
                  Measuring rarity of combined features in palm versus finger impressions and evaluating examiner perceptions
 Top

      National Institute of Justice

        
        
                        About NIJ
                    About NIJ
      
    
                  How NIJ Is Organized
      
    
                  NIJ Director
      
    
                  Research Disclaimer
      
    
                  Funding & Awards
                    Funding & Awards Home
      
    
                  Awards Listing
      
    
                  Current Funding
      
    
                  Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
      
    
                  Resources
                    Events
      
    
                  Podcasts
      
    
                  Publications
      
    
                  Topics
      
    
                  Multimedia
      
    
                  Reuse Policy
      
    
                  Contacts
                    Contact NIJ
      
    
                  Staff Directory
      
    
                  Submit a FOIA Request
      
    
                  File a Civil Rights ComplaintFacebook
          
                      X
          
                      YouTube
  

      810 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20531
      
              Secondary Footer link menu
            Accessibility
              Plain Language
              Privacy Policy
              Legal Policies and Disclaimer
              No FEAR Act
              Freedom of Information Act
              USA.gov
              Justice.gov