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
 Expansion and Development of the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Office Forensic Section
Award Information
Awardee
              Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Office
Award #
              2015-CD-BX-0076
Funding Category
              Competitive
Location
                    Helena, MT
Status
              Closed
Funding First Awarded
              2015
Total funding (to date)
              $133,397
Original Solicitation
              NIJ FY 15 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2015, $133,397)
In July of 2013, the Lewis and Clark County Sheriffs Office (LCSO) established an in-house forensic science section with the capability to provide fast and efficient high-demand forensic services to local law enforcement.  Over sixty thousand dollars of agency funds have been allocated to begin purchasing equipment and training for the forensic section.  Since the inception of the program, the forensic section has completed over one-hundred and twelve (112) forensic work requests.  The requests include work in high-demand forensic disciplines such as mobile forensics, crime scenes, latent prints, and video analysis.  The Montana State Crime Laboratory either does not provide analysis in the majority of these disciplines or is substantially backlogged.  Support from the Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program will provide the funding necessary for the Lewis and Clark County Sheriffs Office to continue developing the forensic section.  The following objectives detail areas of crucial development which are outside the budget capabilities of a small agency such as the LCSO:
1) Acquire and maintain an Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to provide investigators with important fingerprint information as quickly as possible including a modern livescan system to assist in the development of a local AFIS database and fully take advantage of upgrades to national AFIS technology.
2) Provide specific crime scene and digital evidence training opportunities to expand crime scene response and to enhance individual skills while keeping current with rapidly expanding and changing digital forensic equipment and practices.
3) Acquire and maintain equipment used to capture, process, and enhance digital forensic data, in particular computer, mobile, and video forensic equipment.
 Developing the in-house forensic section will reduce the number of submissions from the Lewis and Clark County Sheriffs Office and neighboring agencies to the Montana State Crime Laboratory.  Reducing the number of submissions to the crime lab will result in a reduced state backlog and an increase in the quality and efficiency of local investigations due to the immediate availability of critical forensic information.  In addition, a reduction in the number of submissions to the state laboratory from Lewis and Clark County, one of Montanas larger population areas, will allow the state crime laboratory to reduce the turn-around time on requests for analysis from other areas of the state thereby benefitting all of the law enforcement agencies in Montana.
ca/ncf.

  
Date Created: September 22, 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
        
                      NIJ Innovations in Measuring Community Perceptions Challenge Winner: Community PoliSense
                  Mechanics of Retinal Hemmorhage in Abusive Head Trauma
                  Audio Deepfake Detection for Forensics and Security
 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