HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 20-024-CCBOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Grant County, Washington
RESOLUTION CALLING FOR THE RESOLUTION No. 20 - -CC
WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATURE
TO FULLY FUND THE WASHINGTON
STATE PATROL CRIME
LABORATORY AND TOXICOLOGY
LABORATORY
WHEREAS, the Washington State Patrol oversees a Crime Laboratory which operates
five multi -service crime laboratories in Seattle, Tacoma, Marysville, Spokane, Vancouver and
limited -service crime laboratories including the Kennewick, Tumwater (Latents Fingerprints),
and the CODIS Laboratory in Seattle; and
WHEREAS, the Crime Laboratory exists to provide quality forensic services for
criminal justice agencies within the state of Washington such as: DNA Testing, CODIS
Laboratory (felon database program), Convicted Offender DNA Collection, Firearm/Toolmark
Analysts, Materials Analysis (Seized Drugs, Explosives and Ignitable Liquids, Impressions, and
Trace Materials), Questions Documents, Latent Fingerprint Identification and Crime Scene
Assistance; and
WHEREAS, the Washington State Patrol also operates a Toxicology Laboratory that
performs drug and alcohol testing for coroners, medical examiners, law enforcement agencies,
prosecuting attorneys and the State Liquor Cannabis Board in all 39 Washington counties; and
WHEREAS, the Crime Laboratory and Toxicology Laboratory have for years been
operating without adequate resources, the result being that numerous forensic testing backlogs
have developed and forensic testing turnaround times have dramatically increased; and
WHEREAS, the Washington State Legislature has over the last several years adopted
legislation and made appropriations to address a significant backlog of sexual assault kits across
Washington; and
WHEREAS, similar progress has not yet been made by the Washington State Legislature
in relation to other forensic testing backlogs that have come to exist within the Crime Laboratory
and Toxicology Laboratory; and
WHEREAS, law enforcement, prosecutors, coroners, medical examiners and other
public health officials have for the last several years been dealing with an increasing number of
challenges stemming from the testing backlog and increased testing turnaround time; and
N:\Staff\BVasquez\Resolution-Ordinance\Crime and Tox Lab Resolution 03102020.docx
WHEREAS, user agencies of the Crime Laboratory and Toxicology Laboratory have
resorted to outsourcing, often at local government expense, forensic testing to private
laboratories in order to reduce testing backlogs and turnaround times so that criminal cases may
be more quickly resolved and families may timely learn the outcome of death investigations
involving a loved one; and
WHEREAS, the Grant County Board of County Commissioners finds that the lack of
resources has resulted in a crisis within the Crime Laboratory and Toxicology Laboratory that is
ongoing and continuous and that is negatively impacting public health and safety disciplines in
Grant County as well as across the state; and
WHEREAS, the Grant County Commissioners further find that one of the best ways to
address this crisis is to start by educating the Washington State Legislature regarding the dire and
immediate need for additional resources at the Crime Laboratory and Toxicology Laboratory.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE GRANT COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS, STATE OF WASHINGTON, HEREBY REQUESTS that the
Washington State Legislature fully fund, enhance the operations of, and expand the capacity of
the Washington State Patrol Crime and Toxicology Laboratories.
DATED AND ADOPTED this day of2\(Wjq-12020.
BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS
Yea Nay Abstain T COUNT , W SHINGTON
❑ ❑ Cindy CarteN, Chair
ATTEST: V� ❑ ❑
Barbara Ul
s
Clerk of B?
El El
Richard Stevens, Member
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Payable batches audited and certified by the auditing officer as required by RCW 42.24.080 and those
expense reimbursement claims certified as required by RCW 42.24.090, have been recorded on a
listing which has been made available to the Board:
Batch ID: GCAP03092020
As of this date, 03/10/2020, the Board, by a majority vote, does approve for payment those payable batches
Payable Total: $ 718,978.72
Reviewed and certified b : V V
Commissioner
Date: 3 1 t O l20
Invoices/Batches not approved:
Double Checked by:
Date: