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BCI Cutting Down On Lab Time
By: Fred Kight
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In July, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation was working to reduce the lab turnaround time for DNA testing.
Thursday, Tom Stickrath was in Athens for the opening of a new BCI office.
Stickrath is the superintendent of BCI.
WOUB asked him how it was going with the lab effort, which is supposed to speed up the process for getting results to local authorities so they can prosecute criminals.
"We're adding some scientists," he said. "And they're about ready to come on board."
At the end of 2010, BCI took an average of 125 days to complete DNA testing on biological evidence and return it.
Stickrath said, "I think we can make a significant reduction…a huge reduction."
"I'm really working hard to reduce the time to do chemistry as well," says Stickrath. These tests are needed in drug cases.
"I want to see a real reduction in that area," he said, noting the current turnaround is 45 days.