Feds Award Over $2 Million to Police Forensic Service in Maryland to Help Solve Backlog – CBS Baltimore

BALTIMORE (WJZ) – The federal government has awarded more than $2 million to seven police forensics divisions in Maryland to help resolve backlogs of forensic biology and DNA cases, Maryland’s congressional Democrats announced today. Wednesday.

Here’s a breakdown of where the money is going:

• $431,315 to the Maryland State Police Department of Forensic Science in Pikesville
• $260,000 to Prince George County Sheriff’s Department, Forensic Science Division
• $260,000 for the Anne Arundel County Sheriff’s Department’s Forensic Biology Unit
• $401,985 for the Baltimore Police Department’s Crime Lab
• $222,597 for the Baltimore County Sheriff’s Department Crime Lab
• $250,000 to the State of Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner’s Toxicology Laboratory in Crownsville
• $260,000 for Montgomery County Sheriff’s Crime Lab

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In a joint statement, US Senses Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and Deputs Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony Brown, Jamie Raskin and David Trone said the funding will help keep the community safe.

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“Every year, thousands of violent and nonviolent crimes – including murder, rape and assault – go unresolved because of a backlog in DNA processing for investigation,” the lawmakers said. ,”. “This federal funding will keep communities across Maryland safe by providing local jurisdictions with the resources they need to process critical DNA evidence and analyze therapeutic data. y faster and more accurate.”

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Funding comes from the Judicial Assistance Department (BJA) at the Department of Justice through the BJA DNA Capacity Building and Backlog Reduction (CEBR) program.