Orangeburg DPS gets $250,000 grant for DNA forensics lab

The U.S. Office of Justice Programs DNA Capacity Enhancement For Backlog Reduction Program grant will enable the lab to process more DNA samples and cut the number of forensic DNA and DNA database samples awaiting analysis and/or prevent a backlog of forensic and database DNA samples.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance, a component of the Office of Justice Programs, within the U.S. Department of Justice, notes on its website the  importance of the grant program, stating that “as technology advances to improve the analysis of DNA evidence, there is a respective increase in demand for DNA testing.”

“Furthermore, the technology is becoming more complex and costlier, and laboratory budgets struggle to meet the increased demand,” BJA states. “Delays in testing evidence result in delays in justice, which can lead to additional victimization by serial offenders or incarceration of the innocent.”

BJA was created in 1984 to reduce violent crime, create safer communities and reform the nation’s criminal justice system.

The grant comes days after the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety celebrated the official opening of the accredited forensics services lab at Claflin University on Goff Avenue.

The lab received FBI accreditation in recent months. 

The forensics lab is the only one in the U.S. jointly run by an HBCU and a law enforcement agency.

The lab conducts DNA and fingerprint analyses, among other responsibilities.

Once a DNA profile is developed in the lab, it can be placed in a national database to compare against other known DNA profiles in hopes of identifying the one developed in the lab. The lab then sends it to the State Law Enforcement Division to conduct an independent comparison, which usually takes a couple of weeks.

The lab runs the information again to be sure it’s getting consistent results. The whole process usually takes a month or two.

In related matters, DPS Director and Chief Charles Austin said there is an effort to have the department’s dispatchers certified through the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy.

“Each of them will have to take an entry test in order for them to qualify to attend the Academy,” Austin said. “Our goal for 22-23 is to have each of our dispatchers to be certified as telecommunication operators.”

Austin said the department has also received a number of employment applications to join DPS.

“We have selected five candidates and we have others that we believe are going to become solid, productive employees,” Austin said. “Our background process is an intense process, so it make take us a little longer sometimes than it may take others. But we want to ensure that as we bring people on board that we are bringing them on board not for a relay point but for a destination.”

Austin said the department has recently promoted 14 DPS personnel in various ranks.

“I am looking forward to each of them assuming their respective roles,” Austin said.

“This is good news to our ears,” Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler said about the updates provided by Austin.

Councilman Richard Stroman praised the DPS recruitment officer for helping bring people to the department.

“You got some good officers,” Stroman said.