Subject:
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Grant award with the U.S. Department of Justice for the 2025 DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction Formula Grants Program on behalf of the Pinellas County Forensic Laboratory
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval by the County Administrator of the grant award for the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) - Formula Grants Program on behalf of the Pinellas County Forensic Lab (Forensic Lab).
• Grant provides recurring funding for the Forensic Lab.
• The grant supports Forensic Lab capacity to reduce and avoid backlogs through continued funding for one full-time DNA analyst to perform CODIS eligible casework activities, including analysis, reporting, technical reviews, and testimony; to fund DNA testing supplies, including extraction, quantification, and amplification kits; and to maintain contracts for the use of probabilistic genotyping software.
• The grant award provides funding in the amount of $225,835.00 from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027.
• No match is required. This grant award is to be included in the General Fund FY27 Proposed Budget.
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Strategic Priorities:
Health and Safe Communities
2.1 Improve Public Health.
2.2 Enhance Community Safety.
Summary:
The Pinellas County Forensic Laboratory (PCFL) performs DNA analysis of evidentiary materials for the law enforcement agencies operating within Pinellas County, Florida. DNA analysis requests are accepted for both violent and non-violent crimes to increase casework capacity and maintain targeted average turnaround times. PCFL will use
2025 DNA Formula CEBR funds to continue employing one full-time DNA analyst to perform CODIS eligible casework activities, including analysis, reporting, technical reviews, and testimony; to fund DNA testing supplies, including extraction, quantification, and amplification kits; and to maintain contracts for the use of probabilistic genotyping software.
With these resources, PCFL will conduct analyses of a minimum of 200 additional DNA cases that would otherwise not be possible.
Background/Explanation:
The DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program increases the number of forensic DNA and DNA database samples processed for entry into the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) by providing funding for laboratories to process DNA samples and to increase their capacity to process the DNA samples for CODIS upload.
CEBR grants are awarded to eligible DNA laboratories through a formula method to allocate funding to states and eligible territories to meet the goals of the program. By providing funding to assist laboratories with processing DNA samples for entry into CODIS, the CEBR Program facilitates evidence-based criminal justice decisions and responses. With increases in capacity to process more DNA samples for entry into CODIS, CEBR-funded laboratories are able to help law enforcement reduce violent crime, support prosecutors in their efforts to meet their mission, and create safer communities.
Previous DNA grant awards have been received for FY2012 through FY2024.
Fiscal Impact:
The total federal grant award is $225,835.00 over two years, from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2027. No match is required. The grant award will be expended in FY27 and will be requested is part of the General Fund FY27 Proposed Budget.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the County Administrator to sign this award is granted under (Code Section 2-62 (a)(1).
Staff Member Responsible:
Karen Yatchum, Director, Human Services
Partners:
U.S. Department of Justice
Pinellas County Forensic Laboratory
Attachments:
Grant Award Package