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S I J STATE OF WASHINGTON
C County of Jefferson
In the Matter of Calling for the Washington }
State Legislature to Fully Fund the } RESOLUTION NO. 11 20
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 backlogs for forensic testing have developed
and delays have dramatically increased, so that blood tests can take 9 months or longer to get results;
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, including leaving some serious cases
uncharged; and
WHEREAS, user agencies of the Crime Laboratory and Toxicology Laboratory have resorted to
outsourcing forensic testing to private laboratories to timely resolve criminal cases and death
investigations and inform families of the outcome involving a loved one; and
WHEREAS, outsourcing to private labs because of state backlogs is a cost burden on local
governments; and
WHEREAS, in many cases the State Toxicology Laboratory never learns of the outsourced lab
results, and the results are missing from the statewide surveillance for early detection and response to
lethal drugs; and
WHEREAS, inadequate funding, staffing and testing backlogs restrict the availability of state
experts from the state Toxicology Laboratory and Crime Laboratory to testify in trials, thereby
hampering the ability of Prosecutors to successfully prosecute criminal cases; and
1
WHEREAS, The Jefferson County Board of 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 Jefferson County as
well as across the state; and
WHEREAS,the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners further finds 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 BE IT RESOLVED,that the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners
request that the Washington State Legislature fully fund, enhance the operations of, and expand the
capacity of the Washington State Patrol Crime and Toxicology Laboratories, and as an investment to
this end, pass the funding levels for the Toxicology and Crime Laboratories proposed by the Governor
and the House.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 9th day of March, 2020.
SEAT: w `, JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOA' P OF COMMISSIONERS
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Carolyn Gallaway, CMC
Deputy Clerk of the Board
K.te Dean, Member
2
JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA REQUEST
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Philip Morley, County Administrator
DATE: March 9,2020
RE: Resolution Calling For The Washington State Legislature To Fully Fund The
Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory And Toxicology Laboratory
STATEMENT OF ISSUE: County Prosecutor James Kennedy has asked the Board of County
Commissioners to adopt a resolution calling for the Washington state legislature to fully fund the
Washington state patrol crime laboratory and toxicology laboratory.
ANALYSIS: Washington State operates a Crime Laboratory 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. 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.
The Crime Laboratory and Toxicology Laboratory have been operating without adequate resources,
which has created numerous backlogs for forensic testing and growing delays, so that blood tests can take
9 months or longer to get results. Law enforcement,prosecutors, coroners, medical examiners and other
public health officials are challenged in performing their duties from the testing backlog and increased
testing turnaround time,which has left some serious cases uncharged. Some user agencies of the Crime
Laboratory and Toxicology Laboratory have resorted to outsourcing forensic testing to private
laboratories to timely resolve criminal cases and death investigations, and this is a cost burden on local
governments. In many cases the State Toxicology Laboratory never learns of the outsourced lab results,
so that the results are missing from the statewide surveillance for early detection and response to lethal
drugs.
The proposed Resolution would call upon the Washington State Legislature to fully fund, enhance the
operations of, and expand the capacity of the Washington State Patrol Crime and Toxicology
Laboratories. In particular, it asks the Legislature to pass the funding levels for the Toxicology and
Crime Laboratories proposed by the Governor and the House.
FISCAL IMPACT: None to Jefferson County.
RECOMMENDATION: Adopt the proposed Resolution,and transmit it to the Washington State
Legislature.
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