Crime & Safety

Latz Proposes New Crime Lab Accreditation Requirements

The proposals follow inconsistencies at the St. Paul crime lab detailed in testimony earlier this month.

Sen. Ron Latz (DFL-District 46) has pledged to introduce legislation during the 2013 legislative session that would require all state crime labs to be accredited.

Latz—who was the ranking minority member on the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee—noted in a Monday news release that state law does not require lab accreditation.

The state has 20 unaccredited crime labs compared to five accredited crime labs.

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“The safety of the public and the protection of the innocent are best served by good science,” the news release quoted Latz, whose district includes Golden Valley, Hopkins and St. Louis Park. “We need to feel assured that the results produced by our crime labs are accurate and that testing is done up to standards.”

Latz’s proposal follows testimony in Dakota District Court earlier this month that the St. Paul lab doesn’t follow basic scientific procedures. Public defenders are challenging St. Paul results in eight drug cases.

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The senator pointed to the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors’ four accreditation objectives: 

  • “Improve the quality of laboratory services provided;
  • “Develop and maintain criteria which can be used by a laboratory to assess performance and strengthen lab operation;
  • “Provide an independent, impartial, and objective system so labs will benefit from reviews and
  • “Ensure the public and laboratory service users that labs have met standards.”

He plans to work with the state’s Forensic Laboratory Advisory Board, strengthen its regulatory role and require the state’s crime labs to “meet established requirements.”

“This legislation will be one of my top priorities next session, if I have the honor of being re-elected by the people of my area,” the release quoted Latz.


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