On Monday, the Shelby County (Tennessee) Board of Commissioners voted to approve the first-ever locally funded crime lab in county history. This will move key evidence testing much closer to home for those in Shelby County.
Currently, the West Tennessee Regional Forensic Testing Center is the only forensic testing center in Shelby County with the next closest being the TBI lab in Jackson.
“The present system with a lab in Jackson serving all of West Tennessee lacks the capacity to meet all of our needs timely,” said District Attorney Steve Mulroy, who spearheaded this campaign. “This is not a criticism of the hard-working people in that lab. It is simply a reality of the volume of evidence that needs to be tested to bring violent criminals to justice and drive crime rates downward.”
Mulroy, who partnered with Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris on the project, initially asked for $5.5 million yearly for the new laboratory to fund digital forensics (specifically cell phone analysis), ballistics and Rapid DNA analysis. On Monday, the commission approved only $1.5 million in initial recurring funds to support the lab’s first year—but acknowledged plans for continued funding in year two.
Still, Mulroy celebrated the approval.
“For the first time, Shelby County will have its own crime lab—a crucial first step in increasing our solve rate and lowering crime,” the DA said. “It’s not everything we asked for, but it’s an important start.”
While the funding likely won’t be enough to cover ballistics and Rapid DNA, Mulroy said it will enable the lab to do cell phone digital forensics.
The approved funding builds on earlier endorsements, including support from the West Tennessee Drug Task Force, who pledged up to $200,000 toward rapid DNA equipment. The contribution would be made pursuant to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Shelby County, allowing the task force to utilize the lab’s forensic facilities for drug-related investigations and prosecutions.
“Being a rural prosecutor, I see this [new lab] benefiting all of West Tennessee because some of TBI’s burden will be lifted, which should increase efficiency for getting cases—particularly violent crimes—solved and resolved quicker,” said Frederick Agee, West Tennessee Drug Task Force Board member and District Attorney for Crockett, Haywood and Gibson Counties.