. FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS HENRY SANTANA AT-LARGE CITY COUNCILOR AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
TODAY IS SEPTEMBER 2025 AND IT IS 2:02 P.M.. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAM AT BOSTON DARK FLASH CITY DASH
COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCASTED ON ITS FINNISH CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FILES CHANNEL 964. WRITTEN COMMENTS WILL BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT THE
PEACE BOSTON GLOBE AND WILL BE MADE PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS. PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN IN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING. INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY
SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED INTENSIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY
VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL US. CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON SHANE PAC SHANE DARK PAC BOSS BACKUP FOR THE AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST.
TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 0167. ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS RESOURCES FOR THE BOSTON POLICE CRIME LABORATORY. THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCILORS BY COUNCILOR FLYNN
AND WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON JANUARY EIGHT, 2025. TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL. CITY COUNCILOR AT LARGE ERIN
AND DISTRICT TWO CITY COUNCILOR. COUNCILOR FLYNN WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM DISTRICT FIVE CITY COUNCILOR ENRIQUE MAUPIN. I WOULD LIKE TO NOW INTRODUCE
BEFORE I INTRODUCE TODAY'S PANELIST. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I WILL GIVE MY COLLEAGUES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OPENING STATEMENTS STARTING WITH THE LEAD SPONSOR AND THEN WE'RE WORKING ORDER ARRIVAL.
SO COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU TO THE BOSTON POLICE FOR BEING WITH US TODAY. I REFILED THIS HEARING TO DISCUSS THE RESOURCES AND
STATUS OF THE BOSTON POLICE CRIME LAB. LAST YEAR I HELD A HEARING WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO DISCUSS THE CHALLENGES THAT THE BOSTON POLICE CRIME LAB HAD INCLUDING DELAYS IN TESTING OF SEXUAL
ASSAULT KITS. THE CITY OF BOSTON WAS NOT MEETING THE STATE REQUIREMENT OF TESTING WITHIN 30 DAYS AT THAT TIME AND HAS NOT UPGRADED
THEIR DNA TESTING TECHNIQUES TO WIDE SCREENING WHICH IS WHY THE MASS POLICE WHICH IS WHAT OUR STATE POLICE IN NEW YORK CITY ARE ALSO USING THE Y SCREENING.
DURING LAST YEAR'S BUDGET CYCLE WE VOTED ON AN AMENDMENT THAT I OFFERED TO ALLOCATE $1 MILLION WITHIN THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE BOSTON CRIME LAB.
THIS AMENDMENT INCLUDED 700,000 FROM BPD PERSONNEL SERVICES TO THE CRIME LAB TO INCREASE THE HIRING OF LAB TECHS AND TO FILL THE DIRECTOR VACANCY AND
300,000 FROM BPD EQUIPMENT TO THE CRIME LAB TO PURCHASE NEW SEXUAL ASSAULT TESTING EQUIPMENT AND UPGRADE DNA TESTING TO EYES SCREENING. DUE TO THE CRITICAL NATURE
OF THIS POSITION AND CONCERNS OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY, I WROTE A LETTER IN JANUARY TO BOTH COMMISSIONER COX AND MAYOR WELL URGING THEM TO CONSIDER A RESIDENCY WAIVER FOR THE DIRECTOR OF CRIME AND
HIGHLIGHTED THE PROLONGED VACANCY OF THIS POSITION AND CHALLENGES WITHIN THE CRIME LAB. IN ADDITION, I ASKED FOR AN INCREASE IN THE SALARY RANGE TO ATTRACT MORE APPLICANTS.
IT IS CRITICAL THAT THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT CRIME LAB IS GROWING THE TALENT AND LEADERSHIP IT NEEDS TO RUN EFFECTIVELY. TODAY'S HEARING IS A FOLLOW UP ON LAST YEAR'S DISCUSSION IN REALLOCATION OF FUNDING TO SEE
IF ANY PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE TOWARDS THE HIRING PERSONNEL IN PROCESSING TESTING KITS IN A TIMELY MANNER. IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS WE MUST
DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, THEIR FAMILIES AND THE PUBLIC AT LARGE TO BOTH ENSURE THAT WE ARE TESTING SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS WITHIN THE STATE MANDATE
MANDATED 30 DAYS AS WELL AS UTILIZING THE MOST ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE. WITH ALL OF THE SPENDING WE DO WITH WITHIN THE CITY BUDGET THERE IS SIMPLY NO EXCUSE FOR US AS A BIG CITY SUCH AS BOSTON
NOT TO USE THE SAME TECHNOLOGY AS NEW YORK CITY OR OUR VERY OWN MASSACHUSETTS STATE POLICE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILMEMBER FEE, YOU HAVE THE
FLOOR. THANK YOU, CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR FLYNN. I WAS HERE LAST YEAR WITH YOU WHEN WE HAD THIS ORIGINAL HEARING SO THANK YOU FOR REFILING. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE
CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE AND MAKE SURE THAT IF WE'RE WORKING HARD ON AMENDMENTS AND WE PASS AMENDMENTS TO FUND IMPORTANT DEPARTMENTS AND PUBLIC SAFETY
AND ENSURING THAT EVIDENCE IS COLLECTED AND ANALYZED IS SOMETHING NOT JUST THAT YOU ALL STRIVE TO DO EVERY DAY AND DO A GOOD JOB. BUT YOU KNOW IT'S THE PUBLIC TRUST ALSO THAT WE WANT TO UPHOLD.
SO AND ALSO WHEN THAT MONEY DOESN'T GO WHERE WE ASK IT TO GO, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE COME TOGETHER TO FIND OUT AND HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT YOUR
DEPARTMENT IS FULLY BY US? BECAUSE I BELIEVE AND I KNOW THE LEAD SPONSOR BELIEVES THAT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION TO HAVE TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE CRIME LAB IS FULLY FUNDED AND WE HAVE THE STATE OF THE ART TECHNOLOGY THAT YOUR YOU KNOW, YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND YOUR EMPLOYEES DESERVE TO WORK WITH. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. COUNCILOR MURPHY, WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ROSIE LOUIJEUNE. I'LL PASS THE FLOOR OVER TO YOU FOR ANY OPENING REMARKS. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR, AND THANK
YOU TO THE SPONSORS FOR THIS HEARING. WHAT I WANT TO THANK THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO TO SOLVE CRIMES AND TO RESOLVE CRIMES HERE TO BE SUPPORTED BY RESOURCES THAT WILL MAKE THAT POSSIBLE.
WE'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT FROM COMMUNITY ESPECIALLY AROUND AROUND COLD CASES. SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN BE HELPFUL AND SUPPORT IN THE RESOURCES THAT ARE NECESSARY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CRIME LAB HAS WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE
SUCCESSFUL. I'M HERE TO DO THAT. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU DEAR DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT WANT TO THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR BEING HERE WITH US AND SHARING WHAT YOU WILL SHARE WITH US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. WE'RE NOW I MOVE ON TO INTRODUCE TODAY'S PANELISTS. WITH US TODAY WE HAVE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT VICTOR EVANS, BUREAU OF INVESTIGATIVE
SERVICES WITH THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND WE HAVE CAVALRY DIRECTOR OF THE QUALITY INSURANCE WITH BOSTON POLICE FORENSICS LABORATORY. SO I WILL TURN THE CALL OVER TO
YOU IF YOU COULD IF YOU ARE GOING TO STATE YOUR NAME AND POSITIONS FOR THE RECORD AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU ALL FOR THE OPENING REMARKS SLASH PRESENTATION. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT VICTOR EVANS. I DO HAVE OPENING REMARKS TO HELP HAVE YOU INTRODUCE MYSELF
FIRST AND THEN I'LL GO FOR THREE ON HOPE. I'M KEVIN RAD, DIRECTOR OF QUALITY ASSURANCE FOR THE FORENSIC LABORATORY. GOOD AFTERNOON. I WILL NOW BEGIN MY OPENING REMARKS. GOOD AFTERNOON. PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL
JUSTICE COMMITTEE CHAIR SANTANA . COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND CITY COUNCILORS. I AM DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT VICTOR EVANS FROM THE BOSTON POLICE BUREAU INVESTIGATORS SERVICES.
WITH ME TODAY IS KEVIN ARAD, DIRECTOR OF QUALITY ASSURANCE FOR THE FORENSIC LABORATORY. WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY TODAY AND TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING THE BOSTON POLICE
FORENSIC DIVISION. I OVERSEE THE FORENSIC DIVISION WITHIN THE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES, THE FORENSIC DIVISION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OBTAINING PRESERVING AND ANALYZING
PHYSICAL EVIDENCE FOR EVENTUAL COURT PROCESS PRESENTATION. THE DIVISION CONSISTS OF THE FORENSIC LABORATORY UNIT, THE ELECTRONIC CRIMES UNIT.
THE CRIME SCENE RESPONSE UNIT INCLUDED IN THE FORENSIC LABORATORY UNIT OTHER FOLLOWING THE CASE MANAGEMENT SLASH EVIDENCE SECTION THE LATENT
PRINTS AND IMPRESSIONS SECTION, THE FIREARM SECTION, THE DNA BIOLOGY SECTION AND THE TRACE CRIMINALISTICS SECTION. THE FORENSIC LABORATORY IS
NATIONALLY ACCREDITED AND AS CRITICAL IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF INVESTIGATIONS THAT BRING JUSTICE TO VICTIMS AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO OFFENDERS . THE EMPLOYEES OF THE LAB ARE
HIGHLY EDUCATED, SKILLED AND TRAINED PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK VERY HARD TO PROCESS EVIDENCE IN A TIMELY AND THOROUGH MANNER. THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT PRIORITIZES VICTIMS AND
SURVIVORS AND EVERYTHING WE DO. WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THEM WITH SERVICES AND SUPPORT IN ADDITION TO JUSTICE AND CLOSURE BY HOLDING OFFENDERS ACCOUNTABLE AND BY HOLDING OFFENDERS ACCOUNTABLE, WE
PREVENT FUTURE VICTIMIZATION BY REPEAT OFFENDERS. THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT IS COMMITTED TO WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY TO PREVENT ANY AND TO REDUCE CRIME AND FEAR OF CRIME.
OFFICERS ARE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND BUILDING TRUST WITH OUR COMMUNITIES EVERY DAY. WE LOOK FORWARD TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
AND DIRECTOR, DO YOU HAVE A DEAL? ARE YOU ALSO SECURITY OPERATIONS? NO. SOUNDS GOOD. SO OF COURSE STRAIGHT INTO QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES STARTED WITH THE LEAD SPONSOR
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO ORDER OF ARRIVAL HOUSE OFFLINE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. DO LIKE SIX 7 MINUTES. YEAH. THANK YOU. WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE CRIME LAB? WE HAVE A CIVILIAN DIRECTOR
RACHEL CAMPER AND THEN WE HAVE SHE HAS A SWORN COUNTERPART IN IN JEFFERSON AND THEN I'M THE DIRECTOR OF QUALITY ASSURANCE. SO WE HAVE A WE HAVE A DIRECTOR RACHEL CAMPBELL. OKAY.
DO WE USE A THREE MEMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS WHO WORK WITH THE CRIME LAB AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO THE DIRECTOR? SORRY.
IS THERE IS THERE LIKE A COMMITTEE OF CRIME AND ANIMUS THAT WORK WITH THE DIRECTOR AND THAT PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO THE DIRECTOR? SO WE HAVE RACHEL IS THE
DIRECTOR CIVILIAN DIRECTOR OF THE CRIME LAB LABORATORY AND THEN NINA JEFFERSON IS SWORN COUNTERPART. SO SHE'S A SERGEANT DETECTIVE. OKAY. AND THEN YOURSELF AND THEN I HELP THEM. YES.
SO IS IT IS IT THREE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE? RACHEL IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE LAB. OKAY. AND SHE'S SHE HAS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBILITY OVER EVERYONE. THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY.
HOW MANY EMPLOYEES ARE AT THE CRIME CRIME LAB? 50. HAVE ANY LEFT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS I THINK WE'VE LOST TWO THAT I CAN THINK OF. YES.
AND WE DID LOSE THIS TO THE NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE POLICE TO NEW HAMPSHIRE AND NEW JERSEY. WHAT WAS THE REASON THEY LEFT? BECAUSE THEY HAD ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY. IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF RESIDENCY THOUGH I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT'S NOT I MEAN YOU'D HAVE TO ASK
THEM THAT. BUT THEY BOTH DID LEAVE FOR OTHER FORENSIC OPPORTUNITIES. YES. OKAY. IS THERE ANY CHALLENGES WITH HAVING THREE SENIOR PEOPLE KIND
OF MANAGING THE CRIME LAB KNOWING THE HISTORY OF THE CRIME LAB HAS HAD CHALLENGING TIMES OVER THE LAST MANY YEARS WITHOUT IT WITHOUT A DIRECTOR FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
I THINK IT'S A BENEFIT TO HAVE SENIOR PEOPLE MANAGE THE CRIME LAB. NO, I'M NOT SAYING SENIOR PEOPLE BUT IS THERE ANY CHALLENGES WITH HAVING SEVERAL PEOPLE MANAGE IT ALL AT THE
SAME TIME AND KNOWING THAT WE'VE HAD CHALLENGES IN THE PAST WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A SENIOR EXECUTIVE THAT OVERSEES THE CRIME LAB. I KNOW IT SEEMS LIKE A IT'S
EVERYONE KIND OF WORKING TOGETHER OR WORKING AS A AS A COMMITTEE. IS THAT ACCURATE TO SAY? I MEAN I THINK WE WOULD WORK AS A BOARD. BUT RACHEL CAMPER IS THE
DIRECTOR OF THE LAB AND SHE'S GOT OVER 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN FORENSICS. SHE'S WORKED AT MULTIPLE LABS. NINA HAS I BELIEVE 18 TO 16 YEARS EXPERIENCE AND I'VE BEEN
WITH THE DEPARTMENT FOR 18 YEARS. OKAY. I DON'T SEE THAT BEING AN ISSUE OF COUNCILOR AT ALL. WHEREAS THE LAB CONSOLIDATED IN
IN MAY EVERYONE HAS HE HAS EXPERIENCED EXPERTISE AND I THINK WORKING COLLECTIVELY AS A GROUP WE ALL WANT TO ACCOMPLISH THE SAME GOAL IS TO HAVE THIS
LAB. THEN WHAT THEN WHY IS IT THE CRIME LAB DIRECTOR HERE THEN OKAY, WE'LL TAKE A STEP BACK. SO IT USED TO BE THREE SEPARATE UNITS. THERE WAS A FIREARMS ANALYSIS UNIT THERE. THERE'S A LATENT PRINT UNIT,
THERE'S A CRIME LABORATORY UNIT SO WE'VE CONSOLIDATED ALL THREE UNITS INTO ONE AND NOW WE HAVE ONE DIRECTOR. OKAY, BUT WHY ISN'T THE CRIME LAB DRUG DOWN? SHE'S AT A TRAINING RIGHT NOW. BOTH NINA AND RACHEL ARE
ATTENDING A LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR WOMEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. WHO MAKES THE FINAL DECISION AT THE CRIME LAB?
RACHEL, WHY AREN'T WE DOING WAY SCREENING? WE PUT TOGETHER A PLAN TO TRY TO IMPLEMENT IT. WE DIDN'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO DO IT. WE CURRENTLY IT'S A PROCESS
THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A WHILE TO BRING ONLINE AS WELL. I ALLOCATED A FIGHT FOR $1 MILLION FOR Y SCREENING. I SPECIFICALLY WANTED THAT MONEY TO GO INTO Y SCREENING SO
WE HAVE THE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY LIKE NEW YORK CITY POLICE AND NOW STATE STEP NOW STATE POLICE SO THAT WE CAN TEST THESE WITH THE MOST ADVANCED EQUIPMENT
TECHNOLOGY. WHY WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT MILLION DOLLARS? I BELIEVE IT WAS VETOED THE POLICE WE DID NOT GET THAT MAN HOURS. WE DID NOT GET THAT MILLION DOLLARS. YOU DIDN'T GET IT?
YES. YOU GOT IT FROM ME. YOU GUYS GOT IT FROM ME. WE GOT IT FROM MAY OR ME FROM THE CITY COUNCIL AND I DON'T
THINK WE GOT $1,000,000. WE DID CHECK WITH OUR FINANCE UNIT. I MEAN, I KNOW THERE WAS AMENDMENTS MADE OF 15.3 MILLION AMENDMENTS WERE PROPOSED BY THE
CITY COUNCIL AND ONLY 2 MILLION WERE ACCEPTED. ALL THE REST WERE REJECTED. IS THAT ACCURATE? I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
DOES THE BPD CRIME LAB SCREEN FOR DNA? EVERY SINGLE SWAB IN EACH SEXUAL ASSAULT KIT OR ONLY SELECTED SWABS I MEAN WE GO
THROUGH WE WE AND THIS IS OUTSIDE MY EXPERTISE BUT THE LAB WOULD SCREEN ANY PROBATIVE SAMPLES IN A CASE IN THE CASE IN THE SEXUAL ASSAULT KIT. SO SO THEY CHECK EVERY POTENTIAL PIECE OF EVIDENCE
INCLUDING CLOTHING IN EVERY SWAB BEFORE SAYING THAT THERE IS NO DNA ON A ON A PARTICULAR RAPE RAPE KIT THEY SCREEN THE CLOTHING. YES.
SO SO THEY DO A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION ON THE CLOTHING AND IN THE DNA. YOU KNOW, ALL PROBATIVE EVIDENCE WOULD BE SCREENED IN THE CASE AND THEN SELECT SWABS WOULD BE PUT FORWARD FOR DNA
TESTING IF THEY WERE SO ALL POTENTIAL EVIDENCE INCLUDING CLOTHING AND EVERY SWAB BEFORE SAYING THAT THERE IS NO DNA IN
A RAPE KIT, RIGHT? TO MY KNOWLEDGE, YES. HOW WOULD I GET MORE INFORMATION THAT'S MORE ACCURATE THAN THAN THAT ANSWER ?
WELL, THE SCREEN APPENDIX, SCREEN CLOTHING AND ANY PROPER EVIDENCE WOULD MOVE FORWARD TO DNA SO THEY WOULD SCREEN FOR BIOLOGICAL FLUIDS IF THE BIOLOGICAL FLUIDS LIKE TEST SEROLOGIC POSITIVE THEN THEY WOULD BE FORWARDED ON TO DNA
FOR DNA TESTING. IF IT SCREENS NEGATIVE THEN IT DOESN'T MOVE FORWARD. WHAT IS EVERYTHING IS TESTED IN THAT SENSE. WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF NOT HAVING A DIRECTOR OF A CRIME LAB FOR OVER TWO YEARS?
WHAT IMPACT OF THAT HAVE IN MORALE? I GUESS I DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO ANSWER THAT. I MEAN WHEN ONE OF YOUR COLLEAGUES IS OUT ON LEAVE IT'S
CAN IMPACT PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY. I MEAN I THINK MORALE HAS BEEN UP AND DOWN OVER THE COURSE OF THE TWO YEARS BUT I CAN'T SAY IT'S DIRECTLY RELEVANT TO THE DIRECTOR BEING ABSENT. THAT DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO
WITH IT. I'M SURE IT CONTRIBUTED. ARE WE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE MANDATE MANDATED 30 DAY REQUIREMENT FOR TESTING SEXUAL
ASSAULT KITS? WE ARE YES WE ARE. SO FISCAL YEAR 25 WE RECEIVED 252 KITS. 100% OF THOSE KIDS WERE SCREENED WITHIN 30 DAYS. HAVE WE DO WE SEND ANY OUT AT
ALL OR DO WE DO ALL TESTING ONSITE FOR OUR CURRENT TARGETS? WE DO ALL THE TESTING ONSITE. OKAY. WE HAVE TO BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY THE PRIVATE COMPANIES CAN'T GET IT DONE IN
THE MANDATED TIMEFRAME SO IT TAKES 6 TO 8 WEEKS FOR A PRIVATE COMPANY TO TURN IT AROUND. WE HAVE TO DO IT WITHIN FOUR WEEKS WHICH IS I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BOARDS AND VERY AMBITIOUS TIMEFRAME. OKAY, MY TIME IS UP FOR THIS
ROUND. THANK YOU, MR CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR FLYNN COUNSELOR MURPHY, YOU HAVE FOUR OR ACTUALLY I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE WERE JOINED BY COUNSELOR WEBER, COUNSELOR
BREADON AND COUNSELOR FITZGERALD AS TO THAT WE'RE GIVING 7 MINUTES PER COUNSELOR FOR QUESTIONS. COUNSELOR MURPHY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE ANSWERS YOU ALREADY GIVEN. IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN MORE ABOUT WHY WE WENT FROM THREE UNITS TO ONE AND WE HAVE ONE DIRECTOR
AND WHAT I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THEM I WAS TRYING TO WRITE THEM DOWN QUICK BUT IF YOU COULD GO THROUGH HOW WE DID BREAK IT UP INTO THREE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS OR UNITS AND NOW WE'RE UNDER ONE SO TRADITIONALLY A CRIME LABORATORY DOES FALL UNDER ONE.
IT JUST SO HAPPENED THE WAY WE WERE ORIGINALLY SET UP FIREARMS USED TO BE IN ALL SWORN UNIT LATENT PRINTS USED TO BE IN ALL SWORN UNIT I'M SORRY A FIREARMS FIREARMS FIREARM SORRY THE FIREARMS ANALYSIS UNIT.
OKAY AND WHAT WAS THE SECOND LANE PRINT UNIT? SO THEY BOTH USED TO BE FORCE FULLY SWORN OPERATIONS AND THEN THE CRIME LABORATORY WAS A CIVILIAN IZED UNIT AND THEY DID
DNA TESTING. SO DNA TESTING REQUIRED ACCREDITATION IN ORDER TO HAVE ACCESS TO CODIS SO THAT LAB AND YOU HAD TO HAVE ALL THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF YOUR LABORATORY ACCREDITED TO BE
ABLE TO MAINTAIN ACCESS TO QUOTA. SO WE HAD THAT CIVILIAN UNIT BECOME ACCREDITED AND THEN FIREARMS AND LATENT PRINTS LATENT PRINTS WAS SHUT DOWN FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN IT REOPENED AS A NICE UNIT AND
THEN THEY WENT THROUGH THEIR PROCESS WITH AN INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR AND THEY GOT ACCREDITED. THEN FIREARMS FOLLOWED SUIT I THINK THREE OR FOUR YEARS AFTER THEM AND COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THE LEAD IN PRINTS DEPARTMENT DOES UNIT DID SO THEY WOULD
LOOK AT FRICTION RIDGE FROM BOTTLE THEY LOOK AT LATENT PRINTS. SO WOULD YOU IN THERE? YEAH. OH OKAY YEAH. AND THEN FIREARMS LOOKS AT ANY FIREARMS THAT COME IN FIREARM FIREARMS AND FIREARMS RELATED
EVIDENCE. SO THEN WE CONSOLIDATE ALL THOSE BECAUSE IT MAKES MORE SENSE FOR CONSOLIDATION FOR ACCREDITATION PURPOSES IT'S MORE COST EFFECTIVE. IT ALLOWS US THE OPPORTUNITY TO CROSS-TRAIN INDIVIDUALS ACROSS
THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS WHICH IS ONE OF THE AVENUES WE'RE GOING TO EMPLOY TO BRING ON Y SCREENING. SO HOW MANY STAFF ARE IN EACH NOW ALL TOGETHER? SO IN EACH SECTION I MEAN WE
PROBABLY HAVE I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME BUT THERE MIGHT BE LIKE TEN PEOPLE IN ARE PROBABLY LIKE 1215 PEOPLE IN OUR DNA BIOLOGY SECTION THERE'S PROBABLY LIKE
TEN PEOPLE IN OUR FIREARMS ANALYSIS SECTION OUR TRACE CRIMINAL CRIMINAL SUCCESSION HAS PROBABLY HAS TEN PEOPLE IN LATENT PRINTS IS A LITTLE BIT MORE LIKE MAYBE 14 PEOPLE WHERE YOU WERE THEY IN DIFFERENT BUILDINGS OR WERE THEY ALWAYS
IN THE SAME SPACE? THEY'RE ALL IN THE SAME SPACE SO THEY'RE STILL ALL TOGETHER. DEROSE PACK UP AND MOVE OR ANYTHING. AND SO NOW THERE'S ONE DIRECTOR THAT'S CORRECT.
AND IN THE PAST DID EACH ONE HAVE A DIRECTOR? THAT'S CORRECT. AND SO WHAT SKILLS LIKE WHAT ONE PERSON RIGHT AND WOULD BE ABLE TO OVERSEE ALL THREE AND WELL IT'S DIFFICULT TO BE PROFICIENT IN EVERY SINGLE ONE
OF THOSE DISCIPLINES BECAUSE EACH ONE REQUIRES A LOT OF TRAINING. SO RACHEL'S BACKGROUND WAS PRIMARILY IN SHE WAS IN CRIME SCENE EVIDENCE AND THEN LEAVING PRINTS SO THAT WOULD BE HER
FORTE AND THEN NINA'S IN FIREARMS AND I HAVE A BACKGROUND IN DNA BIOLOGY. OKAY SO HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER THE QUESTION WHEN THE PUBLIC ASKS YOU ABOUT THE NUMBER
OF COLD CASES, WHAT IS A REASONABLE EXPECTATION A PERCENTAGE OR TIME IT SHOULD TAKE? IT'S VERY HARD QUESTION TO
ANSWER BECAUSE EVERY CASE IS DIFFERENT. SOME CASES MAY HAVE EVIDENCE THAT NEEDS TO GO THROUGH A CRIME LAB FOR DNA. THERE'S SOME CASE IN THAT THAT
DOESN'T HAVE IT SO IT'S REALLY DEPENDS ON EACH INDIVIDUAL ONE. BUT IF WE LOOK AT OVERALL LIKE THE PERCENTAGE OF CASES WITHIN PPD COMPARED TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
LIKE WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE THAT FROM PAST EXPERIENCE OF ALL THE CASES WE WORK ON I COULDN'T HONESTLY GIVE YOU A
FAIR ASSUMPTION BECAUSE WHEN YOU SAY COLD CASES IT COULD BE HOMICIDE, IT COULD BE HOUSE BREAKS, IT COULD BE ARMED ROBBERY. SO I DON'T HAVE A FAIR
PERCENTAGE TO ANSWER TO GIVE YOU A WOULD TO TO GIVE YOU RIGHT NOW. OKAY. AND I DO JUST WANT TO GO ON
RECORD THAT WAS I THINK IT HIGHLIGHTS THE POWER THAT I THINK THE PUBLIC THINKS WE HAVE WITH THE AMENDMENT POWER THAT WE DID SEVERAL FEW YEARS BACK. NOW THE WHOLE BODY OF 13 DID
VOTE AND APPROVED. THERE WERE MANY AMENDMENTS THAT GOT SHOT DOWN THAT GOT A VETO ACROSS THE HALL. BUT IN THE FINAL CUT THERE WAS $1,000,000 TO GO DIRECTLY FOR THIS AND ALL 13 COUNCILS DID
VOTE IN SUPPORT. IT PASSED AND SO I THINK THAT'S ONE THING WE AS A BODY HAVE TO CONTINUE TO LOOK CLOSELY THAT WHEN WE ADVOCATE FOR RESOURCES
IN FUNDING THAT'S NOT GOING TO GO DIRECTLY YOU KNOW, WITH JUST A THUMBS UP OR DOWN ON THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE YOU KNOW, REALLY LOOKING AT INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS KNOWING THAT THERE'S A NEED AND WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR THAT NEED THAT
WE SEE IT THROUGH FOR YOU AND WE TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT. WE KNOW THE COUNCILORS ARE VERY HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. I'M NOT INVOLVED WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS BUT WE DID NOT
GET THAT $1 MILLION. BUT I DO AGAIN APPRECIATE ALL THAT THE SUPPORT OF COUNCILORS HAVE PROVIDED TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU ALL FOR NOW. I SECOND THAT TOO.
LIKE I MEAN WE DO APPRECIATE WHEN WE SEE THAT YOU GUYS ARE FIGHTING FOR US. WE DO APPRECIATE THAT AND I KNOW THAT YOU SOME OF YOU WILL COME ON SITE AND I KNOW COUNCILOR FLYNN IN PARTICULAR HAS COME ON SITE TO SEE WHAT WE'RE OPERATING WITH. SO WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR
ATTENTION TO THIS. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. HAS A BACKLOG I BELIEVE YOU SAID IT HAS THE BACKLOG HAS
DROPPED IN AND IN KIDS THAT NEED TO BE TESTED. IS THAT IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CURRENT BY ABOUT HOW MUCH WE HAVE. SO WE'VE NEVER HAD A BACKLOG FOR KIDS TO BE TESTED IS THAT WE WEREN'T MEETING THE
APPROPRIATE TIMEFRAME. THE STATE DOES HAVE A 30 DAY MANDATE WHICH IS PRETTY CHALLENGING TO MEET. WE'RE CURRENTLY MEETING IT BUT I MEAN THE SUSTAINABILITY I
MEAN WE ARE LOOKING AT THINGS MOVING FORWARD SO WE DON'T HAVE A BACKLOG. IT'S JUST WE HADN'T PREVIOUSLY BEEN MEETING THAT 30 DAY TURNAROUND TIME. THANK YOU. AND IS THERE A PREDOMINANCE
OF A TYPE OF CASE THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON IN THE UNIT PRIORITY WISE TO SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS, SEXUAL ASSAULT KIDS ARE THERE WHICH ARE A MAJOR PRIORITY.
WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF HEARINGS THAT RELATE TO THE NEED FOR US TO BE DOING A BETTER JOB OF TESTING KITS AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOU DOING YOUR BEST TO MEET THE STATE'S
GUIDELINES AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WITH RESPECT TO HOMICIDES ARE THERE DOES YOUR CRIME LAB DO WORK WITH RESPECT TO ANYTHING RELATED TO
HOMICIDES? YES, WE DO IT AND I JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON THE 30 DAY MAN MANDATE THE 30 DAY MANDATES SPECIFICALLY IS FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT AND STALKING.
AND I JUST WANT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW ON THIS BOARD THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PRIORITIZE ALL CASES THAT MEET THAT NEED TO BE TESTED BECAUSE WE WANT TO GIVE JUSTICE TO FAMILIES IN
VICTIMS VICTIMS OF CRIME. BUT WE HAVE A 30 DAY MANDATE WHICH BY LAW WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY BECAUSE OF THE LEGISLATION. BUT I IT'S VERY CHALLENGING AND
THE REASON WHY IS CHALLENGING BECAUSE IT'S BROKEN DOWN INTO 30 CALENDAR DAYS, NOT 30 BUSINESS DAYS. I WOULD LOVE IT TO BE A BUSY
DAY BECAUSE WE'RE BEING MANDATED TO TO WITHIN THOSE 30 DAYS WHERE HOLIDAYS COUNT WEEKENDS COUNCIL IN ACTUALITY
30 DAYS DEPENDING OFF WOULD LIKE FOR JANUARY FOR EXAMPLE WHICH IS TWO HOLIDAYS IN JUNE WITH 30 DAYS NOW INCLUDING HOLIDAYS AND WEEKENDS AND IS NOW 20 DAYS.
SO I THINK THAT'S A POINT TO MAKE ACROSS THAT WE'RE THE ONLY STATE FAIR TO SAY WE'RE THE ONLY STATE THAT HAS SUCH A CHALLENGING LIST OF THE STATES. I CAN GIVE YOU GUYS A COPY I
MEAN MOST AND WE REQUIRE A 90 DAY TURNAROUND TIME OR MORE SO IT IS CHALLENGING. I MEAN WE UNDERSTAND THE TIMELINESS OF GIVING VICTIMS RESULTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT BUT IT IS VERY CHALLENGING AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE WE CAN'T
EVEN FIND A PRIVATE COMPANY TO DO IT. THAT TIME FRAME FOR US IF WE WANT IT TO OUTSOURCE IS A CRIME LAB. IT'S NOT OPEN ON WEEKENDS OR MAJOR HOLIDAYS. CIVILIAN ISO NOT REALLY. YEAH.
WHAT IF THERE WAS LIKE AN EMERGENCY FOR LIKE I MEAN EVERYTHING IS AN EMERGENCY. PEOPLE GET CALLED IN WHEN THEY CALL THEY GET CALLED IN. THANK YOU. AND DO YOU DO WORK RELATED TO
USE THAT YOU DO DO WORK RELATED TO HOMICIDES AND I TALKED ABOUT IN THE OPENING AROUND COURT CASES IN A NUMBER OF WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE CASES THAT YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE WORKING ON THE ACT OF WORKING ON THAT
ARE CODE CASES AS DEFINED BY THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT HOMICIDE UNIT WHICH MEANS TEN YEARS OR MORE I DON'T HAVE AN ACTUAL FIGURE BUT IT'LL BE UNDER 10%. I'M SORRY.
I DON'T KNOW. YOU'RE NOT SURE? SURE. YOU JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO UPLIFT THE ADVOCACY OF THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES THAT WORK AT THE PEACE INSTITUTE BUT ALSO A NUMBER OF FAMILIES WITH COLD CASES INCLUDING A FAMILY MEMBER
OF MINE WHO JUST WANT MORE URGENCY AND ATTENTION GIVEN TO THESE COLD CASES AND THEN I THINK I HAD ONE LAST QUESTION
ACTUALLY I THINK I'VE I THINK IT ASKED ME ALL THE RIGHT QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY. THANK YOU ALSO THANK YOU. COUNTY CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT
LOUIJEUNE THE NEXT UP WE HAVE COUNCILOR WEBER HOSPITAL. THANK YOU CHAIR SO I'M SORRY I WASN'T HERE AT THE BEGINNING BUT CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN YOU
KNOW WHY 30 DAYS IS IS SO DIFFICULT TO MEET? IS IT BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE ALREADY WE'RE STILL PROCESSING THINGS THAT WE GOT BEFORE OR IS THERE SOMETHING
ABOUT A PROCESSING ONE OF THESE KIDS THAT MAKES A 30 DAY TIMELINE OR IS IT JUST THE TIME FRAME IS VERY COMPELLING AND STRESS.
I MEAN YEAH, IT'S A GOOD IT'S AN AGGRESSIVE TIME FRAME THERE FROM THE TECHNICAL WORK THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT. THERE'S I MEAN THE INSTRUMENTS THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH THROUGHPUT YOU CAN PUT THROUGH.
THERE'S A LOT OF TECHNICAL INTERPRETATION. THE CASE FILES HAVE TO BE REVIEWED. I MEAN IT'S LIKE YOU'RE REVIEWING A TELEPHONE BOOK FOR BEFORE AND YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD
WITH THINGS. THERE'S A LOT OF DOTTING THE I'S AND CROSSING OF T'S TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE DOING THE WORK APPROPRIATELY THOUGH YOU HAVE TO BALANCE QUALITY WITH QUANTITY AND WE JUST CAN'T SACRIFICE QUALITY IN THIS RESPECT.
IT JUST A LOT OF TIMES LIKE WE DO DO A LOT OF CASEWORK BUT THE TIMELINESS IS OFTEN DICTATED BY SAY COURT DATES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT OR IF YOU HAVE A FRIEND'S VIEW COMING UP THIS
ONE IT JUST IT IS A VERY AMBITIOUS TIME FRAME TO GET IT DONE WITHIN 30 DAYS. WHO CAN USE LIKE DO THE TECHNICAL AND MECHANICAL PROCESSING? IS I ON DAY ONE OR IS THERE A
PROCESS THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN YOU KNOW, START USING THE MACHINE? I MEAN I'M JUST ASKING FOR SOME BASIC LIKE WHAT'S THE TIMELINE? YOU KNOW IF WE OPENED A LAB TODAY AND YOU HAD A KIT TO GET
IT FROM BEGINNING TO END AFTER THAT THE ASSAULT KIT WILL BE OPENED. YOU'LL DO SCREENING THAT CAN HAPPEN IN 2 TO 3 DAYS. THEN YOU DO YOUR EXTRACTION QUANT OF YOUR DNA SAMPLE.
YOU HAVE TO RUN THE PCR. THE THERE'S QC CHECKS ON ALL THE INSTRUMENTATION AND ONCE YOU GET YOUR RESULTS BACK YOU HAVE TO DO AN INTERPRETATION AND IT HAS TO GO FOR TECHNICAL
REVIEW. YOU CAN DO CHANGES AND COME BACK, WRITE A REPORT THAT'S NOT TRIVIAL. OKAY YEAH SORRY I DON'T KNOW.
YEAH I'M SAYING SO LIKE MAYBE A COUPLE OF WE WEEKS IS THAT LIKE YOU KNOW EVERYTHING BEING PERFECT AND YOU HAVING ENOUGH RESOURCES. THAT'S A GOOD POINT EVERYTHING BEING PERFECT YOU CAN GET IT
DONE WITHIN 30 DAYS WHICH WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO DO BUT IF THERE'S A HICCUP OR AN INSTRUMENT GOES DOWN OR IF TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE OUT OF OFFICE, LET'S SAY THAT SOMEBODY IS NOT ON FMLA, SOMEBODY GETS INJURED
AND THE LAB IS SHUT DOWN FOR A PERIOD OF TIME BECAUSE THERE'S A WATER BREAK. I MEAN WE DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY TO THERE'S NO WIGGLE ROOM AT ALL. WE ARE GETTING CASES DONE 29, 28, 27 DAYS AND IT'S ALL HANDS
ON DECK AND WE ARE DOING OUR BEST AND THEN I THINK IN A PRIOR HEARING HERE YOU TALKED TO SOMEBODY TALKED ABOUT HAVING TEARS OF YOU KNOW, DO YOU STILL HAVE THAT OR IF WE DO AND WHAT
WHAT ARE THOSE CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN TO US WITH THAT? I DIDN'T LOOK, I'M NOT THE PERSON TO TALK WITH THAT AND AN ANALYST PER SE BUT LIKE THE TRACK IT'S IN THE SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS WOULD BE IN THE TOP TIER.
SO I MEAN THEY'RE OUR PRIORITY AND IT'S SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE MANDATED 30 DAY TURNAROUND TIME. AND THEN IN TERMS OF I KNOW THIS HAS COME UP BEFORE AND OTHER HEARINGS ABOUT LEADERSHIP AND HAVING YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT
BEEN THROUGH SEVERAL DIRECTORS WHO'S WHO'S RUNNING THE THE YOU KNOW, THE SHIP RIGHT NOW. SO IN A QUICK SUMMARY ON THE LABS SO THE DIFFERENT UNITS
WE'VE HAD THREE SEPARATE LABS PREVIOUSLY THEY'VE ALL CONSOLIDATED INTO A SINGLE LAB. WE HAVE A CIVILIAN FORENSIC DIRECTOR RACHEL CAMPER. THEN WE HAVE A SWORN COUNTERPART IN A JEFFERSON AND
THEN I'M HELPING AS A DIRECTOR QUALITY ASSURANCE. OKAY. BUT RACHEL CAMBERS, THE DIRECTOR OF THE CRIME LAB RIGHT NOW ARE THE FORENSIC LABS ARE AND SO IS I KNOW ALSO AGAIN
PRIOR YOU'VE HAD MENTIONED HOW YOU THINK AND YOU HERE TODAY OTHER JURISDICTIONS HAVE LIKE 90 DAY YOU KNOW IN TERMS OF LIKE WHAT WOULD THAT IMPACT
QUALITY IF WE HAD A LONGER TIME PERIOD TO PROCESS THESE LIKE HOW WOULD THAT WHAT WOULD REDUCE THE RISK THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A MISTAKE? I MEAN I THINK THAT'S OUR BIGGEST FEAR. WE DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE QUALITY WORK WE PERFORM NOW I'M
WORRIED THAT IF WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS TYPE OF PRESSURE TO GET THE WORK DONE THERE COULD BE A QUALITY ISSUE AGAIN, JUST LAST QUESTION CHAIR SORRY ON THAT BUT IS THAT A PROBLEM THAT
THAT CONCERN IS THAT A PROBLEM THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED BY ADDING MORE PEOPLE, MORE MACHINES OR YOU JUST DESCRIBE THE NATURE OF PROCESSING THESE KITS REQUIRES JUST MORE THAN 30 DAYS
YOU KNOW IF WE HAD ENOUGH STAFF AND NO I MEAN WE'RE MEETING IT NOW WITH BARE BONES BUT I MEAN IT WOULD BE NICE IF WE COULD GET ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC. OKAY. OKAY. THANKS CHAIR.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNSELOR WEBER COASTAL BREADON AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. GOOD TO SEE YOU. MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ASKED MANY OF THE QUESTIONS. I'M SORRY WAS A LITTLE LATE.
I WAS AT A NOT A MEETING BUT SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT YOU'RE MEETING THE THE DEMAND, THE TARGET OF 3030 DAYS. YOU CAN BEAT IT BUT IT'S A SLIM
CREDIBLE STRESS ON THE SYSTEM AND IN MONTHS LIKE JANUARY WE DON'T HAVE 30 DAYS. IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT IN
TERMS OF WHAT WOULD MAKE IT EASIER, WHAT RESOURCES LIKE IN TERMS OF STAFF AND IN PARTICULAR THE DNA TESTING LIKE I THINK THAT'S SORT
OF IMPERATIVE THAT GETS DONE IN A TIMELY WAY. HOW MUCH IS THE SHORTFALL OF WHAT WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD FIX IT? I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A QUICK FIX. OBVIOUSLY MORE BODIES WOULD
HELP. I MEAN WE CAN PUT TOGETHER A PROPOSAL IN THAT RESPECT BUT EVEN IF WE WERE TO GET BODIES AND RESOURCES RIGHT AWAY, IT'S STILL GOING TO TAKE A WHILE TO BRING EVERYTHING ONLINE.
I MEAN YOU DON'T JUST COME IN THE DAY YOU'RE HIRED AND START WORKING. I MEAN IT TAKES SIX MONTHS TO GET SOMEBODY AT THE BENCH AND THEN OVER A YEAR TO BECOME A FULLY FUNCTIONAL ANALYST. I MEAN THEY HAVE TO BE TRAINED IN OUR WORKFLOW, OUR PROTOCOLS
AND PROCEDURES SO THERE IS NO QUICK AND EASY FIX. THERE'S GOING TO BE GROWING PAINS THAT GO ALONG WITH IT. BUT YEAH, THE CONDITIONAL DO YOU HAVE ANY VACANCIES AT THE MOMENT WE DO NOT NOT IN DNA. WE DO HAVE A COUPLE
OF VACANCIES. THERE'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE CLERK POSITION. WE HAVE TWO OPEN POSITIONS IN CRIMINALIST ENOUGH CRIMINALS POSITIONS IN FIREARMS AND THOSE ARE THE TWO POSITIONS THAT WE
TALKED ABOUT THAT HAD VACATED EARLIER AND WE DO HAVE TO DNA POSITIONS THAT WE'VE HAD PREVIOUSLY SO WE ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET FEDERAL FUNDING
THROUGH THE CBI GRANT THAT CAPACITY ENHANCEMENT BACKLOG REDUCTION OF BACKLOG REDUCTION GRANT IT'S A FORM OF GRANT THAT WE'VE HAD FOR 20 YEARS.
WE TYPICALLY HAVE HIRED DNA ANALYSTS IN THE PAST USING THAT GRANT BUT WITH THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION WE'RE NOT SURE IF THAT FEDERAL FUNDING WILL CONTINUE TO EXIST OR NOT. IT'S BEEN KIND OF UP IN THE AIR. I DO THINK THERE WERE SOME
SOLICITATIONS RELEASED THE OTHER DAY BUT IT'S HARD TO BRING SOMEBODY IN IF YOU CAN'T EVEN SAY WHETHER OR NOT THE FUNDING IS GOING TO EXIST PAST A YEAR WHEN IT TAKES A LONG TO TRAIN SOMEBODY UP. SO WE'VE BEEN USING IT FOR OUTSOURCING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
MM HMM. HOW MUCH OF YOUR WORK DO YOU HAVE TO OUTSOURCE? I'M NOT WE DO MOST THINGS ON SITE JUST BECAUSE OF THE COURT ABILITIES. YEAH, IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE TO BRING PEOPLE IN.
YEAH. WE HEAR ABOUT THE BACKLOG IN SEXUAL ASSAULT KIT TESTING ACROSS THE STATE ARE IN THIS.
I DON'T ALWAYS UNDERSTAND HOW WE BPD INTERSECTS WITH MAYBE A STATE STRUCTURE AND IS THERE A BACKLOG ACROSS THE STATE AT
THIS POINT I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE STATE WE DO WE HAVE A BACKLOG IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. WE DO NOT WORK RIGHT UP TO DATE. YEAH. AND WHAT'S THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS ON DNA EVIDENCE
IN A SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE? I CAN'T IT'S IT CHANGES DEPENDING ON IF THE SUSPECT MOVES OUT OF STATE AND I'M NOT SURE YEAH. YES.
I READ SOMETHING THE OTHER DAY THAT WAS SORT OF SHOCKING THAT YOU KNOW, WITH DNA ANALYSIS WE CAN WE CAN FIND OUT WHO'S RELATED. I KNOW CAN PAUSE AT DIFFERENT TIMES LIKE THAT TOO.
SO I MEAN I JUST DON'T WANT TO MISSPEAK. BUT YEAH, NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT. APPRECIATE THAT. IT'S SORT OF QUITE DISTRESSING AND THIS IS AN ISSUE WHEN IT COME TO BUDGET SEASON AS I SAID
YEAR YOUR BUT THE FACT THAT TWO YEARS AND SIX AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS AND COUNSELOR FLYNN IS LEADING THE CHARGE IN THIS SENSE SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE CITY COUNCIL ABOUT THE NEED FOR MORE RESOURCES FOR
YOU FOLKS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS ARE BEING TESTED IN A TIMELY WAY AND THAT THE SYSTEM IS ROBUST ENOUGH TO TO HANDLE WHATEVER GETS THROWN AT IT.
THE FACT THAT WE ASKED TO GIVE YOU EXTRA MONEY AND THE DIDN'T GET YOU DIDN'T GET ANY EXTRA MONEY IN THE LAST TWO TWO YEARS IS IS RATHER DISCOURAGING. BUT WE'LL GO BACK AGAIN TO BAT
FOR YOU AGAIN NEXT TIME. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT AND AND YOU KNOW SO MUCH OF IT IS AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR ATTENTION TO RIGOR AND QUALITY
CONTROL BECAUSE THESE ARE LIFE CHANGING PATHOLOGY TESTS THAT CAN EXONERATE SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN FALSELY ACCUSED BUT ALSO
CONVICT SOMEBODY WHO IS SHOULD BE CONVICTED OF SEXUAL ASSAULT. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAD FOR YOU TODAY FOR NOW. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AWESOME. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR BREADON AND COUNSELOR FITZGERALD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, CHAIR AS MUCH AS THE OPERATIONAL AND STATISTICAL QUESTIONS I THINK HAVE BEEN
ASKED I DON'T WANT TO BE REPETITIVE IN THAT NATURE. I'LL ASK IT IN CRIME LABORATORY EXPERIENCE HOW MANY YEARS DO YOU GUYS EACH HAVE IN THAT? BECAUSE I ONLY ASK BECAUSE I
WANT TO SEE IF THIS THEN MY NEXT QUESTION MAY BE RELEVANT TO NOT BUT IN THE IN IN CRIME LABORATORY WORK I DON'T HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE IN CRIME
LABORATORY WORK NOW EIGHT YEARS 18 YEARS SO IT MAY I ASK YOU SIR THEN WHAT IS IT IS THERE ANYTHING IN YOUR 18 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'D BE GREAT IF NO KIDS CAME
IN RIGHT? THAT'S THE IDEAL SCENARIO HERE. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED OVER THOSE 18 YEARS OR ANY THEMES THAT HAVE COME UP OR CONSISTENT THINGS THAT COULD HELP US LEARN ABOUT HOW BETTER TO SORT
OF BATTLE THE ISSUES OF WHY THESE KIDS EVEN COME IN IN THE FIRST PLACE? I KNOW IT'S NOT AN EASY QUESTION BUT ALL THE GOOD ONES WERE TAKEN SO YEAH AND IT'S TRYING TO REACH INTO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S IN MY PURVIEW TO
BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT. I WOULD SAY IT'S CONSISTENT YEAR OVER YEAR THOUGH. I MEAN WE DO SEE TYPICALLY THE SAME AMOUNT OF KIDS THAT COME IN EVERY YEAR. THEY FLUCTUATE UP AND DOWN. WE SEE MORE KIDS COME IN IN THE SUMMER.
WE SEE MORE KIDS WHEN STUDENTS ARE BACK IN TOWN BUT IT'S CONSISTENT YEAR OVER YEAR. GOT GOT YEAH. OKAY SO SUMMER AND WHEN STUDENTS COME BACK YOU SEE THAT
THAT HAPPENED ALL RIGHT INTERESTING NO I THINK MOST OF IT HAS BEEN ASKED AND I APPRECIATE THE TIME. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND EDUCATING US AND OBVIOUSLY WE'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOU
GUYS AND AND HOPEFULLY WHEN WE DO TAKE THE TO TRY AND DIRECT MONEY TOWARDS HELPING YOU AND YOUR CAUSE THAT IT SOON FINDS ITS WAY INTO THE RIGHT HANDS. BUT THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, JOE. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR FITZGERALD WE'RE GOING INTO A SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS FOR MY COLLEAGUES. I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION BEFORE I GET TO COUNSELOR FLYNN. YOU SAID YOU MENTIONED YOU WERE
YOU'VE BEEN AT THE CRIME LAB FOR 18 YEARS. THAT'S CORRECT. AND RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE 100% OF THE KIDS ON TIME. DO YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW HOW
TO PROCESS BUT DO YOU THINK LIKE THAT THE LAB TAKE DEPENDS INSTITUTIONAL EMPLOYEES LIKE YOURSELF TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY REACHED 100% OR LIKE FOR LACK
OF A BETTER TERM LIKE IF WE WERE TO REPLACE YOU WITH SOMEONE WOULD IT STILL WILL YOU ALL FEEL CONFIDENT THAT YOU CAN STILL REPORT I MEAN I THINK THE WAY WE WORK IS TO GROW OUR OWN REPLACEMENTS.
I MEAN THIS PLACE IS GOING TO MOVE ON WHEN I MOVE ON THE THE ALL THE CREDIT FOR MEETING THIS THIRD AROUND TIME GOES TO THE PEOPLE IN THE LAB. I MEAN THEY ARE WORKING NONSTOP AND THEY WORK WELL SO ALL
CREDIT TO THEM AND PEOPLE IN THE LAB HAVE THEY BEEN ARE THEY NEW OR THEY HAVE BEEN ON FOR MANY YEARS. SOME ARE NEW. SOME HAVE BEEN ON FOR MANY YEARS. OKAY, GREAT. NO, THAT'S MY QUESTION. SO THANK YOU.
WE'RE GOING TO DO A SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS STARTING WITH THE LEAD SPONSOR COURSE TO FINISH UP BEFORE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. KEVIN, YOU MENTIONED YOU HAVE 18 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THIS FIELD. HOW MANY YEARS EXPERIENCE DOES
THE CRIME LAB DIRECTOR HAVE? I THINK 20 YEARS. I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY. SHE HAS MORE THAN ME THEN THAT'S RACHEL. THAT'S CORRECT. AND THEN NINA SIMILAR MANY
OTHER SIX WELL, OKAY SHE'S GOTTEN AT LEAST 19 TO 20 YEARS. OKAY. IS THE FORMER DIRECTOR THAT WAS ON LEAVE IS HE BACK AT THE CRIME LAB? HE IS WHAT'S HIS TITLE NOW?
HE WORKS WITH ME IN QUALITY ASSURANCE. OKAY. WHAT'S HIS TITLE? QUALITY MANAGEMENT MANAGER. OKAY.
HOW IS THE PROTOCOL IN TERMS OF DECISION MAKING MADE AT THE CRIME LAB IF SOMEONE IF IF A
MAJOR DECISION NEEDS TO BE MADE? WALK ME THROUGH HOW DOES THAT TAKE PLACE AND THERE'S A
DISCUSSION SHE HAS A TEAM OF PEOPLE THAT SHE GETS INFORMED FROM AND THEN RACHEL MAKES A DECISION AS THE CRIME AS THE CRIME LAB DIRECTOR, THE FORENSIC LAB DIRECTOR.
OKAY. SO I WANT TO GET BACK TO EVERY SINGLE SWAB THAT COMES IN TO
THE BOSTON POLICE AS PART OF A SEXUAL SEXUAL ASSAULT IS EVERY SINGLE SWAB TESTED? NO. WHY ISN'T THAT THERE?
YOU'LL GET TWO SWABS IN ONE ENVELOPE THAT ARE THE SAME THING YOU HAVE TO SAVE SOME FOR POTENTIALLY DEFENSE DOWN THE ROAD. IS THAT STANDARD THAT YOU DON'T TEST EVERYTHING FOR THE MOST
PART, YEAH. AND THEN SO DO YOU SAVE THE DO YOU SAVE THE SWAB THAT'S NOT TESTED? YEAH. SO THEY'LL DO A CUTTING OF THE ORIGINAL SWAB AND THEY'LL SAVE THAT.
OKAY. AND THAT'S INDUSTRY INDUSTRY PRACTICE OF NOT TESTING EVERY SWAB THAT COMES IN HERE. WHAT WE HAVE WE HAVE OUR PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES FOR HOW TO HANDLE ALL THE EVIDENCE AND NOBODY'S THAT INDUSTRY WE
PRACTICE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY WHAT IS WHAT IS WHAT NOT TESTING EVERY SWAB THAT COMES IN EVERY SINGLE SWAB KNOWN ON EVERY SINGLE SWAB WHEN A KIT IS TESTED. I UNDERSTAND THAT BUT IS THAT
THE INDUSTRY DOES INDUSTRY IS THAT HAPPENED THROUGHOUT THE INDUSTRY NATIONWIDE? THEY DON'T TEST EVERYTHING THAT COMES IN. OH, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE WHOLE INDUSTRY BUT I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY LAB THAT TESTS EVERY
SINGLE SWAB IN A KIT. OKAY. WHAT IS THE SALARY OF THE CRIME LAB DIRECTOR? I DON'T I DON'T HAVE THAT AT MY
FINGERTIPS BUT I'M PRETTY SURE IT'S IN THE RANGE OF 150,000 PLUS OR MINUS AND THAT'S THE HIGHEST PAID PERSONNEL IN THE FORENSIC LAB. YOU KNOW IN THE CRIME LAB, THE
FRIENDLY CRIME LAB, THE ENTIRE CRIME LAB IS THE HIGHEST PERSON AND HIGHEST I DON'T KNOW WHAT NINA'S SALARY IS. I MEAN, SHE'S A SWORN OFFICER. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HER CONTRACT IS, BUT SHE'S THE PAID CIVILIAN. YES.
OKAY. WHAT IS THE TYPICAL CASELOAD FOR ANNALISE'S TESTING SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CASE LAW
I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHAT THEY'RE EACH INDIVIDUAL'S CASELOAD IS. I MEAN THEY GET ASSIGNED CASES AS THEY COME IN IN THE LAB, PARTICULARLY IN SEXUAL ASSAULTS. THEY'RE ALL ASSIGNED AS THEY COME IN. WELL, I KNOW THE I KNOW THE
MASS STATE POLICE IS ALWAYS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE 30 DAY STATE REQUIREMENT. BUT BOSTON POLICE IS NOW IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE 30 DAY COMPLIANCE. THAT'S ACCURATE RIGHT?
HMM. OKAY. AND AND TELL ME WOULD IT SPEED UP THE PROCESS IF WE HAD Y SCREENING AS PART OF THE
TESTING AT BOSTON POLICE IN THE LONG RUN, YES. IT'LL PROBABLY CUT A DAY OR TWO OFF. I THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR US TO BRING IN ONLINE FOR SURE. IS THAT SIGNIFICANT A DAY OR TWO? YEAH IT MAKES IT MAKES AN
IMPACT. IT DOES ALL TIME COUNTS FOR THIS ESPECIALLY WITH THE 30 DAYS MY MY WHAT I WANT TO SEE
IS BOSTON POLICE USING THE MOST ADVANCED EQUIPMENT TECHNOLOGY. WHY SCREENING? TELL ME AGAIN WHY WE CAN'T USE WHY SCREENING? WE'RE PUTTING A PLAN TOGETHER TO GET Y SCREENING SO WE'VE
WORKED WITH SOME OF OUR PARTNERS WE GET A WE'RE GET FUNDING THROUGH THE SOC INITIATIVE AND WITH OUR CYBER GRANT WE'RE CURRENTLY PUTTING TOGETHER A PLAN TO PURCHASE THE
REQUIRED EQUIPMENT AND THEN THE CONSUMABLES TO BRING Y SCREENING ONLINE. SO WE'RE IN INITIAL PHASES THAT ARE GRANT APPROVAL OR GRANT ADJUSTMENT NOTICES GOT TO
APPROVED OR WE'VE GOT QUOTES FOR THE EQUIPMENT. WE'RE HOPING TO BRING THAT ONLINE. SO HOW MUCH WOULD Y SCREENING COST I MEAN THE ORIGINAL
UPFRONT COST IS PROBABLY IN THE RANGE OF HALF A MILLION DOLLARS. WELL YEAH I DON'T WANT TO BE AT A TURN HERE TO IMPLEMENT IT CLOSE TO 300,000 SORRY I GOT TO
SPEAK BUT KEVIN I, I WAS ABLE TO GET $1,000,000 FOR THE CRIME LAB SPECIFICALLY FOR Y SCREENING THAT'S THAT'S MY FRUSTRATION IS I, I FOUGHT LIKE
A SON OF A GUN TO GET $1 MILLION FOR Y SCREENING AND WE STILL ARE USING Y SCREENING. THAT'S MY FRUSTRATION. WE NEED TO WE NEED TO BE USING THE SAME ADVANCED EQUIPMENT
TECHNOLOGY LIKE MASS STATE POLICE, THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE. WE NEED TO HAVE THE BEST CRIME LAB IN THE COUNTRY WORKING ON THE MOST ADVANCED EQUIPMENT AND
TECHNOLOGY IN THE COUNTRY AS WELL. DO YOU AGREE? YEAH, I AGREE.
WE JUST DIDN'T GET $1,000,000. AGAIN, I'M NOT A BUDGET GUY EITHER BUT THAT'S WHAT WE WERE TOLD. THERE WAS NO EARMARK FOR US.
WHAT IMPACT DID IT HAVE NOT HAVING A PERMANENT WELL THE CRIME LAB DIRECTOR NOW IS THAT CRIME LAB DIRECTOR PERMANENT? YES.
OKAY. WHAT IMPACT DID IT HAVE ON THE CRIME LAB? NOT A PERMANENT CRIME LAB DIRECTOR THAT WAS ON LEAVE FOR SEVERAL YEARS KNOW WE WERE DOWN
A BODY. NO, IT'S MORE THAN THAT. I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A BODY BUT IT'S MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN THAT . IT'S ALSO ABOUT LEADERSHIP THAT WASN'T PROVIDED AS WELL MENTORSHIP, LEADERSHIP,
ACCOUNTABILITY, RESPONSIBILITY . HOW WILL WE DEALING WITH THOSE ISSUES THAT THAT HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED IN THE PAST, HOW ARE
WE DEALING WITH THOSE ISSUES NOW? WELL, WE HAVE OUR TEAM OF PEOPLE THAT KEPT THE SHIP AFLOAT CONTINUING TO DO SO. I MEAN I THINK WE DID A PRETTY
GOOD JOB. I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO ANSWER THAT. WHAT TYPE OF MENTORSHIP WERE WE PROVIDING WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE A CRIME LAB DIRECTOR?
WHAT TYPE OF SUPPORT WE PROVIDING? DALLAS I DON'T THINK THEIR SUPPORT LEVEL CHANGED. I MEAN WE WERE STILL SUPPORTIVE OF THEM.
WE STILL HAD THE SAME FUNDING, WE STILL HAD THE SAME TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES EVEN THOUGH THAT THERE WAS NO ACCOUNTABILITY AT THE TIME MORE TOWARDS ACCOUNTABILITY WE HAD PEOPLE THAT WERE FULFILLING THAT ROLE UNDER CONCERN.
WHEN A PERSON LEAVES ANY POSITION YOU KNOW WHAT BUT WHEN WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE A PERMANENT CRIME LAB DIRECTOR WE HAD PEOPLE FILLING IN AS A TEMPORARY DIRECTOR BUT THEY
WEREN'T THERE FULL TIME THOUGH THEY WERE THERE A COUPLE OF DAYS A WEEK AT TIMES THEY WEREN'T THERE 40 HOURS A DAY PROVIDING THAT HANDS ON LEADERSHIP, ACCOUNTABILITY,
RESPONSIBILITY. SO SOME OF THEM HAD OTHER DUTIES. IT WAS THE SAME DUTIES JUST WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE. NO, NO. BUT WHEN WHEN WE HAD WHEN THERE
WAS NO PERMANENT CRIME LAB DIRECTOR AND WAS FILLING IN AT TIMES THERE WASN'T THAT PERSON WASN'T DOING THE JOB 40 HOURS A
WEEK OF THE CRIME LAB I WOULDN'T I, I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THAT. COUNCIL COUNCILOR FLYNN I, I DO WANT TO SAY AS IN ANY TYPE
OF JOB THERE THERE'S GOING TO BE CHANGE. I MEAN WE DIDN'T HAVE A POLICE COMMISSIONER FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. THE SUPERINTENDENT CHIEF FILLED
IN THE CITY DIDN'T HAVE A MAYOR AND THEY WERE DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT MOVED IN THAT POSITION. BUT AS A WHOLE WE WORKED AS A GROUP TO KEEP THE THE JOB JOB
GOING WHICH WE DID. I MEAN SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE TO DO THINGS BUT I THINK OVERALL THE WORK DID NOT STOP AT THE BOSTON POLICE FORENSIC LABORATORY.
WELL IT DID. BUT MY POINT IN BRINGING THIS UP INITIALLY IS WE WERE NOT IN COMPLIANT WITH THE 30 DAY REQUIREMENT TO TEST SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS.
THAT'S WHY I FOCUSED ON THIS AND I MADE IT A PRIORITY FOR US TO BE IN COMPLIANT WITH THE STATE LAW TO TEST SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS EVERY 30 DAYS AND
I MADE SURE THAT HAPPENED THROUGH FOR THE WORK YOU GUYS WERE DOING OBVIOUSLY BUT IT DID HAVE AN IMPACT WHEN WHEN YOU'RE NOT TESTING THE EQUIPMENT EVERY
30 DAYS YOU'RE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE COMPLIANCE WITH THE WITH THE STATE MANDATED 30 DAY 30 DAY TESTING . SO THERE WAS A QUESTION IN MY
MIND ABOUT LEADERSHIP DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME. I DON'T THINK THE CRIME LAB WAS WITHOUT HAVING A PERMANENT DIRECTOR.
I THINK THERE WAS IT WAS IT WAS A IT WAS A MAJOR MISTAKE FOR THE FOR BOSTON POLICE NOT TO HAVE A PERMANENT DIRECTOR IN HAVING SOMEONE ON LEAVE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME SUCH AS
TWO YEARS. IS THAT ACCURATE TO SAY YOU'RE YOU'RE YOU'RE SAYING CAN YOU REPEAT YOUR QUESTION PLEASE?
THE CRIME LAB DIRECTOR WAS ON LEAVE FOR A PERIOD OF SEVERAL YEARS THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED. THAT SHOULD NOT BE STANDARD
PRACTICE OF LETTING SOMEONE TAKE A LEAVE OF ABSENCE FOR TWO YEARS. IS THAT FAIR TO SAY IT'S IT'S A FAIR STATEMENT.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS I WANT BOSTON POLICE TO HAVE THE BEST CRIME LAB IN THE COUNTRY. I WANT THEM TO HAVE A BETTER CRIME LAB, THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT. I WANT THEM TO HAVE A BETTER CRIME LAB THAN MOST STATE
POLICE. THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THESE QUESTIONS BECAUSE I WANT TO SEE US HAVE THE BEST CRIME LAB IN WORKING ON STATE OF THE ART EQUIPMENT.
IT'S ABOUT SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT. WE WE OWE IT TO SURVIVORS TO DO EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN TO PROVIDE THEM JUSTICE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIRMAN.
THANK YOU, COUNSELOR FLYNN COUNSELOR MURPHY, THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. SO IS IT TRUE THAT THE DIRECTOR
WAS ON LEAVE FOR TWO YEARS AND WHEN HE RETURNED WAS IT TO HIM WHEN HE RETURNED WE HAD ALREADY RESTRUCTURED INTO TAKING THE
THREE INTO ONE NOTE SO THERE WAS A LOT OF MOVING PIECES WITH THAT. WE HAD THE CRIMINALS WERE IN A BARGAINING SESSION. THERE WAS UNION CONSIDERATION.
THERE WAS A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS WE HAD TO GO THROUGH STEP BY STEP WITH OUR ACCREDITING BODY TO MAKE SURE WE HAD ALL THE PIECES IN PLACE. SO THE OFFICIAL CONSOLIDATION HAPPENED IN MAY 2025. AND WHEN DID THE DIRECTOR
RETURN TO WORK FROM LEAVE WAS A FALL I THINK WAS IN SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER IN THE FALL OF LAST YEAR. SO SO HE RETURNED IN THE FALL
OF 2024 KNOW SO DID HE GO BACK INTO THE DIRECTOR POSITION OR WAS HE IN THE POSITION YOU SAID HE'S IN NOW WITH YOU YET HE SO HE CAME BACK INTO THE QUALITY MANAGER POSITION SO WE HIRED
BACK THE DIRECTOR WHO WAS ON LEAVE FOR TWO YEARS BUT DIDN'T GIVE HIM HIS PREVIOUS TITLE CORRECT AND CHANGE ROLES. WHAT WAS THE REASON FOR THAT?
BECAUSE YOU WERE ALREADY WORKING ON RESTRUCTURING OR WAS IT BECAUSE HE WAS NO LONGER QUALIFIED TO DO THAT JOB?
THAT DECISION WAS DONE INTERNALLY ON THAT INTERNALLY MEETING WITH THE COMMISSIONER, CORRECT? YES.
OKAY. SO FROM SEPTEMBER TO MAY WE CONTINUED TO GO WITHOUT A DIRECTOR BUT THERE WAS A PERSON
IN THAT DEPARTMENT IN THAT OFFICE WHO HAD HOW LONG HAD HE BEEN THE DIRECTOR BEFORE HE WENT ON LEAVE? I DON'T KNOW. HE WAS AN INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR
A PERIOD OF TIME AS WELL. BUT BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS DIRECTOR HAD GONE ON LEAVE MEDICAL LEAVE SO I DON'T I COULDN'T TELL YOU AN EXACT NUMBER OF YEARS YEARS THOUGH
NOT JUST MONTHS. HE BEEN IN THAT POSITION FOR YEARS. OH YEAH. OH SO FOR A LONG TIME. YEAH I THINK HE'S BEEN WITH THE DEPARTMENT FOR 25 YEARS OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT SO WHEN WE WERE ROTATING WAS HE EVER ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO WAS ROTATED THROUGH TO STEP IN AND TAKE ON THE ROLE OF THE JOB HE HAD PREVIOUSLY DONE AS THE
DIRECTOR? NO, BECAUSE HE WASN'T QUALIFIED OR BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT CAME DOWN FROM THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE ON LEAVE. YEAH, HE WAS ON LEAVE SO HE
COULDN'T WELL FROM SEPTEMBER TO MAY ALSO HAD AN OPENING. YEAH LIKE WHEN HE DID RETURN WAS HE EVER ONE OF THE STAFF MEMBERS WHEN YOU MENTIONED LIKE YOU KNOW DOWN THE BODY LIKE IF
A SCHOOL'S WITHOUT A PRINCIPAL YES THE TEACHERS AND THE SECRETARIAL CUSTODIANS EVERYONE RALLIES BUT YEAH IT'S A LOT AND WHEN YOU EXPECT THEM FOR YEARS
SO TO ME IT'S LIKE MORE THAN JUST LIKE DOWN THE BODY WHERE WHEN YOU'RE DOWN IT'S LIKE WHEN MOM IF SHE'S ON A GIRLS WEEKEND FOR TWO DAYS THAT'S ONE THING. BUT IF SHE'S GONE FOR TWO YEARS
THAT DRASTICALLY CHANGES THE FAMILY DYNAMIC RIGHT? SO TO JUST IN A REFER THAT WAY ALL RIGHT SO BUT NOW IN MAY WHEN WE RESTRUCTURE SHOULD WAS
IT AT THE SAME TIME WE HIRED RACHEL DID THAT HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE HIRED A NEW DIRECTOR BUT THERE WAS A NEW STRUCTURE TO THE DEPARTMENT? NO, SHE WAS PUT IN PLACE PRIOR TO THE RESTRUCTURING.
WHAT WAS HER POSITION BEFORE SHE THEN SHE WAS THE DIRECTOR OF THE LEADING PRINT UNIT THE BLADE IMPRINT. ONE OF THE THREE YES. ONE OF THE FINDINGS. YEP.
AND WAS NINA WITH THIS DEPARTMENT ALSO OR WAS SHE BROUGHT IN SHE WAS THE DIRECTOR OF THE FIREARMS ANALYSIS UNIT WHO HAD BEEN THE DIRECTOR OF THE URBAN THE DIRECTOR THAT
WAS ON LEAVE RIGHT. SO NOW IT'S LIKE THAT CAME TO THE TOP OF I NO OTHER QUESTION THANK YOU AND I'LL JUST
REITERATE THAT YOU KNOW THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO BUT YOU KNOW AND IT'S HARD WORK BUT WE DO OWE IT TO THE VICTIMS AND THE FAMILIES AND TO THE PUBLIC TO MAKING SURE THAT WHATEVER WE
CAN DO IN THIS ROLE, WHOEVER WHATEVER POWER WE DO HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE SUPPORTING AND FUNDING SUCH A CRITICAL WITHIN THE BOSTON POLICE. SO THANK YOU.
AWESOME THING TO CONSIDER. MURPHY I ALSO THINK THAT BEFORE THAT MR CHAIR SO WANT TO GET BACK TO THE THE CRIME LAB DIRECTOR THAT WAS WAS ON THE
LEAVE HOW LONG THE MOST RECENT CRIME THE CRIME LAB DIRECTOR THAT WAS ON LEAVE HOW LONG WAS THAT PERSON ON LEAVE FOR TWO YEARS.
I MEAN AND IT WAS OVER TWO YEARS. OKAY. AND THEN YOUR TESTIMONY TESTIMONY ALSO SAID PRIOR TO THAT CRIME LAB DIRECTOR THERE WAS ANOTHER CRIME LAB DIRECTOR
THAT WAS ON ALSO ON LEAVE. IS THAT ACCURATE AND HOW LONG WAS THAT PERSON ON LEAVE? WELL, I DON'T REMEMBER. HE HAD HEALTH ISSUES. THE PREVIOUS DIRECTORS WAS THE
INTERIM WHILE HE WAS ON FMLA SO THAT PROBABLY A COUPLE OF YEARS I CAN'T I CAN'T SPEAK TO HOW LONG HE WAS OUT. I DON'T REMEMBER. I CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU SO IT COULD IT SO IT COULD
BE THAT THE CRIME LAB WAS REALLY WITH OR WITHOUT A DIRECTOR FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME EVEN IF IT WAS BROKEN UP AT TIMES.
BUT IT COULD BE AS LONG AS FOUR YEARS WITHOUT A PERMANENT DIRECTOR FACTORING BOTH BOTH CRIME LAB DIRECTORS BEING ON LEAVE.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE WAS GONE FOR A YEAR. I THINK HE WAS JUST HAVING A MEDICAL PROCEDURE DONE AND THAT THE MOST RECENT ONE WAS ON LEAVE FOR TWO YEARS. YES. OKAY.
DO WE DO WE KNOW WHY HE WAS ON LEAVE? I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT. THERE WAS A TERM OF INVESTIGATION. I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT.
OKAY. DO THE INTERNAL INVESTIGATION CLEAR EVERYONE OR DID IT OFFER ANY GUIDANCE ON HOW TO IMPROVE
CRIME LAB OPERATIONS OR INTERNAL PROTOCOLS? I'D HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE WORK OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. NO, NO, I'M NOT I'M NOT SAYING I'M NOT SAYING THAT I'M SAYING
THE INTERNAL INVESTIGATION THAT WAS DONE WHAT WERE THE RESULTS OF THAT? NEITHER ONE OF US WOULD PRIVY TO THAT INFORMATION. YEAH, BUT THAT'S THAT'S IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ME TO
KNOW BECAUSE IF I KNOW THAT INFORMATION THAT'S HOW I BASE MY QUESTIONS. SO SO THERE WAS AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION DONE THAT WE
DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RESULTS WERE BUT THEY WERE PROBABLY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE DON'T KNOW THAT WE WE WERE NOT INVOLVED IN THAT. SO WE HAVE NO IDEA WHO WOULD
WHO WOULD KNOW THAT BECAUSE I I WANT I NEED TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO PROVIDE THE BEST LEADERSHIP I CAN SO WE HAVE THE CRIME LAB IN THE COUNTRY BUT I
CAN'T DO MY JOB IF I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE BASED ON AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION. SO YOUR QUESTION IS YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO WOULD KNOW?
YEAH, WHO WOULD KNOW THAT? SO IT WAS DONE BY OUR INTERNAL AFFAIRS DIVISION AND OUR COMMISSIONER WOULD KNOW THAT BUT WE DO NOT HAVE THAT ANSWER FOR YOU. HOW DO WE KNOW WE'RE FOLLOWING
UP IN COMPLYING WITH THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS WHEN IT COMES TO FLYNN BUT I'M WORKING
ON A SUBJECT THAT I DON'T HAVE ALL THE RELEVANT INFORMATION FOR ME TO DO MY JOB I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT RECOMMENDATIONS AND
TO SEE THEY WERE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTED OR NOT. BUT WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED WHILE
THIS PERSON WAS ON LEAVE? WHAT LESSONS CAN WE LEARN THE PUBLIC OR WHAT LESSONS CAN THE CRIME LAB LEARN KNOWING THAT SOMEONE WAS ON LEAVE THEY CAME BACK FROM LEAVE.
BUT WHAT CHANGES MADE? WHAT CHANGES WERE MADE? SO COUNSELOR I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR WITH EVERYONE WHO'S WATCHING ALTHOUGH THEY MAY NOT
HAVE BEEN A THE CRIME THAT THE DETECTIVE, THE DIRECTOR WAS ON LEAVE THE WORK DID NOT STOP AT THE BOSTON POLICE CRIME LAB OR THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT WORK WAS GETTING DONE.
I CAN'T COMMENT ON AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION OR WHY RECOMMENDATIONS WERE DONE BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE WORK DID NOT STOP. BUT WE WERE DOWN WE WERE DOWN PERSONNEL THOUGH.
YES, WE WERE DOWN. WE WERE DOWN PERSONNEL AND WE WEREN'T MEETING AT THAT TIME. WE WERE NOT MEETING THE STATEMENT DATED 30 DAY REQUIREMENT ALSO.
THAT IS CORRECT NOW BECAUSE WE WEREN'T MEETING THAT REQUIREMENT COURT CASES TAKE A WHILE TO GET INTO THE SYSTEM.
ARE ANY OF THOSE CASES IMPACTED BECAUSE WE DIDN'T MEET THE 30 DAY REQUIREMENT? I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT THAT QUESTION HAS THAT EVER BEEN BROUGHT UP BEFORE?
NO, NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO. NONE OF THOSE CASES WOULD BE GOING TO COURT WITHIN 30 DAYS. NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT I WORKED AT THE SUFFOLK SUPERIOR COURT FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
I I UNDERSTAND THAT BUT THAT EVIDENCE WOULD HAVE EVENTUALLY BE TURNED OVER TO AN ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR EVENTUAL PROSECUTION.
CORRECT. OR UNTIL THE GRAND JURY FOR INDICTMENT BUT AND THEN THEN IF THERE IS A CASE THE CASE MAY NOT HAPPEN FOR SEVERAL YEARS
FROM THEN. BUT I'M SAYING IS IT A PROBLEM IF WE WEREN'T IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE 30 DAY REQUIREMENT?
NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF, NO. I MEAN THE ALL THE RESULTS ARE THERE. WE WEREN'T MEETING THE 30 DAYS ALL THE RESULTS WERE WE'RE WE STILL GET ALL THE RESULTS.
IT JUST WASN'T IN 30 DAYS WE GOT IT IN 32 DAYS OR 35 DAYS THE MANDATE IS 30. WE WEREN'T ABLE TO MEET THAT PREVIOUSLY OKAY BUT ALL THE CASEWORK WAS STILL GETTING DONE.
WE WERE STILL GENERATING REPORT OKAY WHAT IS THE MOST ADVANCED EQUIPMENT YOU'RE WORKING WITH
RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF TESTING SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS? THAT WOULD BE JUST THE DNA TECHNOLOGY WE USE. THAT'S WE'D BE REPLACING OUR SCREENING TOOLS WE CURRENTLY
USE SEROLOGY SCREENING WHICH IS A SENSITIVE SCREENING METHOD WITH SOMETHING THAT'S CALLED Y SCREENING WHICH WOULD JUST BE MORE SPECIFIC I GUESS TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY THAT WOULD
POTENTIALLY SHAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME OFF AT THE FRONT END WITH COMPLETING SEXUAL ASSAULT KIT TESTING EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT DOING Y SCREENING IS THERE
ANY TYPE OF CERTIFICATION THAT IS NEEDED WHEN Y SCREENING DOES COME TO THE BOSTON PLACE, DO THEY HAVE TO BE CERTIFIED IN THAT YOU DON'T GET CERTIFIED IN IT? BUT LOOK, OUR PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES WOULD BE VALIDATED.
WE WOULD PROVIDE THAT VALIDATION TO OUR ACCREDITING BODY. THEY WOULD MAKE SURE THAT AND THEN WE'D ALSO HAVE TO BE AUDITED BY THE FBI US GROUP AND
THEY WOULD LET US KNOW WHETHER OR NOT IT'S SUITABLE OR NOT. I MEAN REVIEW ALL OUR TECHNIQUES AND PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES NOW HAVE WE ALWAYS BEEN IN COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL AND STATE GUIDELINES ON CRIME
LAB ISSUES? WE HAVE WE HAVE NEVER HAD ANY DEFICIENCIES AT ALL. RIGHT. WE WERE FULLY ASSESSED LAST YEAR ALL THROUGH UNITS AND WE HAD ZERO DEFICIENCIES PRIOR TO PRIOR TO LAST YEAR HAVE WE HAD ANY ISSUES?
WE'VE HAD ONE OFFICE. I MEAN A TYPICAL LAB MIGHT HAVE 2039 PERFORMANCES I THINK THE MOST WE'VE EVER HAD WAS TWO AND THEY'RE ALL THROW UP TODAY NOW. YEP. OKAY MR CHAIR, I HAVE NO
FURTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU COUNSELOR FLYNN THAT WILL CONCLUDE OUR QUESTIONING SECTION OF OUR HEARING. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY. BUT ACTUALLY I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC TESTIMONY, SO IT'S ONE THINK AT LEAST ONE I'M SORRY. COUNSELOR FLYNN WANT TO THANK
ALL OF OUR ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES FOR BEING HERE AND WELL, THANK YOU OUR PANELISTS FOR JOINING US HERE TODAY AND ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS AND FOR THE WORK THAT
YOU DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT. SO I KNOW THAT THERE WILL PROBABLY BE MORE FOLLOW UPS FROM OUR COMMITTEE IN TERMS OF THE ALLOCATIONS THAT WE WERE
THAT THE COUNCILOR MADE PROPOSED BY COUNCILOR OF FLYNN TO SEE HOW WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON THOSE THINGS. AND AS THE COMMITTEE WILL FOLLOW UP ON THAT COUNCILOR OF FLYNN, I REALLY WANT TO THANK EVERYONE AND WITH THAT THIS
HEARING DOCKET NUMBER 0167 IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU