Ohio – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine today announced a significant financial boost to the state’s crime laboratories. The Ohio Crime Lab Efficiency Program will receive an additional $3.4 million in funding. This initiative, created by Governor DeWine in 2022, aims to enhance the operational efficiency of Ohio’s crime labs, focusing on reducing backlogs and speeding up the evidence processing timeline.

Continued Support for Forensic Excellence

The Ohio Crime Lab Efficiency Program is a testament to the state’s commitment to supporting its forensic teams, who play a crucial role in criminal investigations. “Criminal investigations depend on the timely work of dedicated forensic scientists and chemists at Ohio’s crime labs,” Governor DeWine remarked. He highlighted the success of the initial $10 million funding provided in 2022, which significantly cut down on lab backlogs. The new round of funding aims to maintain low turnaround times for lab analyses.

Crime laboratories across several Ohio counties, including Cuyahoga, Franklin, Lake, Licking, Lorain, Lucas, and Montgomery, will benefit from this funding. The grants will cover various expenses, such as hiring additional staff, acquiring new technology, and outsourcing laboratory work, ensuring that crime labs can operate more efficiently and effectively.

This funding is part of a broader $250 million initiative by the DeWine-Husted Administration and the Ohio General Assembly. Aimed at addressing the uptick in violent crime and alleviating the pandemic’s impact on staffing and wellness among first responders, this comprehensive investment supports several key programs. Among these are the Ohio Violent Crime Reduction Grant Program, Ohio Ballistics Testing Initiative, Ohio First Responder Recruitment, Retention, and Resilience Program, Ohio Court Backlog Reduction Program, and Community Violence Prevention Grant Program, all designed to enhance public safety and justice in Ohio.