Adopted at the 121st Annual Conference

Orlando, Florida

October 21, 2014

Support for the Call for Law Enforcement Agencies to Adopt Rules and Procedures Calling for Follow Up Investigation When Notified of a DNA Match

Submitted by: Forensics Committee

FOR.008.T14

WHEREAS, law enforcement is the most visible component of the criminal justice system; and

WHEREAS, law enforcement commonly serves as the lead body in conducting a criminal investigation; and

WHEREAS, law enforcement relies upon forensic laboratories to analyze evidence as part of any criminal investigation including submitting to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS); and

WHEREAS, one of the tests often conducted by labs is DNA testing; and

WHEREAS, crime laboratories forward results of testing back to the requesting agency; and

WHEREAS, once received, it is the responsibility of the receiving agency to conduct and further the investigation based on DNA and CODIS database results including getting confirmation samples of any CODIS matches in a timely manner; and

RESOLVED, that the IACP duly assembled at its 121st Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida, urges all law enforcement and criminal justice agencies to adopt rules and procedures calling for those agencies to fully investigate the results of all DNA testing and CODIS database investigative leads in a timely manner.