WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police is dedicated to the timely and effective administration of justice in America; and,

WHEREAS, the IACP is further dedicated to supporting appropriate federal legislation which seeks to improve the administration of justice; and,

WHEREAS, forensic sciences are a key element in the timely and fair administration of justice through the solving of crimes and the explanation of death; and,

WHEREAS, in spite of overall reductions in reported crime, the success of forensic sciences in solving crime and explaining death has resulted in significant increases in demand for these services; and,

WHEREAS, forensic sciences are instrumental in the successful apprehension and prosecution of thousands of criminals each year as well as the exoneration of innocent citizens; and,

WHEREAS, at least 90% of the nation’s forensic science services are delivered at the local and state government level; and,

WHEREAS, due to significant under-funding, forensic science laboratories at the local and state level nationwide are experiencing major backlogs which severely threaten the timeliness of quality examinations critical to solving crimes and explaining deaths; and,

WHEREAS, this under-funding also severely limits local and state forensic science laboratories’ attempts to acquire the necessary advanced technology, recruit and train qualified scientists, and upgrade facilities; and,

WHEREAS, this under-funding is also a major barrier in attempts by local and state forensic science laboratories efforts to ensure optimum quality by achieving professional accreditation; and,

WHEREAS, this inability of state and local laboratories to keep pace with increased service demands and fully meet quality assurance requirements pose a substantial threat to the timely administration of justice; now, therefore be it,

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police, at its 104th Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida fully supports and strongly encourages the passage of the National Forensic Sciences Improvement Act, which will provide grants to existing local and state forensic laboratories to improve productivity, quality measures, overall operation and achieve professional certification based on generally accepted forensic science performance standards, common definitions, and protocols.