Criminal Justice Update Summer 2011

8/6/2019 Criminal Justice Update Summer 2011

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/criminal-justice-update-summer-2011 1/8

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identi cation andInvestigation (BCI) is working to reduce lab

turnaround times for DNA testing by streamlin -ing processes, adding staff, and increasing theuse of technology.

With those steps — and efforts by law enforce -ment to ensure all necessary informationand reference standards are supplied whenevidence is rst submitted — Attorney GeneralMike DeWine hopes to dramatically reduce the

time it takes to get results to local of cials.

“Thanks to the outstanding efforts of the BCIstaff, the excellent lab work they routinelyperform for the men and women on the frontlines of law enforcement will be completed anddelivered more quickly and with fewer delays,”DeWine said.

Of course, improving ef ciency — while impor - tant on its own — is most meaningful when itserves a larger purpose, said SuperintendentTom Stickrath, whom DeWine chose to headBCI after previously leading the Ohio depart -ments of Public Safety and Youth Services.

Attorney General takes steps to reduceturnaround times for DNA testingBy Mary Alice Casey

BCI staff members map out a streamlined process during a ve-day Kaizen event this spring.

Continued on Page 7

The Ohio Attorney General’s Law Enforcement Conference — setfor Oct. 13–14 in Columbus — willfeature three top-notch speakers, 30

workshops, and the DistinguishedLaw Enforcement Awards Luncheon.

This year’s speakers:

u Lyndhurst Police Chief Rick Porrello,whose 1998 book was the basis for the mo -

tion picture “Kill the Irishman,” released this

year. The lm focuses on how Irish-Americanracketeer Danny Greene took on the Ma a.Porrello also is the author of “The Rise andFall of the Cleveland Ma a” and host of AmericanMa a.com, the Internet’s biggestmob history site.

u Debra Puglisi Sharp, who was blud -geoned, raped multiple times, and held for101 hours by a crack cocaine addict whokilled her husband. Sharp has shared herstory across the country, including at severallaw enforcement conferences. Her book“Shattered: Reclaiming a Life Torn Apart byViolence” was published in 2003.

u Stephen Douglas, a psychologist and lawenforcement consultant who serves as apsychological and organizational develop -ment consultant to the Columbus Divisionof Police. Douglas also advises other Ohiolaw enforcement agencies and maintains aprivate practice.

The conference will be held at the HyattRegency Columbus. The $75 fee coversworkshops, general sessions, and breakfastand lunch both days. Hotel accommodationsare not included.

Online registration will be availablesoon at www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/LECon erence. The deadline to registeris Sept. 23.

LAW ENFORCEMENTCONFERENCE SET FOR OCTOBER

COVER STORY

u Using the Prelog online submission processon the Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway

u Supplying all requested information on thePrelog form, including victims’ and suspects’ dates of birth

u Providing a crime synopsis of one or twoparagraphs that covers what questionsneed to be answered by DNA testing.Long investigative reports are discouraged.

u Supplying any known DNA reference

standards at the time of evidencesubmission. These include standards for

the victim, suspect, consensual partners,and any other elimination standards.

How to get the astestresults possible or yourDNA case

Law en orcement agencies candecrease the turnaround time

or individual cases by:

Photos by Steve Wall



CRIMINAL JUSTICEUpdatE

Criminal Justice Update typically is publishedfour times a year by the Ohio Attorney

General’s Of ce for members of Ohio’scriminal justice community.

To share story ideas or alert us to addresschanges, contact Editor Mary Alice Casey at

614-728-5417 [email protected].

Volume 3, Issue 2Summer 2011

Copyright 2011by Ohio Attorney General’s Of ce

30 E. Broad St., 17th FloorColumbus, OH 43215

www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/CriminalJusticeUpdate

In Kentucky v. King , the U.S. Supreme Courtruled in May that police can enter an apart -ment without a warrant to prevent the imminentdestruction of evidence as long as they do notengage or threaten to engage in conduct thatviolates the Fourth Amendment.

After observing a controlled drug buy, of cers inLexington, Ky., followed a suspected drug dealerinto an apartment complex. Upon entering thecomplex, the of cers heard an apartment doorshut, but they could not tell which apartment

the suspect entered.

The of cers smelled burnt marijuana coming from one of the apartments, knocked loudly on

that apartment door, and called out, “Police.”

They heard people moving inside the apart -ment, leading them to conclude that drug-related evidence was about to be destroyed.

The of cers announced their intent to enter,kicked in the door, and found Hollis King and two others. They spotted drugs and drug paraphernalia in plain view, and prosecutorsbrought criminal charges against King.

King objected to the lawfulness of theof cers’ entry. He argued that the rule allow -ing police to enter a home without a warrantin emergency situations when the destructionof evidence is imminent does not apply when

the of cers’ own conduct (here, knocking on the door) created the emergency.

The court disagreed, nding that the entrywas lawful.

Law enforcement of cers long have beenpermitted to enter premises without a war-rant when necessary to prevent the imminentdestruction of evidence.

And, the court said, as long as of cers do notengage in or threaten to engage in conduct

that violates the Fourth Amendment, theymay continue to do so when such emergen -cies arise.

Laura Eddleman Heim is a Simon Karas Fellow and deputy solicitor general with the Ohio Attorney General’s

Appeals Section.

By Laura Eddleman Heim

Protecting Ohio’s families and children requiresa great deal of cooperation among many pro -fessionals in state government and local lawenforcement. Since my swearing-in ceremonyin January, we have been working hard to raise

the standard of service that the Ohio AttorneyGeneral’s Of ce — especially BCI — delivers toour law enforcement partners.

You may remember that I said soon after tak -ing of ce that I intend for BCI to be the premiercriminal investigation and analysis agency in

the nation. I’m proud that BCI SuperintendentTom Stickrath and his team are making mea -surable progress toward that goal, especially

in areas affecting turnaround times for DNAevidence processing.

At the end of 2010, before I took of ce, BCIaveraged 125 days to complete DNA testing onbiological evidence and inform local authoritiesof the results. That timeline is simply unaccept-able . It puts lives at risk and justice in jeopardy,and it’s too long for victims, suspects, lawenforcement, and the public to wait.

Looking for ways to reduce response time, a team of 15 BCI staff members created detailedwork ow charts of the three different processesused at the London, Rich eld, and Bowling Green labs and consolidated them into one.

The new process being developed with the helpof our great staff at BCI is expected to eliminatemore than 100 steps and signi cantly reduce

the overall time between the submission of evidence and the nal report.

I’m very encouraged by the progress at BCI.I’m con dent we’re on track for the bureau toemerge as one of the nation’s leading criminal

investigation and analysis agencies, and I’mgrateful to its leadership and staff for working tomake that happen.

Very respectfully yours,

Mike DeWineOhio Attorney General

CRIMINAL JUSTICE UPDATE

We are listeningWhile reducing BCI lab processing times isa top priority, there are other ways we canimprove service to our law enforcement part -ners by listening to their concerns.

For example, as a direct result of conversa - tions with law enforcement, we’re enhancing our crime scene analytical capabilities andexpanding our Cyber Crimes Unit. We’re im -proving the Ohio Law Enforcement Gatewayas a comprehensive source of information.And we’re opening a BCI of ce in Athens to

make polygraph and lab receiving servicesmore accessible to our law enforcementpartners in Southeast Ohio.

We’re eager to hear the criminal justicecommunity’s suggestions about how toimprove BCI. If you have feedback or ideas,please send an e-mail to BCI@Ohio AttorneyGeneral.gov or call us toll-free at855-BCI-OHIO (855-224-6446) .



Attorney General’s Of ce to lead Fugitive Safe SurrenderCleveland Police Of cer Wayne Leon was conducting what appeared to be a routine traf c stop inJune 2000 when the man he pulled over drew a weapon and shot him in the head. Leon died thenext day. His killer, who remains on Ohio’s death row, testi ed that he shot Leon to avoid being ar -rested on an outstanding warrant.

The incident prompted U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott to create Fugitive Safe Surrender, which since2005 has offered individuals with felony and misdemeanor warrants the opportunity to surrenderpeacefully and have their cases adjudicated, typically at a community church. Since its creation, theprogram has led some 34,000 fugitives to surrender in more than 20 cities nationwide.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine — after federal funding for the initiative was cut earlier this year— announced that his of ce will coordinate Fugitive Safe Surrender in Ohio and collaborate withlocal communities to organize events in their areas. He has hired a staff member, Jeff Oleksiak, tocoordinate the program.

“Not only was there a large outpouring of support to see Fugitive Safe Surrender continue, but Iheard from so many law enforcement of cers, judges, mayors, clergymen, and community leaderstelling me they wanted to see Fugitive Safe Surrender come to their communities,” DeWine said.“The program’s success has always resulted from these partners working together.”

DeWine’s announcement that Fugitive Safe Surrender would continue under his of ce’s oversightcame during a crime safety summit in Youngstown in May. The Operation Redemption event, heldat St. Dominic’s Church and hosted by Father Gregory Maturi, included the Attorney General, BCISuperintendent Tom Stickrath, Mahoning County Prosecutor Paul Gains, and several Youngstownof cials, including Mayor Jay Williams, City Prosecutor Jay Macejko, and Police Chief Jimmy Hughes.A Fugitive Safe Surrender is planned for the Mahoning Valley area in spring 2012.

More information on Fugitive Safe Surrender is available from Oleksiak at Je [email protected] or 216-787-3275 .

Law Enforcement Roundtablesconducted across the state

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine is conduct -ing a series of Law Enforcement Roundtablesaround the state to hear directly from local of -

cials about their needs and suggestions.

In addition to the Attorney General, the round -tables feature representatives of BCI, the OhioPeace Of cer Training Academy, the AttorneyGeneral’s Crime Victim Section, and othersinvolved in law enforcement issues.

Upcoming roundtables are scheduled for Augustin Southwest Ohio and Northeast Ohio. Eventswere held in Cambridge in March and Coaltonin May. They will continue in all regions of thestate. DeWine also is meeting informally withlaw enforcement representatives throughoutthe state.

Local of cials who want more speci cs on theLaw Enforcement Roundtables should send ane-mail to [email protected] or call 614-728-7275 .

BCI announces Athens of ce

BCI will open an of ce in Athens to better serveSoutheast Ohio law enforcement. The of ce isset to open later this summer or early this fall.

Located at 86 Columbus Road, the of ce will

include a full-time polygraph operator andevidence collection services ve days a week. Itwill be across the hall from the FBI of ce, whichwill provide for enhanced collaboration between

the agencies.

Raising awareness about Ohio’s

nearly 800 missing children cases

was the ocus o two Attorney

General’s O fce events on May 25,

National Missing Children’s Day.

Members o the Attorney General’s

Missing Persons Unit took part in

a phonathon at Columbus televi-

sion station WBNS-10TV to answer

questions about missing children.

Two tips resulted. Earlier in the

day, sta members and children

took part in a balloon launch at

Columbus Preparatory Academy,

releasing a balloon or each o

Ohio’s missing children. In another

e ort to bring greater visibility to

missing persons cases, Attorney

General Mike DeWine announced

that details about missing children

and adults will appear on the enve-lopes o about 72,000 pieces o

mail his o fce sends each month.

SUMMER 2011 3

Mike DeWine talks with Lt. Tony Robinson of the Jackson County Sheriff ’s Of ce at a recent roundtable.



20th Two Days in Mayattracts more than 1,000

The Ohio Attorney General’s 20th annual TwoDays in May Conference on Victim Assistanceattracted 1,065 attendees to take part in 35workshops and several general sessions inmid-May.

Held in Columbus, the annual gathering givesvictim advocates an opportunity to interactwith their peers across the state, gain newinformation, and learn about resources andbest practices. Among the highlights this yearwas an Elder Abuse Research Symposium,which drew 70 participants to discuss thescope of the problem and help set Ohio’selder abuse research agenda.

On the conference’s second day, AttorneyGeneral Mike DeWine singled out an out -standing advocate and program:

u Lora Beese, who along with family mem -bers founded the Hope in Heels Foundationin Greater Cincinnati in 2005, received the2011 Special Achievement Award. Beese’sgroup provides comfort packages with blan -kets, storybooks, and other items for childrenentering emergency foster care.

u Genesis House Teen Street Team earned the conference’s 2011 Promising PracticeAward. In 2010, Genesis House — whichassists abused women and their children inLorain County — formed the team in response

to alarming statistics about dating violenceamong teenagers. The group consists of

teens from seven high schools who partici -pate in intense training sessions on familyand dating violence and share informationwith their peers.

Next year’s conference is set for May 10–11at the Hyatt Regency Columbus.

To view a video shown at the opening of the2011 Two Days in May, visit www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/2011TDIMOpening .

OFFICERS’ MEMORIAL

Families, colleagues gather to pay tributeto Ohio’s fallen peace of cersLaw enforcement of cers from throughout the state joined grieving familymembers May 5 to remember the four Ohio of cers who gave their lives in theline of duty in 2010 and honor a historical inductee.

Held on the grounds of the Ohio Peace Of cer Training Academy (OPOTA) inLondon, the Ohio Peace Of cers’ Memorial Ceremony honored:

u Trooper Andrew C. Baldridge of the Bucyrus post of the Ohio StateHighway Patrol, who was responding to a call for assistance when hedied in a car accident Feb. 4

u Sgt. James A. Kerstetter of the Elyria Police Department, who wasshot while confronting a suspect March 15

u O fcer Thomas F. Patton II of the Cleveland Heights Police Department, who collapsed while pursuing a felony assault suspect onfoot March 13

u Chie Carl E. Worley of the Ross Township Police Department, whowas investigating a string of burglaries when he suffered a fatal heartattack Jan. 26

u Marshal John Vapenik of the Maple Heights Police Department, whosedepartment nominated him after discovering he was killed Aug. 28,1920, while patroling the streets for whiskey runners.

Their names are now etched on the Ohio Fallen Of cers Memorial Wall atOPOTA along with those of 732 others who have died in the line of duty since1823. For additional coverage of the ceremony, including a video and slide -show, visit www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/PeaceO fcerMemorial .

‘The stories we share at this memorial may come from the history books or from recent headlines, but Ohio’s peace of cers — regardless of when they gave their oath — have always faced great risk. The loss of these ve is a sobering reminder of how real the risks are that they and their fellow of cers willingly accept to serve and protect.’


— Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine



Ohio law now requires the collection of a DNAspecimen from all adult felony arrestees. Hereare some resources the Attorney General’s Of ceprovides to help law enforcement agencies com -ply with the new law, which took full effect July 1:

u Free DNA collection kits are available bye-mailing [email protected] .DNA specimens collected under the new lawmust be sent to BCI within 15 days of collection.

u The Ohio Peace Of cer Training Academyoffers online courses that cover the new require -ments. All eOPOTA courses can be accessed

through the Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway atwww.OHLEG.org .

The courses include: CODIS Arrestee and Con -victed Offender DNA Collections, which coversspecimen collection, paperwork, and commonquestions; Senate Bill 77 Effect on InvestigativeProcedure, which deals with the law’s impact,custodial interrogation procedures, collection of

biological evidence, and administering lineups;and Biological Evidence Collection and Retention,which outlines best practices and safety proce -dures for collecting biological evidence.

I recently had the opportunity to observe driver training at the Peel Regional Police Departmentin Ontario, Canada, which trains of cers in emer -gency response, pursuit, and rolling road blockson city streets amid civilian traf c. While notadvocating that approach here, I have incorpo -rated some of their concepts into driving coursesat the Ohio Peace Of cer Training Academy. Isuggest law enforcement agencies do the samewithin their trainings and day-to-day operations.For example:

u When possible, o fcers should decidewhether to pursue a violator be oreinitiating a tra fc stop.

We have stressed for years that all details of astop be broadcast to dispatch before activating

the lights. This way, the of cer is ready to fullyconcentrate on the stop. Decisions concerning a pursuit traditionally have come later, once the

FIELD NOTES

By Jeff Eggleston

violator ees. Yet at that point, the of cer must think of policy, traf c conditions, roadconditions, and other issues while under thestress of pursuit.

Now, contrast that with a pursuit decision madebefore the stop is initiated. The of cer is able toconsider policy, conditions, proximity of assist -ing of cers, and alternatives to pursuit without

the distractions of adrenaline, tunnel vision,and perception blindness that can kick in underchase conditions. If an of cer decides to pursuea violator, he or she also should have a plan inplace for terminating the chase.

u Broadcast the pursuit decision whencalling in the stop.

On unknown or high-risk stops, the decisionshould be broadcast by the primary of cer along with stop information. That makes other of cers

aware in advance of the intent of the primary of -cer, enabling them to decide on their actions.

Of course, these concepts require a major shiftfrom traditional pursuit training and certainly donot t all circumstances. Yet there is no doubt

that important tactical decisions made underlow-stress conditions are desirable to thosemade in the heat of pursuit.

Of cers also should be fully aware of their de -partment’s pursuit policy, which law enforcementagencies are required to have in place underOhio Revised Code Section 2935.031. Policiesshould take into consideration agency resources,of cer training, population and geography of

the area served, weather and traf c conditions,nature of violation, and other per tinent issues.

Jeff Eggleston is an OPOTA driving instructor experiencedin law enforcement vehicle operations and track facility des

u A list of frequently asked questions pertaining to all requirements of Senate Bill 77, passed lastyear by the Ohio General Assembly, can be foundat www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/SB77 . In ad -dition to collecting DNA specimens from all adultfelony arrestees, the law requires that custodialinterrogations be recorded, places restrictions inhow photo and live lineups are conducted, and

spells out collection and retention requirementsfor evidence in certain crimes.

u The of ce also provides a Convicted OffenderDNA database on OHLEG. The application allowsOHLEG users to determine if a DNA samplealready exists in CODIS for a speci c individual.The resource helps law enforcement agencies,corrections facilities, and BCI save time andmoney by avoiding unnecessary duplication of DNA analysis.

Questions on any of the above resources may bedirected to [email protected] .

Guidelineshighlightbest practices

For a recap of bestpractices on this

topic, view theGuidelines for the

Preservation andRetention of

Biological Evidence at www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/BiologicalEvidence . The web -site also includes an executive summary of

the guidelines, a sample letter that agenciescan adapt to provide notice of the intention

to destroy biological evidence, and otherresources.

Resources available for DNA collection

Decide whether to pursue before making a stop

SUMMER 2011 5



tRaINING OPPORTUNITIES

OPOTA expands regionaland online offerings At the direction of the Attorney General, theOhio Peace Of cer Training Academy (OPOTA)is stepping up regional and online offerings

to help law enforcement agencies cope withlimited training and travel budgets.

OPOTA offered 110 regional trainings to about5,300 attendees last year. Executive DirectorBob Fiatal wants to double that in 2011. Andin June, the academy attracted about 300registrants for its rst two webinars, a training option Fiatal expects to offer with increasing frequency.

“Our goal is to continue to offer quality training at our facilities in London and Rich eld and at

the same time double the number of regional trainings offered in the eld,” Fiatal said. “Re -gional trainings are deliberately scheduled forone day or less to help agencies avoid overtimeand travel expenses. Our OPOTA campuseswill concentrate on more intense and lengthycourses, such as rearms, driving, instructionalskills, and other specialized areas.”

Sgt. Jeff Pritt, who has coordinated training for the Newark Police Department for the past

two years, appreciates that approach. Pritt’sdepartment hosted two regional trainings onSenate Bill 77 implementation this past winter.All 75 Newark of cers attended, as did of cersfrom other Licking County agencies.

“If it’s a four-hour training, and it’s close, thenwe can get of cers back on the street and let

them nish working their day. We were able todo that with the SB 77 training,” Pritt said. “It’sconvenient and cost-effective.”

That’s important in tough times, said Pritt,whose department has lost ve of cers

through attrition and laid off ve civilian staff members.

“As budgets for training shrink, online and re -gional trainings are going to be more valuable

to departments,” he said. “That’s going to be the way to go in the future.”

Pritt commended OPOTA on the quality of theinstruction. “It was very informative and cov -ered all the bases. They did a fantastic job,” hesaid of Senate Bill 77 course instructors JohnGreen and Jessica Didion.

Fiatal said OPOTA helps ensure its trainingsare on the mark by surveying law enforcementagencies on their needs and incorporating instruction by sheriff’s deputies, police of cers,crime analysts, university professors, BCIagents and scientists, and victim advocates.

To share input or inquire about OPOTAo erings, e-mail [email protected].

tRaINING UPDATE

The Ohio Attorney General’s Of ce will of ferhese and other courses in the coming months.Trainings listed are free unless speci ed.

Ohio Peace Of cerTraining Academy Courses

To register for any of the following OPOTAcourses, visit www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/OPOTARegistration . Visit www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/OPOTACourses for informationon additional courses or www.OHLEG.org foronline options through eOPOTA.

Rx Abuse in Ohio — The Scopeo the Problem

Covers wide range of issues involved inprescription drug diversion in Ohio

OPOTA Course 03-557-11-06July 18, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.Hocking College, Nelsonville

OPOTA Course 03-557-11-03July 26, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.Cincinnati Police Academy

OPOTA Course 53-557-11-02Aug. 1, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.OPOTA Rich eld

OPOTA Course 03-557-11-09Sept. 1, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.Wright State University Lake Campus, Celina

OPOTA Course 03-557-11-08

Oct. 17, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.Kent State University Trumbull Campus, Warren

Investigative Resourcesdeal for those who investigate criminal activi-ies and/or assess and track criminal trends

OPOTA Course 03-662-11-02July 25, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.James A. Rhodes State College, Lima

OPOTA Course 03-662-11-03Aug. 29, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.Lorain County Community College, Elyria

Street Drugs: Recognitionand Identifcation

Covers controlled substances, national andegional trends, substance identifcation,

packaging techniques, types of paraphernalia,concealment locations and legal issues

OPOTA Course 03-049-11-03Aug. 4, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.Marietta College

First Responder to Sexual Assault

Covers interacting with sexual assault nurse ex-aminers and victim advocates, conducting victiminterviews, processing crime scenes and suspectkits, and using BCI’s CHASE information system

OPOTA Course 03-550-11-02Aug. 18, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.Hocking College, Nelsonville

OPOTA Course 03-550-11-03Sept. 13, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.Cincinnati Police Academy

OPOTA Course 53-550-11-02Nov. 18, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.OPOTA Rich eld

Identity The t InvestigationProvides investigators with tools and resourcesto investigate identity theft and fraud

OPOTA Course 03-181-11-05Sept. 12, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.Owens Community College Findlay Campus

Regional Legal Update TrainingCovers recent case and statutory law in searchand seizure, Miranda warnings, and concealedand open carry of weapons

OPOTA Course 53-665-11-02Sept. 22, 8 a.m.–noonOPOTA Rich eld

OPOTA Course 53-665-11-021Oct. 3, 8 a.m.–noonCincinnati Police Academy

Crime Victim Section Courses

Visit www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/VictimAdvocateTrainings for other training optionsand to register.

Finding WordsProvides participants with skills to conduct aninvestigative interview of a child abuse victim.The cost is $200.

July 18–22OPOTA London

Oct. 3–7OPOTA Rich eld

ADVANCE Academy — BASICS Basic Advocacy Skills in Crime Victim Services isan intensive course for victim advocates.

Sept. 18–23OPOTA London




“It’s not just a bureaucracy that we’re trying tomake better or a dollar that we’re trying to save,”he said. “It’s all about public safety.”

BCI’s Forensic Biology and DNA units madesigni cant progress in the effort when staffersspent ve days this spring analyzing proceduresand identifying redundancies and unnecessarysteps. The result: a process that eliminates 103steps, 26 handoffs, and 35 decisions.

While some ef ciencies will take time to put in place,Stickrath is impressed by his staff’s commitment.

“There’s a culture change that’s developing, awhole awareness about the speed with which weturn evidence around,” he said. “And the fact thatit’s being done from within is very exciting. This was

not some consultant coming in and saying, ‘Do it A,B, C, D way.’ This was our staff introspectively look -ing at its work. To watch that team in action thatweek was profound.”

At the close of 2010, BCI took an average of 125days to complete DNA testing on biological evi -dence and get results to local authorities. With astreamlined process and cooperation from locallaw enforcement, staff members see the potentialto cut that signi cantly.

BCI took a page from the private sector in evaluat -ing how evidence ows from Evidence Receiving

through the Forensic Biology and DNA units andon to the reporting stage. Staffers’ analysis reliedon a process derived from the Japanese conceptof Kaizen, which means “change for the better.” Ituses speci c methodologies to achieve ef ciencies,savings, and customer satisfaction. The meetingswere facilitated by the Ohio Department of Adminis -trative Services’ Lean Ohio Program Of ce.

Elizabeth Benzinger, the bureau’s DNA quality as -surance manager, has been with BCI for 15 years.She came on board to establish the DNA lab, whichbegan accepting evidence in 1998, and took hercurrent position in 2004.

Benzinger said staff members concluded that onekey to shortening turnaround times is to work acase from beginning to end without interruption.That means ensuring that all necessary information and elements are available when work

commences. “We are changing our processessigni cantly so that cases aren’t sitting in variousqueues,” she said. “Once a sample is in the sys -

tem, we’ll push it through to the end. To do that,

we need law enforcement to bring us cases thatare ready to work.”

BCI’s efforts to eliminate bottlenecks in its DNA testing, if successful, will break new ground.

“Backlog is a problem for every agency that worksDNA,” she said. “Ten or 12 years ago, people wereskeptical of DNA. Through the popular media, ithas become an everyday topic, and juries expect

to see it in just about every case. The demand hasexceeded the capacity of testing agencies.”

Benzinger noted that the National Institute of Jus -

tice has directed millions of dollars in grant funding to help agencies become more ef cient at DNA testing. Like other labs, BCI has spent much of itsshare on robotics, which Benzinger said is making a huge impact.

“It used to be that working DNA was a very time-consuming endeavor involving lots of hands-on

time in the lab,” she said. “Now, with automation,we can work many more samples more rapidly.As we have gained experience with the robots, wehave challenged them to do more. They now play arole in all DNA cases.”

As BCI’s labs take greater advantage of the robots’capacity, which Benzinger said is virtually unlim -ited, they also are bringing new DNA analyzers online to speed up the process.

Greater reliance on technology will affect thereporting process as well. The bureau is working toreduce paper reports and instead provide inves -

tigators and prosecutors with results by securedownload from the Ohio Law Enforcement Gate -way. The change will cut days from the process andan estimated $57,000 a year in paper and postagecosts. In addition, information con rming thepresence of biological material on evidence will berolled into the nal report, saving another step.

“We want to be paperless,” Benzinger said, “butwe’re approaching it gradually because we realizemany agencies are not set up to be part of a paper -less system.”

Suf cient staf ng is another important part of thepuzzle. DeWine has authorized BCI to add a total of eight forensic scientists, lab support personnel, andclerical staff, all of whom should be on board by fall.

“With every new piece of technology we add andevery new position we ll, we are looking to reduceour turnaround times,” Benzinger said. “And in thefuture, if there is a tool or method to reduce turn -around times further, we’re going to pursue it.”

Stickrath agrees, noting that he wants his staff’sreputation for speed and ef ciency to parallel itsreputation for quality.

“I get letters every week from law enforcement andprosecutors on the quality of our work,” he said.“If we can continue the high level of quality thatour lab is known for and — at the same time — see

improvements in the time it takes to get evidenceback to our partners, that will be signi cant.”

Mary Alice Casey is a senior editor with the Ohio AttorneyGeneral’s Of ce.

COVER STORY

Continued from Page 1

Evidence receiving sites

Evidence for BCI testing can besubmitted at several locations.Addresses, hours, and contactnumbers are:

BCI London O fce1560 State Route 56 SWLondon, OH 431408 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through Friday

Contact: 740-845-2610

BCI Bowling Green O fce1616 E. Wooster St.Bowling Green, OH 434028 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through FridayContact: 419-353-5603, Ext 221

BCI Richfeld O fce4055 Highlander ParkwayRich eld, OH 442868 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through FridayContact: 330-659-4600, Ext. 221

BCI Youngstown O fce20 W. Federal St.

Youngstown, OH 445039 a.m.–2 p.m. Tuesdays and ThursdaysContact: 330-659-4600, Ext 221

Guernsey County Sheri ’s O fce601 Southgate ParkwayCambridge, OH 4372510 a.m.–2 p.m. WednesdaysContact: 740-845-2610

Athens (opening soon)86 Columbus RoadAthens, OH 45701

Polygraph services available8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through FridayContact: 740-845-2610

For general DNA submission questions,contact Mike Velten at 330-659-4600 , Ext. 276 .

BCI Superintendent Tom Stickrath and Attorney General Mike DeWine meet with BCI staffers.

SUMMER 2011 7



OHIO ATTORNEY GENERAL’SLAW ENFORCEMENT CONFERENCE

COMING UP

The two-day conference providesan opportunity for state, county,

and municipal criminal justiceprofessionals to network, attendeducational workshops, and hear from informative speakers.(Details, Page 1 of this issue.)

Oct. 13–14, 2011Hyatt Regency Columbus

Online registration will open soonat www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/LECon erence . For additional

information, call 740-845-2684 .

Photo by Alissa Romstadt

Documents

Criminal Justice Update Summer 2011