Iowa’s state crime lab continues to play catch-up with a backlog of untested sexual assault kits from around the state.
A year ago there was a backlog of 4,265 untested kits in city and county law enforcement agencies.
Sgt. Ryan Bertrand of the Sioux City Police Department says they sent 10 previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits to the State Lab for testing.
OC…..follow up on. ;22
CODIS stands for the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System.
Sgt. Bertrand says in one of the two cases, the victim is now deceased and in the other it is the victim’s wish to not pursue any investigation into the matter.
The state crime lab has enacted a temporary submission moratorium on submission of new kits.
Bertrand says Sioux City Police plan to send 35 additional kits in the future, when the temporary suspension ends:
OC……further bother with it. ;24
The state told police agencies there are various reasons for the backlog and suspension of new submissions, including staffing, money and outsourcing to other labs:
OC……….change of custody deal. :13
Bertrand says it normally takes several months for the results to return after they are submitted.
