Progress Being Made at APD Crime Lab
Number of untested rape kits continues to fall
By Sarah Marloff, 3:00PM, Mon. Aug. 7, 2017
Finally, real progress is being made toward clearing the Austin Police Department’s extensive backlog of untested rape kits.
According to Forensic Unit Commander Mike Eveleth, there was an overall reduction of 95 kits in the month of July, despite the 26 new rape kits submitted to the department for testing. On July 17, the Chronicle reported that 1,912 untested kits were waiting to be shipped out to a partnering forensic lab for testing. Eveleth said that number – as of Aug. 1, when his unit last ran a count – has since dropped to 1,817. “We are seeing solid progress now,” he told the Chronicle.
In other lab news, the department is accepting applications through Friday for its newly created lab director position.
Got something to say on the subject? Send a letter to the editor.
A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.
Sarah Marloff, March 16, 2017
March 8, 2024
DNA Lab, Mike Eveleth, APD Crime Lab
