https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2017-08-07/progress-being-made-at-apd-crime-lab/

Progress Being Made at APD Crime Lab

By Sarah Marloff, August 7, 2017, 3:00pm, Newsdesk

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.