ORANGE, COUNTY OF - SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT- JAG - 2015

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Attachment A 2015 -DJ -BX -0226 The County of Orange- Sheriff - Coroner Department, Orange County Crime Laboratory proposes to use the 2015 Justice Assistance Grant.Program funding as follows: PURPOSE AREAS JAG funds may be used for state and local initiatives, technical assistance, strategic planning, research and evaluation (including forensics), data collection, training, personnel, equipment, forensic laboratories, supplies, contractual support, and criminal justice information systems that will improve or enhance such areas as: Law Enforcement PROJECT NARRATIVE Proposed program activities — The Orange County Crime Laboratory services over 30 law enforcement agencies and is the only full service forensic laboratory providing service to the County of Orange as a whole. The laboratory handles more than 30,000 cases per year, conducting over 225,000 exams. The laboratory is requesting ten latent print comparison expert workstations and a new laptop computer for breath alcohol operator training. The Latent Comparison Section conducted over 4,000 exams on over 1,350 cases in 2014. The latent print examiners spend their day sitting at workstations conducting meticulous and tedious evaluation of fingerprints. New sit -stand workstations are needed as the cumulative impact of prolonged sitting increases health risks. The risks range from physical ergonomically - related problems to metabolic, cardiovascular and cancer risks due to 'limited physical activity. Alternating between standing and sitting positions is a direct solution without losing productivity. Need for programs — The Forensic Alcohol unit oversees all evidential breath alcohol testing in the County, including all breath alcohol instrument operator training. The Crime Lab has trained more than 5,000 operators to date and in 2014 provided instrumentation for the evidential testing of over 7,000 subjects. The unit is requesting a new laptop computer to update the technology utilized in the operator training program. The technology currently is use is nearly ten years old. The Crime Lab provides services to all law enforcement and has stakeholders that include the DMV, OCDA, OCPD, private defense and the Orange County Coroner Division. The laboratory has partnered with universities, public health coalitions and task forces, Social Services and Community Programs and their partners. PRJECT GOALS 1. Improved workspace for the Latent Print Examiners can improve productivity and case throughput, 2. Improved technology for Breath Alcohol Operator Training assists with the training capabilities of the instructors. 3. More efficient case throughput enables more latent prints to be examined and used as investigative tools in criminal cases. Page 2 of 22