A consultant’s study concludes that Hamilton County, Ohio, should renovate or expand its crime lab and hired at least 13 additional personnel, reports the Cincinnati Enquirer. The consultant, Crime Lab Design of Detroit, says the current overcrowded lab endangers the health and safety of the staff, is not secure, and is at risk of losing accreditation. A renovation would cost about $16.5 million, and expansion would cost from $35 million to $56 million, depending upon the size.
Overcrowding at the lab was “jeopardizing the integrity” of evidence, according to the $95,000 study, which the Enquirer obtained under a public records request. In stories last year, the paper revealed serious problems at the lab, which it says were confirmed by the Crime Lab Design report.