The Crime Laboratory is in the process of purchasing a LCMS instrument that will permit us to conduct THC quantification testing. The Crime Laboratory will have to pass an ANAB Assessment, and have quantification testing added to our Scope of Accreditation, prior to beginning quantification casework. The M&C for the LCMS has been approved and we should be able to order the LCMS in July 2020. The Crime Laboratory has reviewed the Qiacube validation reports and it was determined that further evaluation was required. Qiagen responded to the Crime Laboratory and performed additional testing; the results of which warranted an additional service call. A new service call has been scheduled for the first of July. The Biology Unit still needs to review the final validation report, process training samples and complete competency tests prior to the implementation of Qiacube processing in casework. The Crime Laboratory also has grant funding to validate STRMIX (probabilistic genotyping); however, the Texas Forensic Science Commission has launched a Working Group regarding STRMIX (including a committee focused on validation), so this project is currently on hold. The Crime Laboratory needs funding to purchase two new FTIR instruments. The Lab’s current FTIRs are so old that the manufacture has advised us that they will not provide service to those instruments after the 2020 calendar year. |