DPS crime lab unveiled in Corpus Christi
CORPUS CHRISTI – A new $6 million crime lab has opened marking what may be the end of delays for backlogged law enforcement and prosecutors. The 18,000-sf facility replaces a 40-year old building with only 4,000 sf.
Nueces County First Assistant District Attorney Gail Loeb said her office has been helping campaign for state funding to build the new lab, located next to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) headquarters.
The new lab will employ 14 chemists to help with crime investigations involving chemical and compound testing. Currently, such tests are done by the DPS crime lab in Austin, but Loeb said the backlog has been enormous.
"Today they made an announcement that they thought the drug testing was six months behind. It’s eight or nine months behind," Loeb said. "It’s more than that, so it’s a big problem."
"Drug analysis, blood and alcohol analysis, serology and also DNA testing, and we have the capabilities for firearm testing here also," DPS Sgt. Johnny Hernandez said.
DPS Director Steve McCraw said the new facility has plenty of room for expansion to keep up with population growth. The 14 chemists are already hard at work. The new lab, one of 13 statewide, has been accepting test orders since March.
The facility is next to the Department of Public Safety headquarters along North SPID.
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