November 3, 2016
Nebraska Crime Lab Attains Dual Accreditation
The Douglas County (Nebraska) Sheriff’s Office Forensic Services Division Crime Laboratory recently achieved ANAB accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 (crime lab) and ISO/IEC 17020 (crime scene investigators and latent prints). This makes it only the sixth crime lab in the United States to achieve accreditation to both standards, and the first and only law enforcement agency in Nebraska to have an accredited crime scene investigation unit.
“Accreditation is critical to operating a respected forensics lab,” Sheriff Tim Dunning said. “It promotes confidence in the process for law enforcement, prosecutors and the citizens we serve. Dual accreditation positions the Douglas County Lab as a leader in the field of evidence collection and analysis.”
Because the lab offers both testing and inspection services, dual accreditation was the best fit. In an announcement released by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, it was noted that although adhering to two standards ultimately requires more work, it was appropriate for the modern and progressive lab, and is a model that more labs will pursue in the future.