The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office is one of only four Arizona law enforcement agencies utilizing a new technology that makes DNA processing quicker and easier.
Previously, DNA processing could take weeks or even months depending on the state crime lab’s backlog. The new process, known as Rapid DNA, can be completed in as little as 90 minutes.
Carey Blackwell is the property and evidence supervisor for the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office.
“And what basically the machine does is it provides us a report and, in consultation with the DPS lab, those that report can be interpreted, and then run through a database to provide investigative leads to law enforcement for investigating crimes," Blackwell explained.
This helps identify or eliminate potential suspects, Blackwell added. It’s especially helpful for homicides, robberies and burglaries where there’s a single source of DNA.
So far, YCSO has used Rapid DNA in three cases.