Brandon Conrad, lab manager for the Department of Public Safety (DPS) crime lab in Amarillo, provided an in-depth look at the operations and challenges of the facility on Thursday, highlighting its crucial role in drug analysis for National Forensics Week. Under Conrad’s leadership, the lab not only processes evidence but also ensures that its findings are precise, timely, and instrumental in supporting law enforcement efforts.
The role of the Amarillo DPS Crime Lab
At the Amarillo Crime Lab, meticulous processing of evidence is essential for maintaining public safety. The facility serves all law enforcement agencies across the top 26 counties in Texas, from Childress to Farwell, handling a wide array of evidence types. “Our main job is to provide law enforcement with accurate and timely analysis of drug evidence,” Conrad explained. Each item that enters the lab undergoes a comprehensive process, regardless of whether it originates from non-DPS agencies or DPS cases.
In the last fiscal year, the Amarillo lab processed nearly 2,200 cases, a diverse workload that spans from felony drug cases to misdemeanors. Methamphetamine consistently ranks as the most frequently submitted substance. While last year was relatively slow, the overall volume of cases has been rising steadily, with four months remaining in the fiscal year. “We handle a wide variety of substances, but methamphetamine and fentanyl are the most common,” Conrad noted.