For the first time since 2019, the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) has zero untested Sexual Assault Evidence Kits (SAEKs) – a major milestone years in the making. Thanks to investments and improvements in training, technology, workspace upgrades and improved workflows, the SDPD Crime Lab is now testing SAEKs faster than ever, averaging a 45-day turnaround, well ahead of the 145-day requirement set by California Senate Bill 22 (SB22).
These kits play a critical role in identifying sexual assault offenders, supporting prosecutions and delivering justice to survivors. When SB22 passed in 2019, law enforcement agencies across California were required to conduct more timely DNA analyses of Sexual Assault Evidence Kits. In August of that year, SDPD had an estimated 1,800 untested kits and in 2020 it turned to a contracted lab, Bode Cellmark Forensics, to help meet the mandate. The work was divided into three phases:
• 450 SB 22-mandated kits from 2016-2019. These were tested by December 2021…