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Police lab says it needs staff to meet DNA testing demands
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BALTIMORE (Map, News) - The outgoing head of the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences lab said the state will have to keep hiring scientists and support staff at a rapid pace to keep up with thousands of new DNA samples that will be collected under a new law.
John “Jay” Tobin, 62, told The Examiner this week that the state needs to continue its commitment to training and hiring personnel to meet increasing demand — especially once a state law takes effect in January allowing DNA to be collected from anyone charged with a violent crime.
“It’s going to put a lot of pressure on the people I left at the lab to get those tests done in a timely fashion,” Tobin said. “If they don’t, those suspects will go through the system and end up back on the street.”
To meet the demand and minimize the expensive outsourcing of DNA tests and processing crime-scene evidence, Tobin said, the state needs to hire scientists as well as support personnel. Fully processing a crime scene and checking samples against the DNA database can take months, requiring “triage” to get evidence ready for trial in time.
“They’ve listened to our needs, but they need to keep it up each year — not just when the sudden need strikes them,” he said.
Terry Long, acting director of the lab, said the state has funded as many as 21 new lab positions that need to be filled to augment the current 83. A team of biologists that formerly assisted with crime scene investigations now focuses only on DNA testing, while another team works to find additional equipment so the lab can do more internal work.
“We’re definitely sorry to see [Tobin] go. ... I share his concerns in wanting the lab to continue its progress,” Long said.
Col. Terrence Sheridan, State Police superintendent, said that as many as 4,000 new DNA samples a year could be collected under the new law, but that hiring was keeping pace. “We’re not going to fall behind; we’re not going to build another backlog,” he said.
Although Gov. Martin O’Malley, Sheridan and Long announced Tuesday that the lab had recently made its 1,000th DNA match since 1994, she said the 2,000th match could come in as little as a year.
Tobin retired July 1 to teach full time in the forensic science master’s degree program at Stevenson University (formerly Villa Julie College), while also pursuing a doctorate in toxicology at the University of Maryland.
msantoni@baltimoreexaminer.com
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3:58 AM MST on Thu., Jul. 31, 2008 re: "50th cold case solved with DNA in Baltimore County"
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10:50 AM MST on Wed., Jul. 30, 2008
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7:46 AM MST on Mon., Feb. 4, 2008
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SheikJoseph Young-Bey,Associate Minister said:
The DNA case concerning Lewis Thornton is a possible direct political police backlash,because he would not testify and/or cooperate with authorities against his nephew in a murder case. Secondly,In large cities it is not uncommon for DNA hits that match two or more accusers. DNA is not 100 % dependable and requires an eye witness. The examiner and other sources have not come forth with an eye witness to substantiate the claim that Mr.Thornton is guilty. The picture has been nationally painted of him being guilty until proven innocent. Thanks
2 agree | 4 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I'll gladly submit my DNA, because I don't commit crimes....simple as that, period. The only people worried should be the criminals. The only people protesting are doing so because when DNA is submitted as evidence, it's hard for defense attorneys to refute, therefore the criminals must be held responsible and there are less loopholes. Criminals depend on loopholes.
4 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Even if one or two more crimes are solved due to this constitutional violation, which is highly doubtful, the end does not justify the means. Just curious to know why the black caucus was refered to as black crows by previous commentor. I could easily refer to the democrat caucus as democrat dummies, or republican caucus as the whiney republicans, or the women's caucus as worthless women. In this instance the black caucus was correct.
10 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
5:05, The ability to use DNA to potentially free innocent people is precisely what the black caucus fought for. The initial bill did not provide for that. Sandy "scumbag" Rosenberg chaired an effort to prevent those types of amendments that could help exonerate the innocent. Had it not been for Jill Carter who pushed amendments for exoneration and expungment for the innocent, on behalf of the black caucus, they would have not been included in the bill. 995 of cold cases solved have been through DNA taken from convicted criminals, not an accused person that is presumed innocent. This bill is bad policy that will not reduce crime.
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EXAMINER READER said:
You know, DNA cuts both ways. DNA has also been the key to freeing innocent people who have served years for crimes they did not commit. I don't have a problem with my prints or DNA being on file, but I'm not planning on breaking into anyone's car today or taking someone's life. In principle, we should not have to have a national record of these things, but crime has reached epidemic proportions and our borders remain open to criminals of every kind. Extreme circumstances require extreme measures to achieve a solution. The Black Caucus (Black Crows) should focus on "in community" crime reduction measures. The majority of violent and property crimes are committed by blacks and against blacks. They should focus too on equality of sentencing guidelines where they'll find considerable support.
2 agree | 13 disagree
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Reader said:
I protest DNA testing after todays news, darn canibals this state of MD we are in.
13 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Everyone that voted for this bill is guilty of a far worse crime than anyone they hope to target, and each legislator that voted "yes", as well as the governor should be forced to submit their DNA into CODIS and every other DNA database!
19 agree | 2 disagree
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BLACKMAN said:
Here we go again lets see what we can do about crime lets put people Human Prints on file, lets keep an eye on them by placing people who are innicent first and worring about them fixing it later but in the mean time lets file them,and watch them, it's gonna be a train wreck, and it's gonna prove again that this state is a police state
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Martin said:
Martinee, clue Please.
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Ernest P. McGee said:
I said it before and I'll say it again. The State Police ignored this problem for years. The Division of Parole and Probation has fixed this problem by collecting thousands of DNA samples over the past 12 months. Get a clue Martin! Thanks for the 2% raise!
4 agree | 3 disagree
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Keep It Civil said:
It should not be inferred that O'Malley is like Hitler. Hitler had a higher approval rating.
17 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
The bill was introduced on behalf of O'Malley's administration. He will not be vetoing it. Although, to point out how hypocritical O'Malley is, the republican governor of South Carolina did veto this same legislation on the basis that is called for unconstitutional, privacy violations and would result in unreasonable searches. Why is O'Malley so-afraid to fight crime the legal and constitutional way? He should have learned after all those illegal arrests he caused in Baltimore, that cheating at the expense of the citizens doesn't work.
13 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
D, are you equating O'Malley with Hitler?
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4 O'Malley said:
An oversight occurs on these DNA test all the time, and its all thrown out of court. Too much for some idiot judges with no power to understand? How many drugs will be found if they DNA test everyone. Call it what it is, a violation of your constitutional rights. Get over it. Take a chill pill.
14 agree | 3 disagree
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D said:
Only O'Malley can no longer give support on DNA, a governor has the right to veto. Call it Hitler or the only arse of the State.
3 agree | 3 disagree
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Nicole said:
I agree, the DNA bill is a lousy bill. The General Assembly will pass this lousy bill for the lousy reason that lousy O'Malley has pressured them to pass it. There is ONE non-lousy member that fought against this bill and did not vote for this lousy bill. The only democrat in the MD General Assembly that does not take her marching orders from a rogue governor, or a run-away assembly. Thank you, my delegate, Delegate Jill P. Carter, Dist 41, for standing up for democracy, the constitution, your constituents, and for America. Delegate Carter was the ONLY "NO" vote on the House Judidicary Committee on this lousy DNA bill!
15 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
The People's Republic of Maryalnd is at it again. This bill removes the presumption of innocense from everyone. If passed, you may as well collect DNA samples from every citizen, because there would be no distiction. This is a lousy bill, crafted and considered by a lousy general assembly.
10 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
No innocent person should be forced to give a DNA sample. Convicted criminals are a different story.
12 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
This DNA bill is bad. Black lawmakers are correct to oppose it. WHAT IS WRONG WITH WHITE LAWMAKERS THAT THEY WOULD BE FOR IT? O'Malley is a fascist and a hypocrite of the worst order. He got caught having thousands of innocent people locked up in Baltimore. And now, he wants to lock people up and take their DNA. Does anyone truly trust this guy's motives? Even Sheila Dixon is smarter on crime than O'Malley simply because she has focused on arresting people that are actually committing crimes. Bad bill. Bad governor.
15 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
As long as it cost the taxpayers more money, Omalley supports it. It will give him another excuse to raise taxes again.
26 agree | 21 disagree
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avid reader said:
O'Malleys DNA will prove that he is a true Jerk.
33 agree | 26 disagree
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Duh. said:
Violent criminals should not have DNA put into a database, they should be executed and thrown into a pit.
37 agree | 36 disagree
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Ernest P. McGee said:
The State Police ignored this problem for years. The Division of Parole and Probation has fixed this problem by collecting thousands of DNA samples over the past 12 months. Get a clue Martin!
29 agree | 35 disagree
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The Undertaker said:
O'Malley is a fascist who supports the IRA so it doesn't surprise me that he supports this.
41 agree | 34 disagree
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