FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS HENRY SANTANA CITY COUNCILOR AT LARGE AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE.  TODAY IS APRIL 26, 2024. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED AND IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON DARK OF SLASH CITY COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FILES CHANNEL 964. WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL. KEITH P.S. BOSTON LOGO AND WILL BE MADE PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS.  PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING. INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON AN ORDER IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON RON RON COBB AT BOSTON LEGAL FOR THE LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 0507. ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS RESOURCES FOR THE BOSTON POLICE CRIME LABORATORY.  THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCILOR AT FLYNN AND WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON MARCH 13, 2020 FOR. BEFORE WE BEGIN, I JUST WANT TO SAY AS CHAIR OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE I'M GREATLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE WORK THAT THE CRIME LAB DOES. WE KNOW THE TREMENDOUS IMPORTANCE OF FORENSICS ANALYSIS IN SOLVING CASES AND ENSURING JUSTICE AND THAT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR SOME OF THE MOST HORRIBLE AND VIOLENT CRIMES INCLUDING SEXUAL ASSAULT AND RAPE CASES,  HOMICIDES AND SHOOTINGS, HUMAN AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING.  AND WE KNOW YOU'RE DOING THIS WORK WITH WITH TOO LITTLE STAFF AND TOO FEW RESOURCES WHICH WE'LL BE DISCUSSING TODAY. I TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR SPONSORING THIS HEARING. SO WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR ABOUT THIS CRITICAL WORK DIRECTLY FROM SOME OF OUR DEDICATED MEMBERS OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CRIME LAB AND DISCUSS WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL CAN DO TO SUPPORT YOU. COUNCILOR , WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE AN OPENING STATEMENT AS A SPONSOR?  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR CHAIRING THIS IMPORTANT HEARING AND THE PANELISTS FOR BEING HERE FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT YOU DO.  I FILED THIS HEARING TO DISCUSS THE STAFFING SHORTAGE AT THE BOSTON POLICE CRIME LAB AS WELL AS WAYS TO ENSURE THAT THE CRIME LAB HAS THE APPROPRIATE RESOURCES TO OPERATE MORE EFFECTIVELY. WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR BUDGET PROCESS NOW. THAT'S WHY IT'S CRITICAL THAT WHEN WE MOVE FORWARD IT'S CRITICAL THAT THE CRIME LAB HAS THE RESOURCES AND PERSONNEL TO DO THEIR JOB EFFECTIVELY. AS YOU KNOW, 2018 THE STATE LEGISLATURE MANDATED THAT SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS BE TESTED WITHIN 30 DAYS. IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT EVIDENCE IS QUICKLY PROCESSED AND IT CAN HELP BRING JUSTICE FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS.  HOWEVER, IT WAS REPORTED THAT HALF OF THE KITS WERE NOT TESTED WITHIN A 30 DAY WINDOW BY THE BOSTON POLICE CRIME LABORATORY.  ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, THE LAB RECEIVED 186 SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS IN FY 23 BETWEEN JUNE 2022 AND JUNE 2023 AND 93 OF WHICH IT DID NOT MANAGE TO BE TESTED WITHIN 30 DAYS. IN FY 22 IT FAILED TO TEST 39 OF THE 144 KITS WITHIN 30 DAYS AND 24 OF THE 123 KITS IN FY 21. BY COMPARISON, THE STATE POLICE CRIME LAB TESTED 90 96% OF THE 714 KITS IT RECEIVED WITHIN 30 DAYS AND FBI 23. BECAUSE OF THIS DELAY FOR THE BPD CRIME LAB IS LISTED AS STAFFING SHORTAGE AND THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN MENTIONED AND THE EXECUTIVE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY REPORT SINCE IT STARTED ITS ANNUAL REPORT IN 2020. IT IS CRITICAL THAT SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS AND EVIDENCE FROM SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS BE PROCESSED IN A TIMELY MANNER.  WE NEED TO EXAMINE THE CAUSES OF THE STAFFING SHORTAGE WHETHER IT'S RELATED TO COMPENSATION BENEFITS LEVEL RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS,  QUALIFICATIONS OF CANDIDATES OR OTHER FACTORS. I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION THAT GOOD SHARE SENTINEL. THANK YOU COUNCILOR FLYNN.  WE ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE WHICH I WAS I'LL READ IT TO THE RECORD. DEAR CHAIR SANTANA I WILL BE UNABLE TO ATTEND THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE HEARING ON DOCKET NUMBER 0507 ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS RESOURCES FOR THE BOSTON POLICE LABORATORY.  I KNOW THE COMMITTEE WILL CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE AND THOROUGH HEARING TO ADDRESS THE CRUCIAL ISSUES THAT IMPACT THE EFFICIENCY AND TIMELY PROCESSING OF CRITICAL FORENSICS EVIDENCE. WE MUST ENSURE THAT THE CRIME LAB IS EQUIPPED WITH THE NECESSARY RESOURCES AND STRATEGIES SUCH AS COMPETITIVE HIRING PRACTICES, ENHANCED TRAINING PROGRAMS AND SUFFICIENT FUNDING TO PRIORITIZE THE INTEGRITY OF OUR FORENSICS. EVIDENCE IS THE FOUNDATION OF SOLID PROSECUTION AND THE VICTIMS DESERVE. JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING THE HEARING TO REVIEW IN THE HEARING AND TO CONTRIBUTING TO FURTHER DISCUSSIONS.  SHOULD YOU OR ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE DIRECTLY AT 6176354376 OR RRC LOUIJEUNE. BOSTON LACK OF SINCERELY RESOLUTION BOSTON CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT EXCUSE ME WE ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM COUNCILOR PEP N WHICH I WILL NOW READ INTO THE RECORD DEAR CHAIRMAN SANTANA, MR. CLERK AND COUNCIL COLLEAGUES.  PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT I AM UNABLE TO ATTEND TODAY'S PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE HEARING ON DOCKET NUMBER 0507 OR FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS RESOURCES FOR THE BOSTON POLICE CRIME LABORATORY. MY STAFF WILL WATCH THE LIVESTREAM AND REPORT BACK TO ME WITH NOTES. I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS UPON REVIEWING THE RECORDING AND MY STAFF'S NOTES. SINCERELY ENRIQUE J. PEPEN, BOSTON CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE. I WOULD LIKE NOW TO I WOULD NOW LIKE TO INTRODUCE TODAY'S PANELIST TESTIFY ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION.  WITH US TODAY WE HAVE VICTOR EVANS POLICE POLICE SERGEANT OR BPD TO MAKE SURE KEVIN LARDY,  DIRECTOR OF FORENSICS QUALITY OF CONTROL WILL BE PD JULIE JAMES CRIMINALIST WITH BPD.  WITH THAT I'D LIKE TO GIVE THE PANELS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE AN OPENING STATEMENTS AND SOME BRIEF OVERVIEW OF EACH OF THEIR ROLES AND WORK. AND THEN I'LL OPEN UP THE DISCUSSION FOR MY COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  GOOD MORNING.  GOOD MORNING.  PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE CHAIR SANTANA . COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND CITY COUNCILORS. I AM DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT VICTOR EVANS ASSIGNED TO THE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES FOR THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TESTIFY TODAY AND TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING RESOURCES FOR THE BOSTON POLICE CRIME LABORATORY. THE BOSTON POLICE FORENSICS DIVISION IS WITHIN THE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES AND CONSISTS OF THE FIREARMS ANALYSIS UNIT, THE CRIME LABORATORY UNIT, THE LATENT PRINT UNIT. THE CRIME SCENE RESPONSE UNIT AND THE COMPUTER FORENSIC UNIT. WITH ME TODAY ARE TWO SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE BOSTON POLICE CRIME LABORATORY UNIT WHICH IS THE FOCUS OF DOCKET NUMBER 0507 TODAY. JULIE JAMES IS A CRIMINAL FOR AND THE DNA TECHNICAL LEAD OF THE BOSTON POLICE CRIME LABORATORY UNIT KIERAN LE ROD IS THE DIRECTOR OF QUALITY ASSURANCE FOR THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT'S FORENSIC DIVISION. THE FORENSICS LABS WITHIN THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE NATIONALLY ACCREDITED AND A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THE INVESTIGATIONS THAT BRING JUSTICE TO VICTIMS AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO OFFENDERS. WE ARE SCHEDULED FOR A FULL REASSESSMENT THIS FALL WHICH WILL REQUIRE TIME AND ATTENTION TO ENSURE THAT WE MAINTAIN OUR ACCREDITATION. THE EMPLOYEES OF THE LAB ARE HIGHLY EDUCATED, SKILLED AND TRAINED PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE VERY HARD TO PROCESS PROCESS EVIDENCE IN A TIMELY AND THOROUGH BEING. WE PRIORITIZE VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS IN EVERYTHING WE DO. WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THEM WITH SERVICES AND SUPPORT IN ADDITION TO JUSTICE AND CLOSURE BY WORKING TO HOLD OFFENDERS ACCOUNTABLE AND BY HOLDING OFFENDERS ACCOUNTABLE, WE AIM TO PREVENT FUTURE VICTIMIZATION BY REPEAT OFFENDERS.  REGARDING SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS AND THE LEGISLATIVE MANDATE TO TEST WITHIN 30 DAYS, I CAN TELL YOU THAT EVERY KID GETS TESTED AND INVESTIGATIONS ARE ONGOING . I WANT TO BE CLEAR ON THIS THAT INVESTIGATIONS DO NOT WAIT FOR KIDS TO BE TESTED. THE 30 CALENDAR DAY LIMIT THAT THE LEGISLATION REQUIRES IS VERY CHALLENGING FOR US.  I WANT TO STRESS A 30 DAY CALENDAR LIMIT IS REALLY A 20 BUSINESS DAY LIMIT. THE LIMITED TIMEFRAME PUTS UNDUE STRESS ON THE HARD WORKING AND DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS IN OUR CRIME LAB TO TURN AROUND CASES IN A SHORT TIMEFRAME WHICH COULD UNTIMELY COMPROMISE THE QUALITY OF THE WORK BEING DONE.  JULIE JAMES AND KEVIN LAUREN WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS REGARDING DNA TESTING AND THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE CRIME LAB AS WELL AS PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION REGARDING REALISTIC TIMELINES FOR TESTING OF SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS. WE APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL'S SUPPORT AND WE WILL WELCOME ANY INFLUENCE YOU MAY HAVE WITH THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO AMEND THE 30 CALENDAR DAY DEADLINE.  I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INVITE YOU AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT THE BOSTON POLICE FORENSIC DIVISION SO YOU MAY SEE FIRSTHAND THE HARD WORK AND COMMITMENT DONE BY THESE MEMBERS DAY IN AND DAY OUT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.  THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE THAT OVERVIEW. AND WITH THAT I WILL KICK IT OFF FOR SOME QUESTIONS. COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE PANEL FOR BEING HERE AND THE IMPORTANT WORK YOU ARE DOING.  SO I LISTENED CLOSELY. DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT T TO YOUR COMMENTS AND THE 30 DAY REQUIREMENT TO TEST RAPE KITS. THAT'S THAT'S A LAW BY EXECUTIVE OFFICE PUBLIC THAT'S A LAW THAT'S A STATE LAW.  YES, THAT'S CORRECT.  GOING FORWARD ARE WE GOING TO HAVE CHALLENGE?  I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THE POSSIBILITY OF AMENDING IT BUT ARE WE ABLE TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE 30 DAY LAW TO TEST THESE KITS? I DO UNDERSTAND THAT ON INVESTIGATIONS ARE GOING BUT ARE WE ABLE TO MAKE THAT 30 DAY REQUIREMENT?  CAN WE MAKE IT?  I THINK WE CAN. WE'VE SHIFTED SOME OF OUR RESOURCES TO TRY TO MEET THAT. I MEAN I CAN TALK ABOUT YEAR TO DATE WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR.  SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO. WELL, I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING THE QUESTION. OKAY. IT'S IT'S A STATE LAW THAT WE WE REQUIRE TO TEST THESE KITS WITHIN 30 DAYS. WE'RE NOT DOING THAT.  ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT THAT?  YES OR NO? I MEAN THE MANDATE IS PRETTY AMBITIOUS. CAN WE MEET 30 DAYS? I'D LIKE TO SAY WE'RE THAT'S OUR GOAL. WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO MEET IT. WILL WE BE ABLE TO MEET IT? I'M NOT SURE. I MEAN, IF WE THROW ENOUGH RESOURCES AT IT, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO.  IS THAT I THINK IT'S PRETTY AMBITIOUS COMPARED TO OTHER STATES.  HAVE YOU LOOK. ARE YOU AWARE OF WHAT THE MANDATES ARE FOR OTHER STATES OR NOT?  EVERY STATE HAS A MANDATE FOR OFF BUT A LOT OF STATES DO HAVE MANDATED TURNAROUNDS. I MEAN I CAN GO THROUGH SOME OF THOSE IF YOU WANT. AND AGAIN, I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE EXCUSES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT FOR PEOPLE HERE BUT WHAT WE DO HAVE A PRETTY AMBITIOUS TIMEFRAME HERE. WELL, THE REASON I WANT TO GET TO THE THE ANSWERS IS WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUDGET PROCESS AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES OR PERSONNEL I WANT TO KNOW THAT SO I CAN EFFECTIVELY ADVOCATE FOR THE CRIME LAB TO GET THE RESOURCES IT NEEDS TO BE IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW BUT ALSO TO CONTINUE THE WORK THE IMPORTANT WORK OF THE OF THE CRIME LAB.  THAT'S THE REASON I'M ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS. SO I CAN HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING WHAT I CAN ASK FOR AS WE GO INTO THIS BUDGET PROCESS.  COUNSELOR. CURRENTLY WE HAVE TO VACANT POSITIONS AND WITH THAT WITH THE EXPECTATIONS OF TWO ADDITIONAL POSITIONS WITHIN THE TIMEFRAME OF 30 TO 60 DAYS, WE ALSO ANTICIPATE TWO EMPLOYEES GOING OUT ON PAID PARENTAL LEAVE WHICH IS OFFERED BY THE CITY OF BOSTON.  AS FOR THE STAFFING SHORTAGES FMLA ANNUAL LEAVE SICK TIME WHICH ALL EMPLOYEES ARE ENTITLED TO THAT IS A PART OF THE STAFFING ISSUES THAT WE WILL DISCUSS PRIOR TO MY TENURE IN RESPONSE TO THE CHANGE IN THE LAW ON FISCAL YEAR 20 PROPOSED A NEW INITIATIVE FOR THE CRIME LAB IN ORDER TO BE COMPLIANT. IT WAS REQUESTED THROUGH CITY OBM BUSINESS BUDGET MANDATE. WE REQUESTED ONE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ONE CRIMINALIST FOR THE DNA SECTION AND FOR CRIMINALS ONES FOR AN ESTIMATED TOTAL COST OF $397,000. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE RECEIVED APPROVAL FOR FOUR CRIMINALS AND SOME DNA EQUIPMENT AND THAT TOLD FOR APPROXIMATELY $165,000 IN FISCAL YEAR 21 WE RECEIVED APPROVAL FOR ONE CRIMINALIST IN THE FORENSIC DIVISION AS A FIREARM EXAMINER AND TWO CRIMINALS FOR LATENT PRINTS. LAST YEAR THE INTERIM CRIME LAB DIRECTOR PROVIDED ME WITH A PROPOSAL FOR ADDITIONAL PLOYS IN A POSSIBLE REORGANIZATION OF CERTAIN POSITIONS.  SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO GET ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. THE CRIME LAB AS WE'VE OUTGROWN OUR SPACE I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP IN PRIOR COUNCIL HEARINGS AND PRIOR TO YOUR TENURE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO GET ADDITIONAL SPACE FOR A CRIME LAB ESPECIALLY ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT BUT COME UP WITH ADDITIONAL SPACE AND ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT. WE NEED ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES AND STAFF TO PUT A NUMBER ON THAT. I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT NUMBER ON THAT BUT ANY ADDITIONAL HELP WE WOULD DEFINITELY WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT TO GET TO OBTAIN THAT.  THANK YOU, DEPUTY, CAN YOU GIVE ME THE THE EXACT NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES YOU HAVE AT THE CRIME LAB?  FROM MY RECORDS I HAVE 22 SET ABOUT YEAH. SO I MEAN THE CRIME THERE'S AS DEPUTY MENTIONED ON HIS OPENING STATEMENT WE THERE'S A FORENSIC DIVISION WHICH ENCOMPASSES A NUMBER OF LABS SO WE'RE SET UP A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY OR WHERE WE HAVE A FIREARMS ANALYSIS UNIT A LATENT PRINT UNIT AND A CRIME LABORATORY UNIT PUT TOGETHER.  THEY ALL WORK AS A FORENSIC DIVISION. TYPICALLY A LOT OF FORENSIC SERVICES WOULD BE UNDER ONE UMBRELLA UNDER ONE UMBRELLA. BUT THERE'S A BREAKDOWN OF DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES. BUT YEAH, THERE'S 22 PEOPLE CURRENTLY IN THE CRIME LAB. 11 PEOPLE ARE IN OUR FIREARMS ANALYSIS UNIT AND 14 PEOPLE IN OUR PRINT UNIT AND 47 TOTAL. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON LEAVE?  ONE PERSON'S ON LEAVE. THERE'S A VACANT POSITION WHICH IS THE QUALITY MANAGER THAT WAS DEDICATED TO THE CRIME LAB. THERE'S A VACANT POSITION TWO VACANT DNA CRIMINALS POSITIONS AND THERE'S A SINGLE DNA POSITION THAT'S GOING TO BE VACATED WITHIN THE NEXT THREE WEEKS AND WE ARE ANTICIPATING TWO AND THEN TWO PEOPLE WILL BE ON ETERNITY LEAVE IN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS. YEAH.  SO WE'RE HOPING SMALL OPERATION WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE CRIME LAB? WHAT IS IT, KEVIN BECAUSE YOU WORK WHO IS THE PERSON ON LEAVE ? KEVIN ? KEVIN GOOD SHAKA'S ALI HE'S THE CRIME LAB DIRECTOR. IS HE A CIVILIAN OR A CIVILIAN? YEAH. AND HOW LONG HAS HE BEEN ON LEAVE FOR? HE'S BEEN ON LEAVE SINCE AUGUST OF 2022 717 MONTHS? YES, THAT'S CORRECT. YES.  WHAT IS THE REASON THAT HE'S ON LEAVE?  IT'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE INTERNAL INVESTIGATION RIGHT NOW IT'S CLOSE TO THE END OF IT. I DON'T KNOW THE WHAT THE OUTCOME WILL BE BUT HE'S CURRENTLY ON LEAVE. BUT I JUST WANT TO STRESS THAT SINCE THE DAY THAT HE HAS BEEN ON LEAVE THERE HAVE BEEN INTERIM DIRECTORS AND CURRENTLY SEVERAL DIRECTORS THAT HAVE BEEN OPERATING IN HIS PLACE TO KEEP THE LAB RUNNING SO BECAUSE WE ARE NOT TESTING THE RAPE KITS EVERY 30 DAYS AND AGAIN I KNOW THE OFFICE IS OVERWORKED AND WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PERSONNEL IN THERE I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BUT WE ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE 30 DE LAW FROM THE STATE.  DOES THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE A PERMANENT DIRECTOR OF THE CRIME LAB THAT'S IN THERE EVERY DAY PROVIDING ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT,  LEADERSHIP SUPERVISION IS THAT IMPACTING THE 30 DAY REQUIREMENT? I WOULD SAY NO SIR BECAUSE MYSELF SUPERINTENDENT FILIPPO PHILIPPE COLOGNE ARE THERE SEVERAL OTHER DIRECTORS THAT ARE HERE? WE'RE THERE FOR SUPPORT AND A MYSTERY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT.  I WILL COMPARE THAT TO WHEN WE DID NOT HAVE A POLICE COMMISSIONER AND THAT WAS DOING A NATIONAL SEARCH BUT THE JOB AND THE WORK DONE BY THE POLICE OFFICERS DID NOT STOP.  WE STILL CONTINUE TO DO OUR JOB AND EVEN THOUGH THE DIRECTOR IS ON LEAVE THERE ARE OTHER INDIVIDUAL THAT HAVE STEPPED UP TO FILL THAT TO FILL THAT VOID WHILE YOU WAIT FOR WHEN HE TURNS UP, RETURNS BACK.  SO IS THERE AN ACTING DIRECTOR OF THE CRIME LAB BECAUSE THIS PERSON IS ON ON LEAVE? YES, WE'RE ALL HELPING OUT. I'M CURRENTLY CAPTAINS.  STEVE MCGLOTHLIN IS THE INTERIM ACTING DIRECTOR.  PRIOR TO THAT RACHEL CAMPER THAT WAS THE DIRECTOR OF OUR LEIGHTON PRINTS UNIT ASSISTED AS WELL. SO THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN SOMEONE INVOLVED IN THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS THAT IS THE INTERIM DIRECTOR DURING HIS ABSENCE.  ARE THEY ALSO DOING OTHER DUTIES AS WELL BESIDES THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE CRIME LAB? ARE THEY ALSO DOING THEIR CURRENT RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES? YES, THEY ARE.  WELL, THAT'S THAT'S A THAT'S A CONCERN I HAVE THAT MEANS TO ME THAT THE DIRECTOR OF THE CRIME LAB, THE TEMPORARY DIRECTOR OF THE CRIME LAB AND AGAIN THEY PROBABLY DOING THE BEST THEY CAN BUT THE TEMPORARY DIRECTOR OF THE CRIME LAB IS NOT DEDICATED TO THE CRIME LAB 100% OF THE TIME BECAUSE HE OR SHE MIGHT HAVE OTHER DUTIES AS WELL. IS THAT ACCURATE?  YES, I'D SAY THAT'S FAIR TO SAY . WELL, WHEN WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET THIS RESOLVED THAT AN 18 MONTH PERIOD OF TIME IS LONG ENOUGH? WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET THIS RESOLVED AND GET A PERMANENT CRIME LAB DIRECTOR IN THERE THAT WILL COME IN TO THE OFFICE AND DEAL WITH THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CRIME LAB CONSISTENTLY 100% OF THE TIME WHEN WHEN WHEN WILL THAT HAPPEN? COUNCILOR I AGAIN I KNOW IT'S IT'S IN ITS FINAL STAGES.  I HONESTLY CANNOT GIVE YOU A DATE WHEN THAT HAS HAPPENED BUT WHEN THAT DOES HAPPEN I WILL REACH OUT TO AND LET THE COUNCIL KNOW WHEN THAT HAPPENS BUT I ASSURE YOU IT'S IN THE SENATE. WATSON IT'S WITHIN THE FINAL STAGES.  I THINK THE PERIOD OF 18 MONTHS WITHOUT A PERMANENT DIRECTOR OF THE CRIME LAB HAS HURT THE CRIME LAB. I THINK IT HAS HURT THE MORALE OF THE STAFF.  I THINK IT HAS HAD AN IMPACT ON THE TESTING OF RAPE KITS AND IT'S NOT GOOD MANAGEMENT PRACTICE WHAT HAVING HAVING SOMEONE ACTING FOR A PERIOD OF 18 MONTHS WHILE THIS OTHER PERSON IS AS ON LEAVE WE DON'T KNOW THE REASON WHY THE PERSON IS ON LEAVE AND PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTING THEY'RE PROBABLY THEY'RE DOING A GOOD JOB, THEY'RE DOING THE BEST THEY CAN BUT THEY'RE NOT DEDICATED TO THE JOB 100% OF THE TIME AND WE AS A CITY HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS EVIDENCE IS PROCESSED APPROPRIATELY.  RAPE KITS WHETHER THE WHETHER THE 30 DAY REQUIREMENT IS IS TOO DIFFICULT TO MEET THAT'S STILL STATE LAW AND WE DON'T HAVE THE OPTION OF PICKING AND CHOOSING WHICH LAWS WE WANT TO RESPECT AND KNOWING THAT WE HAVE WE ARE SO UNDERSTAFFED.  IT'S UP TO MY COLLEAGUES ON THE CITY COUNCIL TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE FUNDING TO DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES BUT I'M GOING TO STOP THERE. I I DO WANT TO GIVE MY COLLEAGUE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS AS WELL AND I WOULD HAVE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS BUT I WOULD I DO WANT TO STOP IN THIS IS SOMETHING THAT DON'T OKAY. OKAY.  I'LL CONTINUE.  I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY PRIOR TO BEING ON THE CITY COUNCIL AS A PROBATION OFFICER AT THE SUFFOLK SUPERIOR COURT I SUPERVISE MEN MOSTLY THAT WERE CONVICTED OF SEXUAL ASSAULT SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES, OFFENSES, VIOLENT CRIMES AND ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITIES AS PART OF THAT SUPERVISION HAS TALKED TO SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AS WELL AND DISCUSSED THE CONDITIONS OF PROBATION THAT THAT PARTICULAR PERSON IS ON WHETHER THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE AND IF THEY'RE IN THEIR TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS, SEXUAL COUNSELING FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE BOSTON POLICE REPORTING RESIDENCY YOUR EMPLOYMENT. SO I KNOW THIS ISSUE PRETTY WELL BUT LET ME JUST GO BACK TO THE CRIME LAB.  THE STATE POLICE IS MEETING THE 30 DAY REQUIREMENT CONSISTENTLY THE STATE POLICE IS USING WHY SCREENING WHY SCREENING IS A MORE DETAILED AND ADVANCED WAY TO TEST RAPE KITS.  BOSTON POLICE IS NOT USE WHY SCREENING TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE IS THAT CORRECT?  THAT'S CORRECT.  WHY IS THE BOSTON POLICE NOT USING USING WHY SCREENING WE HAVE NOT HAD THE APPROPRIATE STAFFING RESOURCES TO DEVOTE TO BRING ON A TECHNOLOGY OF THAT TYPE BASED.  BEING AN ACCREDITED LABORATORY MEANS THAT WHENEVER YOU BRING ON A NEW TESTING SYSTEM OR INSTRUMENTATION YOU NEED TO DO WHAT'S CALLED VALIDATION WHICH IS JUST TESTING THAT SYSTEM,  TESTING THE LEARNING THE LIMITATIONS OF ANY GIVEN TEST BEFORE YOU BRING IT ONLINE SO THAT YOU DEVELOP A PROTOCOL AND THEN YOU HAVE TO TRAIN EVERYBODY ON IT AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.  THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPED DEVOTION OF RESOURCES AND INCLUDING STAFF AND TIME AND BUDGET MONEY AND TO DO IT RIGHT AND BRING IT ONLINE SO THAT IT IS A TOP QUALITY PRODUCT DOES REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT OF PRIMARILY PEOPLE RESOURCES AND TO BRING SOMETHING LIKE WHY SCREENING ONLINE TO OUR LABORATORY WOULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN DELAYING THE TURNAROUND TIME FOR ALL OUR CASES THAT WE WORK IN DNA INCLUDING SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS. SO GIVEN THE STRUGGLES WE'VE HAD WITH MEETING THE 30 DAY TURNAROUND TIME AND THE SORT OF COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF HOW MUCH WOULD THAT WORK, HOW MUCH WOULD BRINGING MY SCREENING ONLINE REALLY IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO DO TESTING MORE QUICKLY? WE FELT THAT IT WASN'T A GOOD USE OF OUR RESOURCES GIVEN THAT WE ARE LIMITED IN OUR STAFF TO INVEST IN WHY SCREENING AT THIS TIME ALTHOUGH WE RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS CLEARLY THE WAY OF THE FUTURE IS AN IMPROVEMENT BUT IT IT WOULD HAVE IMPACTED OUR TESTING ALL AROUND SO SIGNIFICANTLY THAT WE DETERMINED THAT IT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD PURSUE AT THIS TIME BECAUSE YOU ARE SIGNIFICANTLY UNDERSTAFFED AND WITH LIMITED RESOURCES YOU COULD NOT BRING WISE SCREENING AND AND IT COULD POSSIBLY ADD MORE TIME TO THE CURRENT OBLIGATION AND THAT YOU'RE REQUIRED TO MEET. IS THAT CORRECT? IF WE HAD BROUGHT WIDE SCREENING ONLINE IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS IT WOULD ABSOLUTELY HAVE HAD AN IMPACT ON TURNAROUND TIME FOR ALL DNA CASES NOT JUST TRACKING CASES NOW THANK YOU FOR THE ANSWER AND YOU'VE BEEN I UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION AND IN DIFFICULT SITUATION YOU'RE IN THAT COMES DOWN TO RESOURCES.  IT COMES DOWN TO PERSONNEL IS IS A MAJOR CITY LIKE BOSTON. SHOULD WE BE USING WHY SCREENING WHY SCREENING IS A TOOL THAT'S OFFERED TO US. IT IS IT IS SOMETHING THAT MANY ,MANY LABS ACROSS THE COUNTRY USE. IT'S NOT YOU KNOW THERE'S NO THERE'S NO THERE'S NO SIGNIFICANT CONCERN WITH THE CURRENT TESTING THAT WE DO RIGHT NOW. SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF IT AND WE JUST NEEDED TO MAKE A DETERMINATION OF WHETHER IT MADE SENSE TO USE OUR RESOURCES TO BRING THAT ONLINE OR NOT. AND WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW CAN WE MAKE A PLAN FOR THIS IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO BRING IT ONLINE.  MY RECOMMENDATION IS WE HAVE A STATE OF THE ART CRIME LAB. WE HAVE Y SCREENING.  WE HAVE THE NECESSARY RESOURCES IN PLACE.  WE HAVE THE NECESSARY PERSONNEL AND WE HAVE LEADERSHIP.  I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE LEADERSHIP AT THE CRIME LAB WHEN SOMEONE IS OUT FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME FOR 18 MONTHS THAT HURTS MORALE, THAT HURTS THE JOB OF THE CRIME LAB TO DO ITS MISSION AND IT SETS IT IT SHOWS THE PERSON OUT IN A CRIME LAB IN MY OPINION THAT WE'RE NOT TAKING THIS AS SERIOUSLY AS WE SHOULD. AND I'M I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS HAS GONE ON FOR 18 MONTHS IN SUCH AN IMPORTANT POSITION IN CITY GOVERNMENT IN SURVIVORS OF CRIME SURVIVORS OF VIOLENT CRIMES ARE THERE IN RAPE KITS ARE NOT BEING TESTED UNDER THE BY THE 30 DAY REQUIREMENT. THEY ARE BEING TESTED BUT WE'RE NOT MEETING THE STATE THE STATE MATCH WHAT IS THE SALARY OF THE CRIME LAB DIRECTOR THAT I KNOW 147 AROUND AND IS THIS CRIME LAB DIRECTOR BEEN PAID THE LAST 18 MONTHS? YES, I UNDERSTAND THAT. YES.  AND IN ARE WE LOOKING TO HIRE A PERMANENT CRIME LAB DIRECTOR?  I CAN'T ANSWER THAT, SIR, BECAUSE HE'S STILL OUT ON LEAVE . I JUST DON'T WANT THIS SITUATION TO GO ON FOR ANOTHER. YOU KNOW, SIX MONTHS OR EIGHT MONTHS OR TEN MONTHS AND WE'RE PAYING SOMEONE TO NOT SHOW UP AND TO NOT DO THE JOB AND THEN LEAVES THE OFFICE WITHOUT STRONG LEADERSHIP. EVERY OFFICE NEEDS STRONG ETHICAL LEADERSHIP SOMEONE THAT'S ACCOUNTABLE, SOMEONE THAT SHOWS UP EVERY DAY THAT PUTS IN THE HOURS IS THIS A PRIORITY FOR THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE?  YES, IT IS. YES, IT IS CONCERNED AGAIN,  UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T HAVE A CONCURRENT TIMEFRAME TO GIVE YOU BUT I DO KNOW IT'S IN THE FINAL STAGES. HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN IN THE FINAL STAGES FOR THIS IN TERMS OF THE FINAL STAGES THAT A DECISION MIGHT BE MADE WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS?  AND I WOULD SAY THE AT THE MOST IS 30 DAYS. OKAY. THAT WOULD BE THAT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY IF WE HIRE A NEW DIRECTOR OF CRIME LAB JUST JUST THINKING OUT LOUD OR IF WE DID HIRE A NEW DIRECTOR OF CRIME WHAT THE CRIME LAB IS THAT PERSON SUBJECTED TO RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT? YEAH, I BELIEVE SO.  YES, YES, YES. IT'S AN EXAM POSITION. WHAT WOULD THAT IMPACT ANY POTENTIAL CRIME LAB DIRECTOR FROM TAKING THE JOB AS CRIME LAB DIRECTOR IF THEY KNEW THAT THEY HAD TO BE A BOSTON RESIDENT?  DO YOU GET A SENSE OF DO YOU GET A SENSE OF THAT BASED ON ANY OF THESE OTHER CIVILIAN EYES THAT WOULDN'T LIKE TO HAVE WORKED AT THE BOSTON POLICE CRIME LAB BUT BECAUSE OF RESIDENCY LAW THEY DECIDED NO, I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO PASS ON THAT OPPORTUNITY THAT I I DON'T KNOW WHO WOULD IF IF THE POSITION WAS MADE VACANT I DON'T KNOW WHO WOULD APPLY OR WHAT THEIR FAMILY CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD BE. BUT I DO KNOW THAT NOW THERE'S BEEN A FEW CIVILIANS THAT HAVE LEFT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT THEY RAISED IS, YOU KNOW, THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT, THE COST OF LIVING WITHIN THE CITY AND QUITE FRANKLY SOME PEOPLE THERE ARE NOT ORIGINALLY FROM HERE THEY'D LIKE TO GO BACK HOME. SO I THINK YOU KNOW, JUST SPEAKING FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN TAUGHT, I ACTUALLY THE INTERVIEWS ARE THE COST OF LIVING IN THE CITY AND THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT AND IT'S AS WE ALL KNOW IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE SO THAT MAY IMPACT ON INDIVIDUALS THAT WOULD HAVE AN INTEREST IF THE JOB BECAME VACANT IN THIS CASE AND UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES I WOULD I WOULD SUPPORT A WAIVER FOR CIVILIANS IN THE CRIME LAB INCLUDING THE DNA ANALYST THE CRIME LAB DIRECTOR AND ANYONE IN BETWEEN TO HAVE A RESIDENCY WAIVER BECAUSE THIS JOB IS CRITICAL TESTING TESTING RAPE KITS IS IS CRITICAL PROVIDING RESPECT AND OPPORTUNITY AND HOPE TO SURVIVORS IS CRITICAL IF WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THE OFFICE RUNS EFFECTIVELY AND THAT INCLUDES OFFERING POTENTIAL NEW HIRES THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A RESIDENCY WAIVER I WOULD SUPPORT THAT.  YEAH. SO WHAT IS WHAT IS THE TIMEFRAME THAT WE ARE TESTING RAPE KITS NOW I DID TAKE A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS FROM THE REPORT YOU'RE REFERENCING FOR JULY 2020 2 TO 2023. I THINK THERE WAS 186 I BELIEVE WAS THE REPORT 184 THOSE WERE KEPT IN-HOUSE. I THINK THERE'S TWO THAT ENDED UP BEING RE SENT BACK OUT TO THE STATE POLICE CALENDAR DAYS. I THINK THE AVERAGE TURNAROUND TIME WAS 53.6 DAYS. I ALSO CALCULATED BUSINESS DAYS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S BEEN AND EVEN IN THE STATUTE I MEAN I KNOW WE ARE BEING JUDGED ON CALENDAR DAYS. THE STATUTE DOESN'T SPECIFICALLY SAY CALENDAR DAYS BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE STATUTE ITSELF IT DOES SAY BUSINESS DAYS. SO THERE'S A SEVEN DAY WINDOW FOR IT TO BE DELIVERED FROM THE HOSPITAL TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.  SO IN LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS SEVEN DAYS TO THEN DROP IT OFF AT THE CRIME LAB FOR TESTING AND THEN IT DOES SAY THAT THERE'S 30 DAYS SO IT DOESN'T SPECIFY WHETHER IT'S CALENDAR BUT FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES WITH THE REPORT I KNOW THEY DO USE CALENDAR DAYS FOR THAT CALCULATION.  SO IT IS 53.6 DAYS FOR THE REPORT YOU'RE REFERENCING OF THOSE KIDS THAT SCREEN POSITIVE THEY WERE SENT FOR DNA TESTING.  SO APPROXIMATELY HALF THE KITS WE SCREEN THE KIT AND THEY'RE TYPICALLY DONE WITHIN FOUR BUSINESS DAYS AND THOSE ARE THEY'RE SENT ON FOR DNA TESTING. SO THERE'S SOME INDICATION THAT THERE'S POSITIVE THEY CAN GO ON FOR FUTURE TESTING OR NOT FUTURE TESTING BUT DNA TESTING THERE WAS 98 TOTAL AND FOR THOSE THE TURNAROUND TIME DOES GO UP. SO ONCE DNA IS INVOLVED, ONCE IT'S TESTED POSITIVE, THAT TURNAROUND TIME IS GOING TO GO UP BECAUSE JULIE'S PROCESS TAKES A LOT OF TIME.  IT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME. SO CALENDAR DAYS FOR THOSE IT WAS 95 DAYS, BUSINESS DAYS WAS 66 DAYS. SO 66 APPROXIMATELY 66 DAY TURNAROUND TIME OF THOSE. SO THE AMOUNT OF KITS THAT WERE COMPLETED WITHIN 30 BUSINESS DAYS AND AGAIN THIS IS FOR THE PAST FISCAL YEAR WAS 5% OF THE KITS SO FIVE OUT OF 98 THOSE COMPLETED WITHIN 60 BUSINESS DAYS WAS 52% AND THOSE COMPLETED WITHIN 90 BUSINESS DAYS WAS 78%. AND I THINK I WANT TO STRESS AGAIN I KNOW DEPUTY ALREADY SAID IT BUT ALL KITS ARE BEING TESTED. THERE ARE NO SURVIVORS THAT ARE NOT GETTING THE RESULTS. THEY ARE ALL GETTING THE RESULTS.  IS IT ACKNOWLEDGE IT'S NOT MEETING THE 30 DAY TURNAROUND TIME? WE'RE DOING OUR BEST. WE ARE NOT ABLE TO MEET IT AS WE'RE CURRENTLY SET UP BUT LIKE I SAID WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE A BACKLOG OF RAPE KITS AND I THINK THAT WAS PART OF WHAT THE STATUTE WAS LOOKING AT. IT WAS LIKE ENSURING THAT SURVIVORS GOT RESULTS. WE ARE PROUD TO SAY WE'VE NEVER HAD A BACKLOG. WE HAVEN'T HAD A BACKLOG.  I'VE WORKED THERE. I'VE BEEN THERE FOR 16 AND A HALF, ALMOST 17 YEARS. WE'VE NEVER HAD A BACKLOG AND I THINK JULIE MIGHT EVEN BE ABLE TO ADD MORE IF YOU WANT MORE TECHNICAL THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE STEPS THEY'VE PUT IN PLACE TO ADDRESS ANY SEXUAL ASSAULT KIT THAT COMES IN AND WITH RESPECT TO HOW MANY PROFILES WE GENERATE, I THINK WE GENERATED MAYBE 97 PROFILES TOTAL AND OF THOSE AND 44 OF THEM WERE CODIS ELIGIBLE AND FOR THOSE THE ENTIRE TURNAROUND TIME WAS 104 DAYS BUSINESS DAYS 74 BUSINESS DAYS. NOW YEAR TO DATE. SO WE DID TRY CHANGING OUR WORKFLOW AND ADJUST SOME OF OUR PROCESSES TO FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON THE TURNAROUND TIME FOR THE SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS. SO BY DOING SO I MEAN SOMETHING KIND OF DOES FALL OFF THE TABLE. WE PRIORITIZE EVERYTHING. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A MANDATE AND IF THAT'S THE WAY THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS A MAJORITY OF OUR RESOURCES WE WILL DO THAT AND WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT SINCE THIS BECAME KIND OF A FOCUS.  BUT I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT WE'RE TAKING RESOURCES AWAY FROM CRIMES.  I MEAN THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO STILL PROCESS.  WE DO EVERYTHING IN-HOUSE FOR THE MOST PART. THERE IS SOME STUFF THAT WE HAVE SENT OUT BUT WE GENERALLY DO KEEP ALL OF OUR CASES BECAUSE IT'S EASIER THE LONG RUN FOR OUR PEOPLE TO DO OUR TESTING AND I MEAN THERE'S A QUALITY ASSURANCE ASPECT TO IT TOO. WE WANT WE RUN A TIGHT SHIP AND PART OF MY JOB IS TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM THAT UNDUE PRESSURE AND UNFORTUNATELY THE STATUTE IS KIND OF UNDUE PRESSURE WHERE WE'RE GETTING ON A TURNAROUND TIME THAT WE AGAIN, WE'VE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH BACKLOG KITS BUT NOW WE DO HAVE A 30 DAY TURNAROUND TIME. WE DO HAVE TO SHIFT OUR EXISTING RESOURCES SO SOME OF OTHER CASES SO THERE'S CRIMES AGAINST PEOPLE OR HOMICIDES.  WE'RE STILL PRIORITIES FOR US BUT IF WE HAVE TO SHIFT OUR RESOURCES IT MIGHT TAKE LONGER FOR THOSE TYPES OF CASES TO GET TURNED AROUND YEAR TO DATE. SO WE DID MAKE SOME CHANGES.  OUR WORKFLOW SO FAR WE'VE RECEIVED 35 TOTAL KITS 14 OF THEM ARE SCREEN POSITIVE AND HAVE BEEN SENT ON FOR DNA TESTING. SO IN JANUARY WHEN WE WERE KIND OF ADJUSTING OUR WORKFLOW WE RECEIVED 11 KITS, FOUR OF THEM WERE ABOUT 30 DAYS. SO WE STILL HADN'T HAD OUR PROCEDURES IN PLACE AND WE'VE JUST STREAMLINED HOW KITS ARE DROPPED OFF AT THE LAB WHEN THEY'RE STARTED SOME OF THESE KITS TO AGAIN I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE AN EXCUSE WE OWN OUR NUMBERS BUT WITH THE INFLATED TURNAROUND TIME FOR SOME OF OUR DNA WE DO HAVE A PROCESS WHERE WE BATCH SAMPLES AND IF ONE SAMPLES HELD UP IF THERE'S TEN CASES IN THAT PARTICULAR GROUP, ALL OF THOSE SAMPLES MAY BE HELD UP AND THOSE ARE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW TO BETTER STREAMLINE BUT IT'S MORE COST EFFECTIVE AND RESOURCE EFFICIENT FOR THEM TO PROCESS MULTIPLE CASES AT THE SAME TIME THAT RATHER THAN RUN EVERY SINGLE SAMPLE BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE SO MUCH INSTRUMENTATION IN OUR LAB AS WELL. SO IF THE MACHINES IN USE I MEAN WE CAN'T HAVE IT RUNNING ONE SAMPLE WHEN WE CAN MORE EFFECTIVELY BE RUNNING SEVEN SAMPLES AT THE SAME TIME. SO THAT MAKES SENSE. YEAH.  HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN THE CRIME LAB THAT SPECIFICALLY TEST RAPE KITS? I DON'T WANT TO SAY ANYBODY SPECIFICALLY TO TEST RAPE KITS. I MEAN IT'S A TEAM APPROACH WHERE THERE'S THE SCREENING PROCESS WHICH HAS GENERAL CRIMINALISTS UROLOGISTS THAT DO THE GENERAL SCREENING OF A RAPE SEXUAL OR SEXUAL ASSAULT KIT AND THEN IT'S WE WHAT'S THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR? IT'S KIND OF LIKE AN ASSEMBLY LINE WHERE THEN IT GOES TO OUR DNA AND OUR DNA PEOPLE PICK IT UP AT A CERTAIN POINT THEY DO THE EXTRACTION, THE AMPLIFICATION AND AND THEN PEOPLE DO THE DATA ANALYSIS. RIGHT NOW THE BOTTLENECK IS UNFORTUNATELY AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE OF THINGS BUT IT'S VERY TECHNICAL SO THE WE AREN'T HAVING A PROBLEM WITH GETTING THE KIT PROCESSED AND PUT INTO THE LAB, THE WET LAB PART OF THINGS AND A LOT OF THAT COMES DOWN TO THE TRAINING WITH NEW STAFF COMING ONLINE TO WE CAN TRAIN PEOPLE UP TO DO THE WET LAB WORK BUT IT'S THE TECHNICAL REVIEW PART OF THINGS THE DATA ANALYSIS THERE'S MIXTURE INTERPRETATION LIKE THERE'S JUST LIKE THE BAR KEEPS GETTING HIGHER AND HIGHER JUSTIFIABLY IT MAKES SENSE AND TECHNOLOGY IS GETTING BETTER BUT IT'S ALSO ADDING MORE TIME ON TO HOW WE DO OUR ANALYSIS. SO IT'S WE'RE STILL GETTING THE SAME AMOUNT OF CASES WE ALWAYS GOT. WE HAD THE SAME AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WE HAD PREVIOUSLY BUT JUST THE HOOPS ARE GETTING HIGHER THAT YOU HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH AND IT'S NOT JUST LIMITED TO FORENSICS. I MEAN THE DOCTOR'S OFFICES ARE THE SAME WAY. THEY DON'T SEE AS MANY PATIENTS BECAUSE THERE'S MORE THINGS THEY HAVE TO DO NOW, MORE PAPERWORK THEY HAVE TO FILE, THERE'S MORE TRANSPARENCY, THERE'S MORE DOCUMENTATION THAT GOES ALONG WITH EVERYTHING. SO IT'S JUST WE STARTING TO SEE A TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT WITH THAT WHERE WE'RE NOT GETTING AS MUCH WORK DONE. BUT I MEAN IT'S NOT WE STILL HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING GREAT WORK. I MEAN THESE PEOPLE ARE WORKING THEIR REAR ENDS OFF. THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB AND IT'S JUST AND I MEAN IT'S FRUSTRATING SOMETIMES TO SEE SEE THE ARTICLES IN THE NEWSPAPER WHERE IT SAYS WE'RE FAILING AT TESTING SEXUAL CIRCUITS WHEN I DON'T THINK WE'RE FAILING WE'RE NOT MEETING A 30 DAY TURNAROUND TIME. SO YES, IN A SENSE WE'RE NON-COMPLIANT WITH THE STATUTE. BUT I MEAN I STILL THINK AND I MEAN THIS IS MY OWN PERSONALLY I STILL THINK THIS WORK IS BEING DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER SO WE CAN JUST BECAUSE IT'S 120 DAYS IF WE WERE IN 15 DIFFERENT STATES THAT WOULD BE FINE. THERE'S A LOT OF STATES THAT HAVE MANDATES THAT SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS ARE PROCESSED BUT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A TURNAROUND TIME FOR THE DNA BUT THEY PUT THIS TRACK AND KIT TRACK IT SOFTWARE INTO PLACE SO THAT NOTHING'S FALLING BETWEEN THE CRACKS ANYMORE. ALL OF THOSE SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS ARE GETTING DONE. NOTHING IS GETTING LOST. THEY'RE NOT STAYING IN A FRIDGE SOMEWHERE.  THEY'RE NOT STAYING IN A DISTRICT SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY'RE NOT BEING TESTED. THEY ARE ALL BEING TESTED AND UNFORTUNATELY IT'S NOT MEETING A MANDATED TIMEFRAME WHICH IS 30 DAYS. WE GET THAT WE OWN IT. WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO THAT.  AND I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE OTHER NUMBERS BEFORE I CONTINUE SO JANUARY WAS WHEN WE MADE THE CHANGE IN FEBRUARY WE'VE HAD NINE KITS COME IN. NONE OF THOSE HAVE GONE ABOVE 30 DAYS. FEBRUARY SEVEN KITS HAVE COME IN, NONE OF THEM HAVE GONE ABOVE 30 DAYS NOW TWO KITS HAVE NOT BEEN CLOSED YET. SO IN THE TRACK IT SOFTWARE THEY'RE STILL OPEN BUT THE DNA PROFILE HAS ALREADY BEEN UPLOADED. THE TESTING IS COMPLETE. THE SAMPLES ARE RUNNING THROUGH CODIS FOR ALL INTENTS PURPOSES WITH THE LAB THEIR WORK IS DONE. THEY DO HAVE TO ISSUE A REPORT AND JUST ADMINISTRATIVELY CLOSE THE CASE. BUT WE DONE THAT BECAUSE THE PERSON HAPPENS TO BE IN TRAINING THIS WEEK. WE'RE A SMALL LAB IF YOU TAKE ONE OR TWO PEOPLE AWAY FOR A WEEK IT'S A HUGE IMPACT FOR US BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE WEARING SO MANY DIFFERENT HATS AND THAT'S THAT'S THE THAT'S THE CONCERN I HAVE. IT'S A SMALL LAB AND IF ONE OR TWO PEOPLE ARE OUT IT WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON ON THE WORKLOAD AND THE PEOPLE IN THE LAB. I BET YOU THEY'RE EXCELLENT AND THEY DO A PROFESSIONAL JOB. YEAH, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BUT BUT YOU ARE RIGHT IF ONE OR TWO PEOPLE ARE OUT IT DOES IMPACT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT THE WORKLOAD NOT HAVING A PERMANENT DIRECTOR IMPACTS MORALE, IMPACTS LEADERSHIP AND WHAT HAPPENS THEN IS WE HAVE WE HAVE NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE 30 DAYS BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE UNTIL WE GET THE CRIME LAB BACK ON TRACK IN TERMS OF HAVING A PERMANENT DIRECTOR, I THINK THAT'S CRITICAL.  IT'S ALSO CRITICAL THAT WE GET IN FOR THE CITY COUNCIL IF THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO ADVOCATE FOR MORE FUNDING FOR THE FOR THE CRIME LAB, THE PERSONNEL FOR RESOURCES YOU HAVE TOLD ME THAT THE CRIME LAB IS VERY SMALL.  YOU PROBABLY NEED A LARGER SPACE. I THINK THAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT.  WE HAVE TO PROBABLY TAKE A LOOK AT RESIDENCY IF THAT'S A POTENTIAL CHALLENGE AS WELL FOR ESPECIALLY FOR THE DIRECTOR OR FOR CRIME LAB ANALYSTS.  BUT THE BUT THE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES HAS TO BE A PRIORITY FOR THIS CITY COUNCIL IF WE'RE GOING TO ENSURE THAT SURVIVORS OF RAPE ARE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND WE JUST CAN'T CONTINUE RUNNING A CRIME LAB IN A MAJOR POLICE DEPARTMENT THIS WAY BECAUSE ONE PERSON HAS BEEN ON LEAVE FOR 18 MONTHS. THAT SHOULDN'T MEAN THERE'S A BREAKDOWN A COMPLETE BREAKDOWN IN FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES,  RESPONSIBILITIES AND TIMELINES . THAT'S THE ISSUE I WANT TO CHALLENGE THE BOSTON POLICE LEADERSHIP ON IS RESOLVE THAT ISSUE VERY SHORTLY.  GET A PERMANENT DIRECTOR AS CRIME LAB DIRECTOR VERY SHORTLY, HIRE POTENTIAL DNA CRIME ANALYSTS AS WELL, WORK WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO THIS JOB EFFECTIVELY. THANK YOU MR . THANK YOU COUNCILOR FLYNN AND THANK YOU FOR YOU ALL FOR ANSWERING. EXCUSE ME WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY CITY COUNCILOR AT LARGE ERIN MURPHY. I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU A TIME TO ASK YOUR QUESTIONS.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU CHAIR BUT I CAN'T THANK YOU COUNSELOR FLYNN FOR BRINGING THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE TO THE COUNCIL . THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.  THE LAST FEW THINGS YOU SAID AND I CAN HEAR YOUR PASSION AND I KNOW YOU'RE SORRY I GOT A LITTLE WORKED UP THERE. NO, NOT AT ALL. BUT ONE THING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME MORE THAN ONCE SO IT'S DEFINITELY NOT JUST THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN MANY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WHEN YOU CALL FOR SERVICES OR YOU CALL TO GET AN ANSWER FOR A CONSTITUENT OR TO UPLIFT A DEPARTMENT AND THERE'S ONLY ONE PERSON THAT CAN DO THAT JOB OF I'VE SAID MANY TIMES BY WAY MORE THAN I EVER THOUGHT I WOULD LIKE ARE YOU THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN DO THAT? IS THERE SOMEBODY ELSE IN THE DEPARTMENT THAT CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN OR ARE WE REALLY WAITING FOR SOMEONE ON MATERNITY LEAVE OR OUT SICK OR IN THIS CASE STAFFING SHORTAGES AND WITH MANY DEPARTMENTS WE'VE BUDGETED TO INCREASE STAFFING AND THEN THEY COME BACK A YEAR LATER AND THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO FILL IT.  SO I DO LIKE THAT COUNCIL OF FLYNN IS UPLIFTED. WE HAVE TO GET CREATIVE. BUT ONE QUESTION I MEAN MANDATES PUT INTO PLACE I THINK YOU KNOW THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT I WAS A TEACHER FOR 24 YEARS AND MANY TIMES THEY PUSH BACK AND SAY BUT WE ARE DOING GREAT. I'M LIKE BUT THIS YOU KNOW, THE IMPASSE SO THE LIMITS WE'RE SETTING WE'RE NOT REACHING OUR MARK THOUGH.  SO WHY AREN'T WE REACHING THE MARK AND WHY IS THAT 30 DAY MANDATE THERE? IF YOU COULD JUST ANSWER WHY IS THAT 30 DAY MANDATE THERE AND IS THAT SOMETHING YOU THINK SHOULDN'T BE THERE OR DO YOU THINK THAT'S UNREASONABLE AND FOR WHAT REASON?  I MEAN I DON'T THINK THERE SHOULDN'T BE A MANDATE FOR A TURNAROUND TIME. I JUST WE WEREN'T ASKED WHAT WOULD BE A REALISTIC TIME FRAME FOR TURNAROUND.  I MEAN WE DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT OUTSOURCING POTENTIALLY OUTSOURCING THIS TYPE OF WORK WITH A PRIVATE COMPANY AND DID THEIR TURNAROUND TIME FOR A REGULAR DNA SAMPLE BECAUSE WE HAVE WE WE DO HAVE TO SOMETIMES OUTSOURCE SOME OF OUR WORK AND WHEN WE APPROACHED THEM ABOUT LIKE WELL WHAT WOULD BE A REALISTIC TIME FRAME FOR YOU TO GET IT BACK IF WE WERE TO PROVIDE A REGULAR SAMPLE AND I MEAN I THINK IT WAS 180 DAYS FOR A REGULAR SAMPLE AND THEN THAT'S A CERTAIN COST MORE THAN IT'S ALWAYS MORE TO OUTSOURCE. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ARBORISTS. WE NEED ONE FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND IT COSTS DOUBLE I THINK SOMETHING RIDICULOUS SO WHY WOULDN'T WE JUST ADD MORE STAFF? IT'S AN IMPORTANT DEPARTMENT MOST WOMEN AND PEOPLE WHO ARE ASSAULTED AND THEY'RE VICTIMS OF SEXUAL CRIME IT'S HARD ENOUGH TO COME FORWARD AND IF THEY'RE WAITING AND THEY KNOW THAT THERE ARE IF THEY ARE GOING FORWARD MANY DON'T EVEN GO FORWARD IS DO YOU PRIORITIZE THAT?  IS THERE A PRIORITY LIST ALSO IF IT'S A WOMAN BRAVE TO GO FORWARD WITH THE CRIME OR IS IT LIKE HOW DO YOU WEIGH THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT THE PRIORITY LIST AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THERE'S HOMICIDE AND OTHER THINGS YOU TEST IN THIS LAB IT'S JUST THINKING FROM THE VICTIM'S SIDE ALSO AND IS THERE EVER IF YOU KNOW THAT THE WOMAN ISN'T GOING FORWARD WITH ANY LEGAL IS IT IS THAT A CONSIDERATION?  IS IT THE TIME THEY COME IN YOU TURN THEM AROUND AT THE SAME LEVEL LIKE HOW DO YOU PRIORITIZE? WE DON'T PICK AND CHOOSE IN THE LAB. I MEAN WE JUST DO WHATEVER COMES IN. WE DON'T WE'RE NOT WHO SENDS IT TO THEM? IS IT THE HOSPITAL OR THE THE HOSPITAL AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT? THE DETECTIVE WILL DROP IT OFF TO OUR LAB COUNSELOR MURPHY I JUST WANT TO STRESS THE FACT THAT INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUE I DON'T WANT IT'S A MISCONCEPTION THAT PEOPLE MAY FEEL THAT THE KIDS COME TO THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND NOTHING IS DONE WHILE THEY'RE THERE. THAT IS INCORRECT. WE HAVE HARD WORKING DETECTIVES. THEY CANVAS FOR VIDEO. THEY INTERVIEW WITNESSES, THEY WRITE SEARCH WARRANTS. THEY FOLLOW UP ON THE INVESTIGATION.  THEY FOLLOW UP ON LEADS. SOMETIMES THEY MAY MAKE AN ARREST AND WE HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN THE RETURN FOR THE KIDS. SO I DON'T WANT AND THERE'S STILL A LOT OF OTHER THINGS ABSOLUTELY THAT HAPPEN AND THAT IS ABLE HAPPEN EVEN THOUGH WE DO HAVE POLICE SHORTAGES IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS BUT I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE DETECTIVES ARE DOING THEIR OTHER WORK.  YOU ARE BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO EVERYONE ELSE THAT IT'S NOT LIKE EVERYTHING STOPS. YES, CORRECT. YES.  IT'S JUST LIKE HOW MANY PEOPLE MAKE UP YOUR DEPARTMENT YOU SINCE I BELIEVE THERE'S LIKE 47 IN THE TESTING LABS AND TWO BE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH A 30 DAY TURNAROUND. HOW MANY MORE WOULD YOU THINK YOU WOULD NEED REALISTICALLY TO MAKE THAT IT'S A MULTI GO THERE'S THERE'S A LOT THAT WOULD HAVE TO GO IN TO ANSWERING THAT I MEAN COULD WE USE MORE RESOURCES IN GENERAL? YES I MEAN BUT ALONG WITH PEOPLE LIKE THAN WE HAVE TO BUDGET FOR SPACE WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S OUR CANDIDATE POOL THERE'S EQUIPMENT WE WOULD NEED.  SO IT'S NOT JUST LIKE WE CAN'T JUST THROW A COUPLE OF WARM BODIES IN THE ROOM AND EXPECT THERE TO BE AN IMPACT ON TURNAROUND TIME AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING. I'M JUST SAYING IT'S HARD TO SAY THAT ALL WE NEED FOR PEOPLE BUT WE STILL NEED SPACE FOR THOSE PEOPLE AND THEN WE STARTED THE BUDGETING IS NOT JUST THE BODY RIGHT? IT'S WHERE DO YOU WHERE ARE THEIR OFFICES? WHAT WHAT WHEN DID THE TIME CHANGE? IT SEEMS LIKE THIS 30 DAY MANDATE IS A NEW ASPECT NATION OR IS IT JUST SOMETHING PEOPLE ARE NOTICING? IS IT JUST SOMETHING HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN AT A 30 DAY TURNAROUND?  2019 I THINK 2020? YEAH, 2020. SO LOTS OF THINGS GOT BLURRED IN 2020 AND SINCE THEN WITH COVID AND WORKING FROM HOME SO EXPECTATIONS WERE NEVER EXPECTED UNFORTUNATELY ACROSS THE BOARD NOT NO REFLECTION ON YOUR DEPARTMENT AT ALL JUST ACROSS THE BOARD.  YEAH, I THINK IT MAY MAYBE THIS IS A FOLLOW UP HEARING TO THE SPONSOR THAT WE HAVE A HEARING TO REALLY TALK ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE REALISTIC AND WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LAB DOES HAVE WHAT THEY NEED AND AND THANK YOU DETECTIVE, FOR YOU KNOW EXPLAINING TO LIKE THE POLICE ARE DOING THEIR WORK THE LAB IS HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES BUT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT IN OFTENTIMES I WILL JUST END ON THIS YOU KNOW THE MEDIA WILL PICK UP ON A STORY OR IT BECOMES SOMETHING YOU KNOW THAT'S TALKED ABOUT BUT SOMETIMES THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO GET THE PUSH TO GET THE POLITICAL WILL TO A HEARING IN THE COUNCIL FLOOR TO GET COLLEAGUES TO BE ON BOARD, GET THE POLICE COMMISSIONER AND YOU KNOW THE TEAM TO REALIZE LIKE MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING I THINK IS WORTH LOOKING OUT AT THE END WE MAY DECIDE THAT THAT'S NOT WHERE WE WANT OUR RESOURCES BUT AT LEAST TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION BECAUSE AT THE SAME TIME WE KNOW WE HAVE TO BE HIRING MORE DEDICATED POLICE. THEY THEY EXPECTED TO WORK LONG HOURS AND THE DEPARTMENT IS STRAINED ALREADY BUT ANY WAY WE CAN SUPPORT THE LAB WORK IT'S OBVIOUSLY A SENSITIVE SUBJECT. IT'S ESSENTIAL THE SENSITIVE DEPARTMENT YOU'RE DEALING WITH, YOU KNOW, INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PEOPLE AND DEALING WITH THE FAMILIES AND THE VICTIMS DIRECTLY IS HARD.  SO ANY WAY WE CAN BE SUPPORTIVE BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, EXPECTING THAT IF THERE IS A MANDATE, WHAT DO WE DO ON THE CITY TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN MEET IT BECAUSE IT'S UNREALISTIC TO JUST SAY WE'LL JUST DO IT AND JUST HIRE MORE PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN HIRE PEOPLE, MAYBE PEOPLE DON'T WANT THAT JOB, MAYBE WE CAN'T GET THE EQUIPMENT TO LIKE YOU SAID, MORE BODIES ISN'T GOING TO BE THE EXACT ANSWER. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO TALK THIS TO GET IT RIGHT FOR YOU GUYS AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO BECAUSE THE ONES THAT DON'T GET DONE IN TIME OR WHATEVER THAT TIMELINE IS EXPECTED I KNOW THERE'S MANY IT'S NOT THAT YOU'RE NOT WORKING, YOU'RE WORKING VERY HARD. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE THAT AND GET YOU THE RESOURCES YOU NEED.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN MURPHY, OBVIOUSLY I THINK A FEW FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS BEFORE WE DO KIND OF A SECOND ROUND CONNECT. CAN I JUST SORRY CAN THANK YOU . WE DO APPRECIATE THE QUESTIONS AND THE COMMENTS. WE JUST WANT TO EXTEND TO YOU AS WELL LIKE PLEASE COME DOWN TO VISIT WE WOULD LOVE TO SHOW YOU HOW THE OPERATION WORKS AND I THINK IN THAT'S TO EVERYBODY I KNOW IT WAS ALREADY INVITED BEFORE BUT YOU WEREN'T HERE THAT I THINK IT WOULD BENEFIT TO COME DOWN AND SEE HOW THE OPERATION RUNS BECAUSE IT DOES KIND OF OPEN YOUR EYES TO SEE AND IT JUST IT'S EASIER TO KIND OF AND I MEAN YOU GUYS MAY EVEN HAVE SUGGESTIONS FOR US. I MEAN WE APPRECIATE ANY INSIGHT YOU GUYS CAN PROVIDE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.  SORRY TO ALL THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU FOR THAT DIRECTOR JUST FOLLOWING UP AND I JUST YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS 30 DAY REQUIREMENT I THINK YOU MENTIONED EARLIER I DON'T WANT TO MISQUOTE YOU. I THINK ON AVERAGE 5758 DAYS PER CARE. IS THAT CORRECT? I THINK IT WAS 53.6. I DID 3.6. SORRY ABOUT THAT. SO CAN YOU JUST WALK ME THROUGH THOSE 53 DAYS IN DETAIL JUST LIKE WELL, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE DIFFERENT LEVELS AND STEPS THAT YOU TAKE TO GET TO TO GET COMPLETED, I THINK THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE EASIER FOR JULIE TO ANSWER. YEAH THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH.  SO THE 53 DAYS WOULD BE THE TIMELINE OR THAT THE DAYS ARE COUNTED I GUESS FROM WHEN IT GETS SUBMITTED AS IT'S GONE THROUGH THE INITIAL SCREENING AND IT'S BEEN DETERMINED THAT THERE'S A POTENTIAL BIOLOGICAL FLUID THAT SHOULD BE TESTED FOR DNA AND THEN IT ENDS WITH A DNA REPORT IS ISSUED. SO WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT 53 DAYS IS BECAUSE WE AREN'T WE MIGHT HAVE OTHER CASES THAT WERE SIGNED IN AHEAD OF THAT. WE DO PRIORITIZE SEXUAL ASSAULTS BUT WE ALSO HAVE HOMICIDES AND PROPERTY CRIMES AND ASSAULTS ASSAULT BATTERIES. SO WE MITIGATE, YOU KNOW, COURT NECESSITIES, COMPARISON SAMPLES AND TRY TO ASSIGN STAFF ACCORDINGLY SO THAT ANY AND ALL CASES THAT ARE SERVING THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF BOSTON IN OUR BOSTON POLICE CASES ARE GETTING HANDLED AND WORKED AND DNA TESTING DONE. THAT SAID WE DO HAVE A TIERED SYSTEM SO THAT WE PRIORITIZE THE TESTING OF SEXUAL ASSAULTS AND HOMICIDES AND ASSAULTS YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO JUST ROLL THEM OUT UNIVERSALLY AND HAVE THEM ALL BE WORKED AT THE SAME TIME . SO WHEN A SAMPLE GETS SUBMITTED TO THE TO THE DNA SECTION FOR TESTING SAY A TRACK IT OR A RAPE SEXUAL ASSAULT KIT SAMPLE IT MAY HAVE TO WAIT TO GET TESTED. IT DOESN'T GET TESTED THE VERY NEXT DAY BUT ONCE IT DOES GET STARTED TESTING IT'S 1 TO 2 WEEK PROCESS TO DO THE BENCH WORK. SO THE LAB WORK BECAUSE THE THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE WORKING ON THOSE CASES ARE ALSO TESTIFYING IN COURT AND HAVING MEETINGS AND WORKING WITH QUALITY ISSUES AND QUALITY SYSTEM REGULAR TASKS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO KEEP OUR ACCREDITED LAB FUNCTIONING. SO ONCE THEY DO THE BENCH WORK THEN THEY WOULD SUBMIT IT FOR TECHNICAL REVIEW.  THAT'S AN ACCREDITATION REQUIREMENT AS WELL AND ALSO JUST GREAT QUALITY ASSURANCE PRACTICE AND A SECOND QUALIFIED ANALYST DNA ANALYST HAS TO REVIEW THAT DATA AND DETERMINE DO THEY AGREE WITH THE FINDINGS? DO THEY THINK ADDITIONAL TESTING SHOULD BE DONE AND ARE ALL THE QUALITY CONTROL MECHANISMS PERFORMING AS EXPECTED? ARE WE PUTTING OUT A GOOD QUALITY PRODUCT? SHOULD WE ISSUE THIS REPORT FOR THIS DATA OR SHOULD WE DO SOME MORE WORK ON THIS CASE? IS THERE ADDITIONAL TESTING THAT COULD BE DONE? SHOULD WE INVESTIGATE OTHER TECHNOLOGIES TO HELP GET THE MOST INFORMATION FOR THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF EVIDENCE GIVEN THE DATA THAT WE HAVE? SO ONCE IT COMPLETES THE TECHNICAL REVIEW PROCESS THEN WE'RE ABLE TO ISSUE A REPORT.  SO LIKE I SAID THAT FROM START TO FINISH THAT TAKES AT LEAST ABOUT TWO WEEKS ONCE WE HAVE ONCE THAT CASE KIND OF GETS TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE IN TERMS OF THERE'S A QUALIFIED DNA ANALYST WHO'S AVAILABLE AND READY TO WORK ON THAT CASE.  AND SO THAT'S WOULD BE SORT OF ALL THE ACTIVITIES THAT WERE HAPPENING IN THAT 53.7 DAYS. YEAH, WELL THANK YOU. AND THAT IS A FOLLOW UP ON THAT. YOU TOUCHED ON THE TECHNICAL REVIEW PROCESS HERE AT THE END. WHO IS THAT AT THE DISCRETION OF IS THAT AT THE DISCRETION OF THE TESTERS OR IS THERE ANY WHO MAKES THAT DECISION IN TERMS OF SO 100% OF DNA CASES ARE TECHNICALLY REVIEWED THAT'S OVER ACCREDITATION REQUIREMENT AND TECHNICAL REVIEW OF A DNA CASE CAN ONLY BE DONE BY A QUALIFIED PERSON WHO'S BEEN TRAINED IN TECHNICAL REVIEW WHICH IS TYPICALLY IT HAS TO BE A DNA ANALYST. YES.  OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION. I JUST HAVE ONE MORE FOLLOW UP. AS DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CURRENT CRIME LAB DIRECTOR WHO DOES THAT PERSON REPORT TO THE DIRECTOR? HE WOULD REPORT TO THE POLICE COMMISSIONER LOCAL POLICE COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU. GREAT.  WELL WITH THAT THOSE ARE JUST MY QUICK FOLLOW UP SO I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN IT UP FOR A SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS. COUNCILOR FLYNN.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  IS THE IS THE BOSTON POLICE CRIME LAB OFFICIALLY ACCREDITED ? YES. AND WHAT'S THE NAME OF THE ACCREDITATION GROUP THAT DOES THAT IN ABBY? WHAT DOES THAT STAND FOR?  ANSI NATIONAL ACCREDITATION BOARD AND ANTI STANDS FOR DON'T DO THIS TO ME AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARDS INSTITUTE AND WE'RE UP FOR RE ACCREDITATION SO IN NOVEMBER WE HAVE IT'S NOT REALLY RE ACCREDITATION IT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS SO IT'S A FOUR YEAR CYCLE SO YOU UNDERGO A FULL ASSESSMENT ON ALL THE CRITERIA. THERE'S I THINK AROUND JUST UNDER A THOUSAND CRITERIA INDIVIDUAL CRITERIA THAT WE HAVE TO GENERATE OBJECTIVE EVIDENCE OF COMPLIANCE WITH. SO THAT'S MY ROLE. SO I CREATE A CONFORMANCE FILE DEMONSTRATING ALL THE ALL OF THESE THINGS AFTER THAT YEAR THEN THEY COME BACK FOR AN ONSITE VISIT WITH A SMALLER TEAM AND THEY LOOK AT A SUBSET OF CRITERIA SAY 25% OF THE CRITERIA BUT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO TECHNICALLY LOOK AT ANYTHING.  THEN THE NEXT YEAR IT'S AN OFFSIDE ASSESSMENT WHICH TYPICALLY LASTS AROUND A MONTH AND YOU PROVIDE EVERYTHING IN THE CLOUD SO YOU PROVIDE SCANNED RECORDS OBJECTIVE EVIDENCE OF COMPLIANCE AGAIN IT'S JUST THEY DON'T TRAVEL TO YOUR LAB AND THEN THE CYCLE STARTS AGAIN AND YOU HAVE ANOTHER FULL ASSESSMENT. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'LL BE FINISHING THIS YEAR WOULD THIS ACCREDITATION GROUP WHEN THEY DO THEIR ACCREDITATION AGAIN WOULD THEY LOOK AT THE FACT THAT WE ARE WITHOUT A PERMANENT CRIME LAB DIRECTOR? IS THAT A CRITERIA OR WOULD THAT BE OF CONCERN TO THEM? IT MAY BE OF CONCERN TO THEM AS OF RIGHT NOW. I MEAN THERE'S A DIRECTOR FOR THE PURPOSES OF ACCREDITATION AND THAT'S ME AND THEN YOU NEED A POINT OF CONTACT SOMEBODY WITH AUTHORITY IN THE LAB AND THAT'S A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY BETWEEN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS. SO WE DO HAVE DIRECTORS IN OTHER UNITS JUST BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE LAB IS SET UP. WE HAVE A DIRECTORS AND OUR FARMER AT THE FARMS ANALYSIS UNIT WE HAVE A DIRECTOR AND ARE LATENT PRINT UNIT AND WE HAVE THREE SEPARATE ACCREDITATION CERTIFICATES WHICH WILL BE CONSOLIDATED INTO OUR BUT BUT WHAT THE ACCREDITATION GROUP WOULD THEY INQUIRE ABOUT WHY YOU DON'T HAVE A PERMANENT CRIME LAB DIRECTOR THEY ALREADY KNOW THEY ALREADY KNOW IT'S BEEN COMMUNICATED AND ARE THEY CONCERNED ABOUT IT?  NOT CONCERNED. I MEAN THERE'S AS LONG AS THEY HAVE THE STAFF HAVE AS LONG AS WE HAVE THE STAFF THERE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY NEED AND THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED. ARE THEY CONCERNED WE DON'T USE WHY SCREENING? NO. WHAT OTHER MAJOR CITIES LARGE CITIES IN AMERICA USE WASTE SCREENING POLICE DEPARTMENTS? I DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION. I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.  I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WOULD HAVE DOES NEW YORK CITY HAVE THAT?  I DON'T KNOW. I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE. I DO KNOW THAT MANY LABS ACROSS THE COUNTRY DO USE Y SCREENING BUT IT'S CERTAINLY NOT A UNIVERSAL USUALLY UNIVERSALLY USED TEST FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS IT'S A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN BUDGET ONGOING BUDGET YEAR AFTER YEAR TO CHANGE FROM WHAT THEY CALL TRADITIONAL SCREENING METHODS TO Y SCREENING. SO SOME SOME LABS JUST DON'T HAVE THE BUDGET TO MAINTAIN IT . SO WHY WOULD A SMALL CITY MEDIUM MEDIUM SIZED CITY THAT DOESN'T HAVE WASTE SCREENING AND THEN THEY INVEST THE RESOURCES THE THE PERSONNEL INTO WHY SCREENING IT AT THEIR PARTICULAR CRIME LAB WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT WHEN YOU SWITCH TO A SCREENING YOU CAN WHEN YOU BRING Y SCREENING ONLINE YOU CAN ALSO HAVE A LIKE A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO YOUR WORKFLOW THAT WOULD HAVE OTHER BENEFITS. SO IT IT CAN CHANGE YOUR OVERALL WORKFLOW IN A WAY THAT PROVIDES OTHER BENEFITS THAT MITIGATES THE INCREASE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN BUDGET . OKAY WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?  I AND I ASKED THAT IS AND THIS WILL BE MY FINAL FINAL POINT IS TESTING SEXUAL SUPPORT SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS HAS TO BE A PRIORITY AND I KNOW IT'S A PRIORITY FOR YOU AS WELL. TESTING THEM WITHIN 30 DAYS IS THE LAW.  I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY WAY AROUND THAT HAVING A PERMANENT DIRECTOR OF THE CRIME LAB IS CRITICAL. WE CAN'T GO ANOTHER 18 MONTHS WITHOUT A PERMANENT DIRECTOR. IT HURTS MORALE.  IT HURTS THE FLOW OF WORK.  IT'S NOT GOOD WORKFORCE POLICY . I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY H.R. RELATED ISSUES BECAUSE OF THIS SITUATION AND OR NOT.  I DIDN'T ASK THAT QUESTION. I'M GOING TO I'M NOT GOING TO ASK THAT QUESTION.  BUT IF WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT THIS ISSUE, WHICH I THINK WE ARE, WE NEED A PERMANENT DIRECTOR.  WE NEED Y SCREENING. WE NEED THE NECESSARY RESOURCES AND STAFF TO DO THIS JOB EFFECTIVELY. WE NEED A LARGER OFFICE AND WE NEED A LEADER THAT SHOWS UP EVERY DAY THAT TAKES THIS JOB VERY SERIOUSLY AND PROVIDES THE LEADERSHIP CONSISTENTLY AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE GETTING WITHOUT A PERMANENT LEADER AT THE CRIME LAB.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR FLYNN COUNSELOR MURPHY, DO YOU HAVE ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS?  JUST THANK YOU. CHAIR AND THE LEAD SPONSOR FOR HOLDING THIS AND HOPEFULLY SOON . WE DO HAVE MANY DEPARTMENTS WHO COME IN FRONT OF US AND THERE IS THIS STAFFING ISSUE BUT IN OUR CITY IN THIS CASE I FEEL IT'S A BALANCE BETWEEN A NATIONAL STAFFING SHORTAGE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE OFFERING COMPETITIVE PAY AND TALKING ABOUT THE RESIDENCY AND THE COST OF LIVING HERE IN BOSTON. WE JUST HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WAYS WE CAN WE'RE SMART, WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN AND IF IF ANY DEPARTMENT THAT HAS AN OPENING AT THE TOP SHOULD BE A PRIORITY TO MAKE SURE NOT JUST IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUT ACROSS THE CITY THAT WE'RE FILLING THOSE POSITIONS.  WE NEED OBVIOUSLY A WORKFORCE AT THE OTHER END IS IMPORTANT TOO BUT IN SUCH AN IMPORTANT DEPARTMENT IT'S IT'S IT'S NECESSARY SO HOWEVER WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS AND TO TAKE A LOOK IF IT'S WITH THE BUDGET DEPARTMENT DIRECTLY, HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT THIS JOB IS GOING TO HAVE APPLICANTS THAT ARE QUALIFIED THAT YOU CAN CHOOSE SOMEONE THAT DOES THE RIGHT JOB HERE? SO THANK YOU AND I KNOW I'LL BE I'LL BE VISITING YOU SOON. I'LL REACH OUT TO MAKE A VISIT TO LEARN MORE WHICH I DO AGREE IS IMPORTANT.  WE CAN'T MAKE THESE DECISIONS HERE IF WE'RE NOT UNDERSTANDING . I ALWAYS SAID AS A TEACHER THERE WERE PEOPLE MAKING DECISIONS FOR US IN THE CLASSROOM AND HAD NEVER STEPPED FOOT IN A CLASSROOM BUT THOUGHT THEY KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT WHAT WE NEEDED. SO I DO KNOW THAT THERE'S ALWAYS MORE FOR ME TO LEARN SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT AND HOPING THAT THAT VISIT WILL GIVE ME THE KNOWLEDGE TO HELP SUPPORT AND ADVOCATE FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT MORE SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNSELOR. DO ANY OF YOU WANT TO HAVE ANY FINAL STATEMENTS? I WOULD AND YOU KNOW, INFORMED BY THE CLERK THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PUBLIC TESTIMONY. SO BEFORE WE WRAP IT UP WE LIKE TO JUST GIVE YOU AND THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY TO YOU THOSE STATEMENTS FIRST OF ALL, I APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT YOU GUYS TOOK TO HOLD THIS HEARING SITTING HERE.  WE'RE ALL DEDICATED CITY EMPLOYEES JUST LIKE YOURSELF AND WE APPRECIATE ANY INPUT THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO ASSIST US IN GETTING US WITHIN THAT 30 DAY REQUIREMENT. I THINK A LOT OF THINGS WERE MENTIONED THERE TODAY. THE DIRECTORS POSITION STAFFING IN A NEW A CURRENT AND NEW PLACE FOR OUR CRIME LAB IS WE ARE A VERY LIMITED SPACE BUT SINCERELY I REALLY HOPE THAT NOT ONLY JUST THE THREE THE CITY COUNCIL SITTING HERE TODAY BUT ALL OF YOU COME VISIT THE BOSTON POLICE CRIME LAB, SEE THE SPACE AND WHAT WE'RE WORKING WITH AND ALSO SEE THE HARDWORKING AND DEDICATED EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT . AND WITH THAT I WANT TO THANK YOU AND ALL OF OUR PANELISTS FOR BEING WITH US. YOU TOO WITH US HERE TODAY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND MY COLLEAGUES ARE MY COLLEAGUES COUNCILOR FLYNN AND COUNCILOR MURPHY FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN TODAY'S HEARING AND AGAIN IN A THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR PLAYING FOR FOR SPONSORING THIS HEARING THIS HEARING ON DOCKET NUMBER 0507 IS ADJOURNED THANK YOU.  THANK YOU